If you are older than 55, and you’re on Facebook, you are in the second-fastest growing demographic of Facebook users. Seniors appreciate Facebook for many of the same reasons other demographics do — re-connecting with old friends, viewing photos posted by family, and sharing daily opinions with the world.
If your parents are on Facebook and they are new to the social media culture, it’s a good idea to make sure they are protected. Online predators target older demographics precisely because they tend to be more polite and less suspecting. And these predators know that many seniors have accumulated a lifetime of assets and good credit.
Here are 5 tips to help you (and your parents) use Facebook safely:
1. Don’t advertise your age.
On the “Edit Profile” page, you are required to indicate your birthdate, but you can choose how much of that information appears in your profile. You have three options:
- Show my full birthday in my profile.
- Show only month and day in my profile.
- Don’t show my birthday in my profile.
Choosing either the second or third option can help you avoid people who are looking specifically for seniors.
2. Be intentional about your privacy settings.
Account > Privacy Settings > Sharing on Facebook
This is where you can customize who sees your information. In the left column, Facebook offers a few standard options — “Everyone,” “Friends of Friends,” and “Friends Only.” There is also a “Recommended” settings option that allows different groups to see different types of information. And finally there is a “Custom” option that you can edit by clicking the blue “Customize settings” link underneath the info. This lets you choose specifically who sees what. If you are helping your parents with these settings, be prepared to spend some time explaining the options and helping them make the right choices. You might decide to use a very restricted setting while your parents are new to Facebook, and then relax those settings as they gain some social media savvy.
3. Opt out of “Places.”
Account > Privacy Settings > Sharing on Facebook > Customize Settings > Friends can check me in to Places
This is a newer option from Facebook, and it’s good to be aware of it. “Places” allows people to announce to their network when they are at a specific physical location, such as a coffee shop or a mall. That way, if your friends are in the area and they see your announcement, they can meet up with you in person. Depending on your settings, your friends might also have the ability to announce your location. If you don’t want the world to know where you are (and that your house is unattended), choose to “Disable” this setting.
4. Be aware of your connection settings.
Account > Privacy Settings > Connecting on Facebook
On the same Privacy Settings page, above “Sharing on Facebook,” is a heading that reads “Connecting on Facebook.” Click the “View Settings” link to see how “findable” you are by other people. The explanation of each setting is very clear, and for each one you can choose “Everyone,” “Friends of Friends,” or “Friends Only.” Facebook is designed to help people connect with each other, so it’s up to you to choose how connected you want to be.
5. Opt out of “Instant Personalization.”
Account > Privacy Settings > Apps and Websites > Instant personalization
Facebook’s “Instant Personalization” allows Facebook to share information that is relevant specifically to you. With this option enabled, you might see information in the right sidebar of your Facebook page that shows sites your friends have visited, products they have bought, and reviews they have posted. Facebook knows that personal recommendations like these can influence buying decisions, and they want advertisers to be interested in their site, so they facilitate those personalized connections. For the most part, such connections are harmless, but be aware that in order to make them possible, you are giving third-party websites access to your personal data. If you don’t prefer this, uncheck the box that says “Enable instant personalization on partner websites.”
One more idea
If you are in the “sandwich generation,” Facebook represents another opportunity to bridge the generation gap between your children and your parents. (See our recent blog, “Bridging the Generation Gap,” for more ideas.) Ask your kids to help your parents implement the settings described above! What they’ll teach is, what all the different options mean; what they’ll learn is, how seniors are particularly vulnerable.
Providence on Facebook
Providence is actively involved with Facebook at all our communities, and we understand what a powerful and useful tool it is. Though Facebook’s intricacies can be overwhelming, people can make good decisions about it when they are armed with the right information.
Providence people are using Facebook to enhance existing relationships. Family members who live far away from the community where Mom and Dad live can stay connected by viewing photos of daily life on campus. They can also post their own photos — of new births, family vacations, holiday parties — and staff on-site will print these out and deliver them.
If you are interested in seeing our Facebook philosophy in practice, visit the pages of any of our communities listed below! Each one is a safe place to learn more about Providence and get a sense of community life:
