10 Risky Default Settings In Social Media That You Should Check Do you read every single “Terms of Service” you come across before clicking “I Agree” to? If you’re anything like me, the answer is no. In fact, I’ve agreed to hundreds since I first started using AOL 14 years ago, but I haven’t read one. Should we be more careful?

1. August 19, 2011
batteryfast.co.uk
10 Risky Default Settings In Social Media
That You Should Check
10 Risky Default Settings In Social Media
That You Should Check
Do you read every single “Terms of Service” you
come across before clicking “I Agree” to? If you’re
anything like me, the answer is no. In fact, I’ve
agreed to hundreds since I first started using AOL
14 years ago, but I haven’t read one. Should we be
more careful?
I try to align myself with respectable websites — Their reasons for using your likeness are obvious.
using services that many others use. And this lea- LinkedIn provides a free service, and in exchange,
ves me with a sort of “someone else will catch it if you provide a personal touch. In the end, however,
something’s wrong” mentality. So far (I think) that this is probably not what many users expected upon
has worked out okay. signing up. LinkedIn has yet to comment back to us
on this.
But as online industry grows, and we sign up for
one social network after the other, we can’t forget 2. Facebook
that we’re trusting our sensitive information to cor-
porations. Most TOS include a clause that allows Facebook is infamous for its nebulous privacy po-
companies to change their TOS whenever they need licies. Visiting facebook.com feels more like you’re
to. So, in an effort to not be paranoid, but cautious, visiting your own community and less like a service,
here’s a list of 8 things to check up on in social media. which gives off a false sense of comfort. Its extre-
Who knows? Maybe you’ll be surprised by what mely open philosophy on web identity has spawned
you’ve agreed too. protest, anger and attempts at alternative services .
One particular setting allows Facebook to use you
1. LinkedIn in advertisements targeted towards your friends. It
doesn’t actually do this yet, but says it might in the
By default, LinkedIn can use your name and photo future. This setting, which is similar to LinkedIn’s,
in its advertising campaigns. If you don’t feel like makes perfect sense for a company and little sense
endorsing linkedin.com, uncheck this box. It’s not for a community. I would be angry, but I already
terribly hard to find, so login and go to: Username expected this from Zuckerberg and friends, and I’ll
> Settings > Account > Manage Social Advertising. continue to use Facebook for no reason other than
joliprint
because that’s where my friends and family are.
Manage your inclusion in ads: Account > Account
Settings > Facebook Ads
Printed with
http://www.batteryfast.co.uk/battery-technology/10-risky-default-settings-in-social-media-that-you-should-check/
Page 1

2. August 19, 2011
batteryfast.co.uk
10 Risky Default Settings In Social Media That You Should Check
5. Google
Like Twitter, it’s easy to connect your Google ac-
count to third parties. Google officially explains why
you might have done this here. Go to your account
settingsto see what websites have access. Your list
probably includes harmless things like Stack Over-
flow and analytics plugins, but you might as well
3. Facebook (again) be extra safe.
While you’re at it, you may want to do two more 6. Hulu
things:
By default, Hulu shares your recent movies and
1) Check out your active Facebook sessions and end queue. And by connecting with Facebook, you can
any that seem risky. This might prevent those prank get extra social with your movie/TV watching. This
status updates from your less-than-tasteful friends… is great, but potentially embarrassing for some. I
don’t mind letting my coworkers know I’ve stayed
Account > Account Settings > Security > Active Ses- up all night watching every episode of Dilbert, so I’ll
sions. Click “End Activity.” leave that box checked. That same theory might not
ring true to how many times I’ve listened to “Stereo
2) Review the list of apps that you’ve authorized Love” on Spotify.
to interact with your account. If you’ve been using Username > Account > Privacy and Settings > Sharing
Facebook for a few years, you’ll find remnants of what you do on Hulu…
the past like the honesty box and bumper stickers.
Notably, you can even connect to Myspace this way 7. Google+
(a pretty sad sign of defeat). Removing the apps one
at a time will be boring, so brace yourself and click Google+ has done a decent job balancing the public
here! and private aspects of a social network. By being
late in the game, it’s learned from a lot of Facebook’s
4. Twitter mistakes. One enticing feature is its limited posts,
which allows you to customize what each of your
Twitter’s popularity makes it a common choice for Circles can see. Now all we need is an extension that
linking with external websites. Everything from excludes circles based on the use of curse words and
Twitter’s own applications to Twitpic, Disqus and drug references. Take a look atGoogle+’s privacy
blogs like TNW do it! Luckily, we haven’t heard of settings and understand the benefits and risks of
much abuse involving Twitter’s API, and managing limited posts.
which applications have access to your account is
easy. Go here to tidy up a few loose ends by ending
joliprint
the connections you don’t even remember making.
Printed with
http://www.batteryfast.co.uk/battery-technology/10-risky-default-settings-in-social-media-that-you-should-check/
Page 2

3. August 19, 2011
batteryfast.co.uk
10 Risky Default Settings In Social Media That You Should Check
8. Yahoo CloudTag: risky , default settings , social media
, check , Acer as07b41 Battery , Acer as07b51 bat-
Yahoo, like Facebook, keeps track of your recent tery , Acer as07b42 battery , Acer as07b31 Battery
locations. Review them and make sure there isn’t
any suspicious activity on your account by visiting
their location management page. It’s kind of creepy
to see a list of all the places you’ve been, so maybe Battery Technology Related Articles:
clear everything anyways.
9. Gmail
Battery Technology | Laptop Battery Life
Gmail also tracks your recent activity and can be
set to alert you of any abnormalities, including if 100+ Online Resources That Are Transforming Edu-
your account is simultaneously open at another cation by batteryfast.co.uk
location. Take a look by logging in and scrolling to
the bottom of mail.google.com. On the right, click 6 Excelent Products that Could Come from the
“details” under “Last account activity: # minutes Google-Motorola Deal
ago.” Google officially explains how you can use
this feature here. NFC: Quick Guide to the Future of Mobile by bat-
teryfast.co.uk
10. Flickr
How Today’s Students Use Technology
Your photos can say a lot about you. If you’re creating
work that you want to protect, you’ll need to make What a student’s major is important to consider
sure you limit access to your original image. Othe- when choosing a laptop
rwise, you might end up seeing your work floating
around Tumblr, unattributed. Watermarks can help Help Tips: Do Your Eyes Have Computer Vision Syn-
you play it safe. It’s also important to remember that drome?
many cameras now store your GPS location for each
photo taken. Power-users are extra vulnerable, be- Lose Your Laptop? Change all Passwords, Quickly
cause your data could eventually reveal your daily
routine or home address! That said, Flickr makes it Battery Technology | Follow 6 tips To taking care
easy to avoid these issues. Go here to manage your of your Laptop Battery
privacy and property.
Top 10 ways to improve iPad battery life | Battery
This is, by no means, an end-all list to dubious set- Technology
tings in social media. Let us know what other risky
defaults you have found so we can add them above! To read more good posts, please follow us on Twit-
joliprint
Practice safe browsing! ter: http://twitter.com/batteryfastuk
Thank you!
Other Business News:
Printed with
http://www.batteryfast.co.uk/battery-technology/10-risky-default-settings-in-social-media-that-you-should-check/
Page 3

4. August 19, 2011
batteryfast.co.uk
10 Risky Default Settings In Social Media That You Should Check
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a com-
ment below and continue the conversation, or
subscribe to my feed and get articles like this
delivered automatically to your feed reader.
joliprint
Printed with
http://www.batteryfast.co.uk/battery-technology/10-risky-default-settings-in-social-media-that-you-should-check/
Page 4