Graph Search isFacebook ’s bold Modern wayof browsing the societal internet , letting you call up pic of your family in California , restaurants your friend like in New York , or any public updates from Gizmodo employees who also wish live atmosphere ballooning . It ’s been available the last several calendar month in beta , but today it starts pluck out to Facebook at large . And in the awry hands , it can be the ultimate stalker hunting engine .
What Is Facebook Graph Search ?
Graph Search is utile , but it ’s also a minuscule bit terrific if you do n’t know how to protect yourself . Here are the options you need to adjust today to keep the Facebook creeper away .

It ’s important first to take a few moments to bring out how you require to use Facebook . Your friends might need to employ Graph Search to experience which bars you advocate , or which brands you care , or what find when you chaffer Venice — is this information you ’re happy to divvy up , or not ? That ’s lead to affect how much of the below you may take or leave . But given the pervasiveness of Graph Search , we suggest you take .
1. Protecting your future posts
Any update or issue box you see on Facebook , whether you ’re using a roving app or the background site , will have an audience selector drop cloth - down bill of fare with it . This carte manipulate who can see what you ’re about to post — options include “ Public ” ( anyone can see it ) , “ admirer ” ( only confirmed friend can see it ) and “ Only Me ” ( no one but you’re able to see it , useful for those times you ’re feeling confessional ) . These setting apply across the board , whether someone is casually browsing your Timeline or using the full - fat high - power Graph Search to hunt question .
The audience selector lets you specify who can and ca n’t see your content
gratefully , the audience chooser remembers your most late setting , so if you’re able to come up with a shape you ’re happy with for any and everything , you’re able to leave it in place for the hereafter .

For more chondritic restraint , choose the “ Custom ” choice . This allows you to intend sure friend or list of friends who can see your update . It also lets you specify certain friend or lists of Quaker who ca n’t . To assort your contact into listing , follow the “ Friends ” contact from your own Timeline . Rather than categorise all of the hundreds of people who appear here , consider creating two lists : one for those who do n’t beware sharing everything with , and one for those who you ’d rather did n’t see anything .
Facebook in fact already has two list already set up for exactly this purpose purpose : “ Close Friends , ” who will show up more often in your news program feed , and “ Restricted . ” Anyone in your qualified list ( such as your boss or your moralizing grandmother ) will be unable to see your Facebook update unless you set them as “ Public ” from the consultation selector switch . It ’s a useful shortcut for dealing with all the Facebook friends you ’re not really friends with .
A quick note on tagging . When you label any of your friends in a photo , deterrent - in , update or any other activity , they can then see that subject irrespective of the consultation picker setting . By default , their friends can see it too , which is why people you do n’t sleep with may sometimes comment on your condition or one of your pictures . you’re able to disenable this behavior using the “ Custom ” choice from the hearing selector switch . It can also be disabled on your friend ’s end , but the feature is switched on by nonremittal , so be cognisant .

2. Protecting your current posts
The consultation selector switch pearl - down appears next to everything you ’ve put on your Timeline too ; the books you care , the topographic point you ’ve worked , even your tilt of friends . guide to your Timeline and click “ Update information ” to find all of the options . If you do n’t desire to show up in some weirdo ’s Graph Search for your hometown , for exercise , define the consultation for that particular objet d’art of information . you could also see who can see the Page you ’ve care ( from eatery to clothing stores ) . Use the “ Activity log ” button on your Timeline to review all of your Likes , and take out anything you ’re not happy with .
Use the Update info box to change the profile of data on your Timeline
Facebook includes a built - in tool for limiting the visibility of previous posts set as “ Public ” or “ Friends of Friend . ” dawn the sprocket icon on the toolbar ( at the top of every Facebook cover ) , then choose “ Privacy options . ” On the next screen prize “ Limit Past Posts . ” Read the confirmation subject matter and select “ Limit Old Posts ” to throttle everything you ’ve ever posted to protagonist only .

If you ’d rather use a scalpel than a sledgehammer , you’re able to adjust the hearing context of any specific preceding post by scroll back through your Timeline and tweaking them one by one .
3. Protecting yourself from your friends
Of naturally , your own updates are only half the tale on Facebook . There ’s all the poppycock your friend are send on your Timeline and chase you in , from awkward effect to incriminate photos . All these update and pictures go to your friends , which mean they control the audience — and who can find them on Graph Search . Still , you ’re not totally powerless . you could prevent these post from appearing on your own Timeline , and qualify the style in which you could be label . This in twist limits your exposure on Graph Search .
Open your “ Account preferences ” page from the cog icon drop - down menu at the top of any Facebook Sir Frederick Handley Page , then pick out “ Timeline and Tagging . ” From here you may set up a “ recapitulation posts ” lineament that let you approve or block any attempt to tag you . you’re able to also assign who is able-bodied to see posts you ’re tag in , and station on your own Timeline . Adjust these privacy place setting now , and they ’ll be waiting for you once Graph Search goes Facebook - astray . notice : It ’s come to our attention that this in reality just hides thing from your timeline , but does n’t keep them from being agitate out to others . The best way to lock this stuff down is actually to go look back yourActivity Log .
Facebook ’s New Privacy configurations Are Here : This Is What You Need To Do in good order Now

Shortcuts to some of the lineament we ’ve blab about can be find by clicking on the padlock icon on the Facebook toolbar ( at the top of every page ) . You ’ll find a headmaster audience selector switch set under the “ Who can see my stuff ? ” heading , for case .
Use the cutoff fare to make immediate change
It ’s potential that your Facebook friends decrease into two refugee camp — those who you ’re well-chosen to share most of your life with , and those who you ’re friend with out of necessity or responsibility . A few tweaks to your privacy circumstance can make Graph Search very useful to the former group , while limiting the amount of spying the latter chemical group or Facebook users in general can carry out .

If you have any more Facebook privateness rules or tips to share , let us know below !
This post master copy appeared in February , and has been update consequently .
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