How to Make Facebook and Social Media Accounts Private

Social Media Privacy

We know that we need to watch what we share on Social Media sites. But do we know how to control what is actually shown to the public? Below are some tips you can use to improve your privacy on some of the most popular social networks: Instagram Facebook Twitter, Pinterest,, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok.

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Each time you post on social media, you might be revealing more than you think to a wider audience than you expected. Employers are even looking at Social Media profiles of their potential employees in order to screen job applicants. A recent article at Money.com, Boss's Snoop on Social Media Profiles, found that 60% of employers check out the social media pages of job candidates. We listed some steps you can take in order to reduce your private information that is accessible online of the 3 most popular social networks.

Social Profiling

Recruiters try to retrieve social media information when vetting applicants, Social profiling is the act of measuring a person based on their interaction and influence on social media platforms. Some estimates say that 43% of employers used information online in order to not hire someone and 40% use social media to screen candidates, including their social conduct. Although it can be important in some ways, it does show only one side of a multidimensional person. It assumes that if there is no social profile, or if you have a low social influence score, you are automatically less worthy as an employee.

Cyberstalking

Do you take steps to prevent cyberstalking when you use social media? Cyberstalking may sound like just the electronic and modern form of traditional, face-to-face stalking. It can also include real-time and off-line stalking. However, cyberstalking has a completely different set of victims. Traditional stalking is usually understood to affect women as victims. Cyberstalking, on the other hand, impacts nearly 40% of men. Also, traditional stalking is usually done by ex-partners or certain associates of the victim; a large part of cyberstalking is done now by complete strangers. The increase in cyberstalking is possibly due to the ease of information access. Cyber-stalkers can attain geolocation information that is automatically turned on for most smartphones. Not to mention the fact that we willingly share this information ourselves by geotagging every single picture we share on our social profiles.

Data Breaches and Hacking

Data breaches and hacking represent some of the most alarming threats to your personal information. Social media platforms, while convenient for staying connected, are prime targets for cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities and access sensitive data. Imagine a hacker infiltrating a major social network and pilfering millions of user profiles, personal details, private messages, and even financial information can be exposed in the blink of an eye. These breaches not only compromise individual security but also erode trust in the platforms that facilitate our digital lives. To counteract these risks, it's essential to adopt robust security measures such as using complex passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and monitoring account activity regularly. By staying vigilant and informed, you can protect yourself from the invasive reach of hackers and safeguard your social media privacy from the ever-evolving threats of the digital age.

Warrantless Searches

Government surveillance is also a threat to online privacy. Warrantless searches have been in and out of the news for some time. However, it wasn’t until the revelations by Edward Snowden that they gained front-page attention, and the focus zoomed in on the government’s standard of accessing users’ private information without a warrant. In the U.S. the courts determined back in 1967 Case known as Katz v. United States, well before the social media age, that any person who willingly makes information public is not protected by the Fourth Amendment, and therefore requires no warrant. Even information that is meant to be kept private, such as information shared with a friend, is often interpreted as not being intended to be private, as there is no guarantee that the recipient would keep that information private. The NSA is known to have worked with Facebook, Google and others through the Prism Program to monitor user information that included email content, search history, live chats and file transfers.

Third Party Information Sharing

Many companies collect visitor data and then sell it to others. This is where tracking comes in. Several websites set cookies on your device once you visit them. The cookie places information on your device to later identify a returning user. That is a problem, as some cookies can crawl and track you to other websites. Identifying your behavior patterns online. Also, several online services you opt-in to use, track your activity while you use their services.

Facebook and the majority of social media sites, are tracking and recording what you do, what you like, your comments and messages, your shares, and all other behavior. They then can sell this information to companies or as part of their advertising services, as it helps to sell products and services more easily and in a more targeted way.

Privacy and Security on Social Media

We can still maintain some privacy on platforms where we share everything. Even if you are not concerned about the privacy threats mentioned here. You may not like the idea of potential employers being able to see your social media posts. Protecting your social media profile and staying active at the same time may sound quite troubling at first. But it all becomes super easy when you know what to look for and what to fix. We will help you with that.

Phishing Scams

Phishing scams are very effective because they can be very deceptive. You’re emailed a message saying that your account has been hacked, and you need to click the link in order to restore your account. You click on it, enter your login information, and blam, you’ve been hacked! That was a fake email and a fake site, and you wouldn’t know until your private information gets stolen. In general, don’t click on links shared by people you don’t know.

Legislation in Social Media Privacy

Shaping the Future of Digital Protection Legislation plays a pivotal role in setting the boundaries for how personal data is handled and protected. Laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) are at the forefront of this regulatory shift, redefining user rights and corporate responsibilities. The GDPR, enacted by the European Union, empowers users with greater control over their personal data, mandating explicit consent for data collection and ensuring the right to access and delete personal information. Similarly, the CCPA provides California residents with the ability to know what data is collected about them and to opt-out of its sale, emphasizing transparency and consumer empowerment. As social media platforms adapt to these regulations, users are gaining unprecedented protection against unauthorized data usage and privacy breaches. This legislative momentum highlights a growing commitment to safeguarding digital privacy, paving the way for more robust privacy practices and increased accountability in the social media sphere. For anyone concerned about their online footprint, staying informed about these laws is crucial in navigating the complexities of social media privacy and ensuring their personal data remains secure.

Use Strong Unique Passwords

Unfortunately, it is still true that the most popular password is still the word “password”. It is important to have a strong password. But many people take the easy route. You should be using a combination of capital letters, numerals, letters, and punctuation. You DO NOT need to change your passwords regularly IF it is already a strong password.
See our blog on Creating a Strong Password
Also see Do not trust password strength meters.

Two-Factor Authentication

If you’ve set up your new strong and unique password, you should also enable two-factor authentication, or at least login verification. This feature adds an extra security layer by requiring one more authentication step after entering your password. When two-factor authentication is enabled, it sends a code to your phone, which is needed to complete login from a new device. Login verification is similar, except that it’s not every time you log in. It’s only for when you log in from an unknown device that you’ll be prompted to enter a verification code.

Stop Access to Third Party Apps

During your social media life, you have probably used some risky third party apps. Check, whether you are still using all of those apps that you permitted access to view your account. We recommend you stop access to applications that are no longer in use, as well as suspicious applications that offer you to get “likes”, followers or view private accounts on Instagram. These are the ones to use your account in an improper way.

Use Geotags Wisely

We completely get it – tagging a location to your photos is really tempting, especially when it comes to your travel shots or a newly decorated house. However, geotagging puts you at risk, both material, and cyber. Not only that your vacation photos are an open invitation to burglars, signaling that your house is left empty, geotags also add sensitive info to your online profile, disclosing your personal preferences through specific locations visited. For these reasons, specifically avoid tagging locations that you are frequently at, like your home or work.

Educate Yourself About Privacy Policies

Navigating the labyrinth of social media privacy begins with understanding privacy policies, often the unsung heroes in protecting your personal data. These documents, though sometimes dense and jargon-laden, are your first line of defense against the misuse of your information. By educating yourself about privacy policies, you uncover how platforms collect, store, and share your data, and what rights you have in managing it. For instance, knowing whether a social media platform sells your data to third parties or retains it indefinitely can help you make informed choices about your online presence. Regularly reviewing these policies and staying updated on any changes ensures that you remain in control of your digital footprint. In a world where data is a prized commodity, being proactive about understanding and acting on privacy policies empowers you to safeguard your personal information and maintain your security in the digital realm.

Privacy Settings for Social Media Accounts

Managing privacy settings for social media accounts is more crucial than ever. With personal data being a prized commodity, it's essential to take control of who can see your information and how it is used. Optimizing your privacy settings helps safeguard your personal details from unwanted attention and potential misuse. Start by reviewing the default settings of your social media platforms and adjust them to limit visibility to only trusted connections. Make use of features such as two-factor authentication, and regularly audit your account for any apps or services that have access to your data. By proactively managing your social media privacy settings, you ensure that your online presence remains secure and that your personal information is protected from prying eyes.

Social Media Privacy Settings Comparison

Privacy controls work differently on each social network. Some platforms let you make an entire personal profile private, while others rely on audience, profile visibility, or content-level settings. Use this comparison as a starting point, then review each platform's current privacy menu because settings and labels can change.

Facebook Privacy Settings

Facebook does not use one universal switch that makes every part of a profile private. Instead, open Settings & privacy > Settings and review the Audience and visibility section. Facebook currently groups controls there for profile details, how people find and contact you, posts, stories, reels, followers and public content, profile and tagging, and blocking. Use Privacy Checkup as an additional review of who can see what you share. Pay particular attention to the audience for future posts, older public content, friend requests, tagging, followers and whether search engines outside Facebook can link to your profile. Facebook explains its current privacy controls here.

X Privacy Settings

X, formerly Twitter, lets you protect your posts so they are visible only to approved followers. Go to Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety > Audience and tagging, then turn on Protect your posts. Existing followers remain followers unless you block them, while new followers must be approved. Protected posts do not appear in third-party search engines, but previously public posts or copies outside X may take time to disappear. Also review photo tagging, discoverability by email address or phone number, direct-message controls, connected third-party apps, and location sharing. See X's current instructions for protecting posts.

Your Instagram Pictures

Are you sure you want the whole world to see every Instagram picture you take? So you love to share your precious holiday moments and beautiful visual discoveries. But do you think that your life should be seen by random strangers? It may be good to switch your account from Public to Private. Open your account and go to
"Settings" > "Privacy and Security" > "Account Privacy" > "Private Account"
This will make your content visible only to approved followers. Now, only new "Followers" will have to get your approval first. However, for the Photographer or those that want to share your pictures, going private may not be an option. Share, but do not over sharing. Be careful when posting pics of your friends and family members. Also consider not using geotags. Not all of your thousands of followers need to know your location.
How to turn off Geotags.

Pinterest Privacy Settings

Pinterest now allows eligible personal accounts to use a Private profile. Open Settings > Profile visibility and turn on Private profile. A private profile does not appear in Pinterest search results or external search engines, and you can invite people you know to follow you. Pinterest business profiles remain public, so a business account must be changed to a personal account before it can be made private. You can also use private boards for Pins that should only be visible to you and invited collaborators, and review Search privacy and other data settings. See Pinterest's private-profile instructions.

YouTube Privacy Settings

YouTube privacy is mainly controlled at the content and activity level rather than by making an entire channel private. Videos and playlists can be Public, Unlisted, or Private. Remember that anyone with an unlisted video's link can view it and can reshare that link, so use Private when access needs to be limited to specific people. On a computer, go to Profile picture > Settings > Privacy to control subscription privacy and certain activities. You can also open Your Data in YouTube to review video, playlist, subscription and other data controls. Review Your Data in YouTube.

LinkedIn Privacy Settings

LinkedIn provides separate controls for visibility on LinkedIn, public search tools, and approved services outside LinkedIn. Open Me > Settings & Privacy > Visibility and review your public profile, profile discovery and visibility, photo visibility, connections and other options. You can turn public-profile visibility off or choose which profile sections are eligible to appear to people who are not signed in and in search tools such as Google or Bing. LinkedIn notes that search engines may take several weeks or even months to reflect visibility changes. Also review discovery by email address or phone number and your off-LinkedIn visibility settings. See LinkedIn's public-profile visibility guidance.

TikTok Privacy Settings

To make a TikTok account private, open the app and tap Profile > Menu > Settings and privacy > Privacy, then turn on Private account. With a private account, you approve who can follow you and view content available to followers. TikTok notes that your name, username and profile photo remain visible and people can still search for your account. A private account also limits features such as downloads, Duet and Stitch. Review individual post audiences, comments, direct messages, suggested-account settings and content reuse as well. See TikTok's private-account guidance.

What a Private Social Media Account Does Not Hide

Making an account private reduces who can see your content, but it does not make you anonymous or guarantee confidentiality. Depending on the platform, your username, profile photo, name, biography, follower information or other profile details may remain visible. Approved followers can also take screenshots, download permitted content, copy information or share it elsewhere. Material that was public before you changed your settings may remain in search-engine indexes, archives, screenshots, reposts or other websites for some time.

For stronger privacy, remove unnecessary personal details, avoid posting sensitive financial, medical, contact or location information, review old public posts, limit tagging and mentions, and check which apps still have access to your accounts. If information about you is already widely available online, see our guide to reducing your public information online.

Social Media Privacy Best Practices

A private-account switch is only one layer of protection. Use this quick privacy checklist across every social network you use, especially after a major app update or when you add a new device or third-party service.

• • Review your audience. Confirm who can see new posts, stories, photos, videos, follower lists and older content. Use the smallest audience that fits how you use the account.
• • Review followers and connections. Remove unfamiliar, unwanted or suspicious accounts rather than assuming a private profile makes every existing follower trustworthy.
• • Limit profile details. Avoid publishing your home address, personal phone number, private email address, routine locations, travel schedule or other information that could be used for impersonation or social engineering.
• • Control tags, mentions and comments. Enable review or approval options where available so other people cannot easily attach unwanted content to your profile.
• • Limit location sharing. Avoid adding precise locations to posts when they could reveal your home, workplace, daily routine or that your home is unattended.
• • Review discoverability. Where available, decide whether people should be able to find you through your email address, phone number, contacts or external search engines.
• • Remove unused connected apps. Revoke third-party access you no longer need and avoid services that request unnecessary social-media permissions.
• • Use a unique password and multi-factor authentication. Never reuse the same password across social networks. See our guide to creating a strong password, and enable multi-factor authentication in each social network's security settings when available.
• • Check active sessions and recovery information. Sign out devices you do not recognize and keep your recovery email address and phone number current.
• • Treat unexpected security messages as suspicious. Open the official app or website directly instead of signing in through an unexpected link. Review these phishing and malware warning signs.

Summary

Social media has revolutionized the way we connect and share information, but it has also introduced significant privacy concerns. By understanding how social media platforms collect and use your data, being aware of major privacy risks, and implementing practical steps to protect yourself, you can navigate the digital landscape more securely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does making a social media account private hide everything?

No. A private account generally limits posts to approved followers, but profile photos, usernames, biographies, follower counts, and other details may remain visible. Followers can also save or share content outside the platform. Privacy settings reduce exposure but cannot guarantee confidentiality, so avoid posting sensitive personal, financial, medical, or location information.

Can people find my private social media profile through Google?

Possibly. Search engines may display publicly available profile details, previous public posts, cached information, or content copied to other websites. Turn off external search visibility when the platform provides that option and remove unnecessary profile details. These broader personal data protection practices can help reduce information exposed beyond social networks.

What is the difference between blocking, muting, restricting, and unfollowing someone?

Blocking usually prevents an account from viewing or contacting you. Muting hides another person’s content without notifying them, while unfollowing removes their posts from your feed. Restricting may quietly limit comments, messages, or interaction without a complete block. Exact behavior differs by platform, so review its help documentation before choosing the control that matches your safety or privacy concern.

How often should I review my social media privacy settings?

Review important settings every few months and after major application updates, policy changes, suspicious activity, or the installation of a new connected app. Check your audience, profile visibility, active sessions, location sharing, advertising preferences, tagging controls, and third-party permissions. A broader online privacy review can identify exposure across other accounts and devices.

What should I do if my social media account has been hacked?

Change the password immediately, sign out unknown sessions, enable multi-factor authentication, and confirm that your recovery email and phone number remain correct. Remove unfamiliar connected apps and review recent posts, messages, and purchases. Warn contacts about fraudulent messages and use a new credential based on proven strong password practices.

How can I recognize a fake social media login or security message?

Be cautious of unexpected warnings, urgent account threats, prize notices, verification requests, and messages containing shortened or unfamiliar links. Instead of following the message link, open the official app or type the platform’s address directly into your browser. Learning common phishing and malware warning signs can help prevent stolen login credentials.

Can deleted social media posts or photos still be found?

Yes. Deleting content removes it from the location you control, but copies may remain in screenshots, shared messages, downloads, archives, search results, or another user’s repost. Platforms may also retain information according to their policies. If personal details have spread beyond your account, use a structured process to reduce your public information online.

Are social media privacy settings free to use?

Standard controls for account visibility, blocking, tagging, messaging, and location access are generally included with social media accounts. However, some platforms may offer paid verification, enhanced support, or subscription features that do not necessarily provide greater privacy. Evaluate the actual controls included before paying and remember that careful sharing habits remain important regardless of account type.

Is it safe to buy products through social media advertisements?

Social media advertisements can lead to legitimate businesses or fraudulent stores. Before buying, independently verify the seller, return policy, contact details, website address, and payment protections. Avoid purchases requested through direct messages, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or unexpected links. Follow secure mobile transaction practices when entering payment information on a phone or tablet.

How can I stop unwanted messages after making my profile private?

A private profile may not automatically prevent message requests. Limit direct messages, group invitations, mentions, and comments to followers or approved contacts, then block and report abusive or deceptive accounts. Never reply to requests for passwords, verification codes, money, or personal information. Similar techniques used to block spam texts and scams can help identify suspicious messages.

Does making my account private stop the social media platform from collecting my data?

No. Account privacy mainly controls what other users and, in some cases, search engines can see. It does not necessarily stop the platform from collecting or processing account, device, activity, advertising or usage data under its policies and your settings. Review each platform's privacy and data controls in addition to audience visibility. Our online privacy and security guide explains additional ways to reduce your digital exposure.

Should I use my phone number on a social media account?

A phone number can be useful for account recovery or security, but you should separately review whether the platform allows other people to discover your profile through that number. Where possible, restrict phone-number discoverability while keeping secure recovery options current. For more ways to protect information connected to your identity, see our guide to protecting personal information online.

Should a business or creator use a private social media account?

A private account offers tighter audience control but can reduce discoverability, sharing, customer access, and public engagement. Businesses and creators may prefer a public professional account while keeping personal profiles private. Separate the accounts, limit personal details on the business profile, control tagging, review connected applications, and establish clear rules about which information belongs in public posts or private conversations.

Author Bio: Adnan Moad

A guest blogger hailing from Switzerland, dedicated to assisting local companies in expanding their reach from regional to national and international levels. With a proven track record in...

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