How many of you readers already have an account on Facebook? Do you share posts, update photos, send messages or like and comment on the shared contents? How many of you maintain Pages on Facebook and how many are part of groups on this most famous social media? I estimate more than 90% of you readers. Now, how many of us would have gone through FB’s Terms of Service? Have any of you at least skimmed – forget about reading every line – the long T&C section? I put the estimate around less than 1%? You are not at fault. An estimate says it takes weeks to thoroughly read the umpteen terms of Facebook. I will put forward some important points you would like to know before logging into FB the next time, which shall allow you to make better informed decisions.

This list only contains some very important pointers. For detailed information visit the Facebook’s Terms of Service here.

Privacy:

1. FB quotes – “If you use our Services for purchases or financial transactions (like when you buy something on Facebook, make a purchase in a game, or make a donation), we collect information about the purchase or transaction. This includes your payment information, such as your credit or debit card number and other card information, and other account and authentication information, as well as billing, shipping and contact details.”
2. Facebook can receive information about you and your activities from third party vendors when they jointly offer services from an advertiser.
3. By collecting all details about you, Facebook can customize the content you see. A simple example would be the auto-tagging suggestions you get when you are tagging your friends on photos. You could control this by using the “Timeline and Tagging” settings.
4. Facebook can use your location to suggest local events or offers near you or even friends nearby.
5. When you post something for a public audience, it is available on or off FB’s services and can be accessed through online search engines, APIs, and offline media, such as on TV.
6. There is no direct link for you to permanently delete an FB account. If you think there is, best of luck finding one. When you want to delete an account and start searching for it, you end up at ‘deactivate’ which encourages you to only temporarily disconnect and reconnect by just logging in again. I myself had to click on two different hyperlinks before coming to the permanent delete page and still was unable to find a way.
7. FB does not protect you from law. If there is a need and if FB thinks it is in good belief, you are not the one to be protected. Sorry convicts!

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Sharing your content and information:

All inventors, beware of your IP!!!

So, stop boasting online.

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Safety:

We do our best to keep Facebook safe, but we cannot guarantee it. Yes, it is in Facebook’s own words. You’re as safe as what you post online.

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Disputes:

WE TRY TO KEEP FACEBOOK UP, BUG-FREE, AND SAFE, BUT YOU USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. Yes, you know, this is quoted from Facebook as well.

 

So, what do you feel now about sharing information on Facebook? Do you think this is normal? If you feel so, you must not miss this wonderful article – Didn’t Read Facebook’s Fine Print? Here’s Exactly What It Says that shall shed more light on our threats. There is no point blaming Facebook, it is their platform and their Terms of Service. Though I am sad that my contents and news feed are customized and manipulated, my information is shared and used, I could not complain because I have accepted to everything the moment I created an account.

Use social media safely!! Huh, SOCIAL MEDIA and SAFELY? I couldn’t have found a better Oxymoron today. Make only the best use of such social platforms, for always ‘safety is better than cure.‘