How much info do you tell about yourself on Facebook

I'm with you here 12Michael. We can't avoid registering our email address if we choose to join Facebook, but other details don't have to be added to our profiles. The less info out there, the better! I get annoyed with online retailers who insist you open an account when you wish to buy anything. Some allow you to shop as a 'guest' without registering all your personal details - I don't know why they can't all do that.

I would never put my phone number or address anywhere near FB or any other site its just asking for trouble in my opinion.

None - not on it

AshTree I agree with you about those retailers. I've come across quite a few who don't give delivery costs unless you register, so it's at that point that I exit and buy from someone else!

I don't give anything I don't have to. I have had to tell my DCs off for putting their dates of birth to be public. You can make everything visible to only you, that's the most important part. Facebook can be as private as you like, it's knowing how to make it so that is the problem. I would have to sit down with someone to show them rather than try to explain.

No, I won't play the silly little games that some retailers and websites try to play, either. DS has a fake email address for such sites, but I can't be bothered.

I've started to use Facebook recently and I really enjoy it but I'm totally paranoid about who sees what.
I've given it as few details as possible, including a fake date of birth.
I've even set up a fake 'friend', by using another email address, so that I can check what is visible to friends.
THEY have spies everywhere, you know.

They do! They also target you with age appropriate ads, so while my friends with correct DOBs are getting tena lady, I am getting dating sites!

Jane

Your email address and phone number aren't visible to anyone on Facebook, Michael.
You choose how much info to put about yourself.
There's a drop down menu at the side of every post you put on, and if you click on that you can choose whether the public sees your post, your friends see it, a particular friend sees it, or just you.

FarNorth there is a facility on Fb to show you what others can see of your profile.

I do have a facebook account but I lost interest in it and it's so long since I went on it I can't remember my password anymore. I suppose I should close it down.

Thanks for that info Lona. Even knowing that, I'd still like to see it from my 'fake friend's' viewpoint.

Some time ago, when I didn't have a FB account, a friend sent me an email inviting me to look at her photos on FB. I clicked on it, thinking maybe I could see the photos without being a FB member. I couldn't see them but FB took the opportunity to tell me that some people I know were already FB members.

How did FB know that, other than some sort of snooping in my Hotmail?

That's because Google know everything !! [Scary face]

Greyduster in order to close your FB account down, you would have to log on, so you'd have to go through the whole 'forgotten password' rigmarole anyway.

Oh b****r!

I give the minimum- I even have an email address that is not my normal one.

I never talk about going on holiday, but I will say when I'm back. I've 'hidden' my e-mail address also.

I don't give any information at all beyond my name, and rarely visit the site anyway.

I joined Facebook after I finished work, largely to keep in touch with my grandsons. I am now a fan, though very cautious about privacy settings. FarNorth, what a brilliant idea to set up a fake Fb page so you can double check your privacy settings work. My page has no information about work, schools etc as my "friends" know all that anyway

I'm always surprised at the way some people put so much detail on Facebook. Where they're going on holiday, how long the house will be empty,exactly where their lovely new house is, and so on. Most of my Facebook friends are real friends who know all the details anyway, I don't need to spread it around.

I agree Deedaa - there is so much advice about how to keep children safe online but I sometimes think it's the adults who could do with a bit of help!

I'm always amused by the people who post their wedding pictures when to the DWP they are single mums.

Name, rank and serial number and that's it! Don't give any information that isn't necessary and keep my privacy settings updated. They can sometimes 'mysteriously' be open to public rather than friends.

In fact even if I'm asked for a phone number anywhere on line I seldom enter it. Usually just put 01234000000 as system is only looking for set number of digits.