Facebook privacy question

[nosoupforyou]

I have researched this over and over and have not been able to find an answer on how to solve this problem, so I hope some facebook savvy Dis'ers will know.

First of all, I understand how to set privacy settings regarding posting on my wall (who I want to see a post & who I don't). I have my entire profile set to "friends only" and I have groups set up so that when I post something, it will go to my colleagues at work or to my friends, etc... I have certain photo albums blocked so only certain groups of friends can see them.

My problem has to do with privacy -- with posts I make to other people's statuses, photos, and videos that my "friends" are not "friends" with, but they can see what I'm posting! For example, I have a friend in another state that none of my local friends know. I posted a comment on a youtube video that she posted on. Another friend of mine was able to read what I posted below her video even though she does not know this person. She said she often reads things I post to other people that she doesn't know. She is reading off of the "Top News" link whereas I prefer to read from the "Most Recent" link which filters out those kind of posts so they don't show up in the feed.

Just for kicks, I went to the "Top News" link and started reading status updates, and sure enough, I was able to read comments that my "friends" posted below status updates, photos, and videos of people I don't know. This only happened to certain friends, and not everyone though. So there are some people who post where I don't see their posts, and some I do.

This leads me to believe that there is a setting I can change to stop this invasion of privacy, but I have not been able to find it. Like I said, I have everything set to "friends only" on my privacy settings. I've googled this and have looked in the fb help section, but cannot find an answer.

Can anyone help point me in the right direction? How come I can read these posts to status updates of friends to non-friends of mine by some people and not by others?

 

[SKWDW]

I have researched this over and over and have not been able to find an answer on how to solve this problem, so I hope some facebook savvy Dis'ers will know.

First of all, I understand how to set privacy settings regarding posting on my wall (who I want to see a post & who I don't). I have my entire profile set to "friends only" and I have groups set up so that when I post something, it will go to my colleagues at work or to my friends, etc... I have certain photo albums blocked so only certain groups of friends can see them.

My problem has to do with privacy -- with posts I make to other people's statuses, photos, and videos that my "friends" are not "friends" with, but they can see what I'm posting! For example, I have a friend in another state that none of my local friends know. I posted a comment on a youtube video that she posted on. Another friend of mine was able to read what I posted below her video even though she does not know this person. She said she often reads things I post to other people that she doesn't know. She is reading off of the "Top News" link whereas I prefer to read from the "Most Recent" link which filters out those kind of posts so they don't show up in the feed.

Just for kicks, I went to the "Top News" link and started reading status updates, and sure enough, I was able to read comments that my "friends" posted below status updates, photos, and videos of people I don't know. This only happened to certain friends, and not everyone though. So there are some people who post where I don't see their posts, and some I do.

This leads me to believe that there is a setting I can change to stop this invasion of privacy, but I have not been able to find it. Like I said, I have everything set to "friends only" on my privacy settings. I've googled this and have looked in the fb help section, but cannot find an answer.

Can anyone help point me in the right direction? How come I can read these posts to status updates of friends to non-friends of mine by some people and not by others?

Here's a link to the new Facebook privacy guidelines. It provides MUCH more information now about the ins & outs of FB privacy. Hope it helps.

 

[nosoupforyou]

I already read that page and it does not answer my question or help me solve this privacy issue, but thanks for trying!

I do know how to control who sees my status updates, but I don't have any control over who sees my comments I make to others who are not friends of my friends. It's such an invasion of privacy.

I now feel like I can't comment on statuses -- even someone who none of my other friends know because it will be out there for EVERYONE to see. There's no way to block people from viewing status comments.

I also can't believe other fb users are okay with this. Doesn't it annoy you that if you comment to your friend about something (maybe work related) that you don't necessarily want your boss to see it, even though he has no ties at all to this other person and is not fb friends with this other person?

 

[Scurvy]

I also can't believe other fb users are okay with this. Doesn't it annoy you that if you comment to your friend about something (maybe work related) that you don't necessarily want your boss to see it, even though he has no ties at all to this other person and is not fb friends with this other person?

I'm okay with it, and I don't see it as an invasion of privacy. The way I see it, I have control over the things I put onto my own page. I don't expect to have control over what I put on someone else's page. If I choose to comment on someone else's status, picture or whatever, I assume that their friends will see it. If their privacy settings aren't great then anyone might see their page. I keep that in mind when making comments.

ETA - I'm a little confused by part of your problem, though. Are you upset that your own friends can see your comments about other people's pages? That's just how it works, I'm afraid. Although if someone you are friends with has strong enough privacy settings, then only their friends should see their video or your comment about it. If you don't want anyone else to see your comment, then you just can't post it on someone's wall.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

I'm okay with it, and I don't see it as an invasion of privacy. The way I see it, I have control over the things I put onto my own page. I don't expect to have control over what I put on someone else's page. If I choose to comment on someone else's status, picture or whatever, I assume that their friends will see it. If their privacy settings aren't great then anyone might see their page. I keep that in mind when making comments.

ITA!! I made the mistake of commenting on another friend's status or picture or something, and it causes mega drama because another friend took it the wrong way.

Yes it is very annoying, but there is nothing you can do about it. It's all up to your friend's settings. Some of my friends have completely public profiles, other's have tighter restrictions than mine. There's nothing you can do to escape that, except monitor what you're saying. If you want to say something and keep it COMPLETELY private, send them a message.

 

[nosoupforyou]

I'm okay with it, and I don't see it as an invasion of privacy. The way I see it, I have control over the things I put onto my own page. I don't expect to have control over what I put on someone else's page. If I choose to comment on someone else's status, picture or whatever, I assume that their friends will see it. If their privacy settings aren't great then anyone might see their page. I keep that in mind when making comments.

I understand this (bolded part), but what I'm saying is YOUR FRIENDS will see your comment too, even though they don't know the person you just commented on -- they are not friends with the person but can see every comment you make.

The newsfeed will say, "Jane Doe commented on Mike Smith's status" and then it will show Mike's status and your comment, even though your friends don't know Mike Smith. IMO,they should not be able to read what you comment on walls of people who are not their friends.

 

[Scurvy]

I understand this (bolded part), but what I'm saying is YOUR FRIENDS will see your comment too, even though they don't know the person you just commented on -- they are not friends with the person but can see every comment you make.

The newsfeed will say, "Jane Doe commented on Mike Smith's status" and then it will show Mike's status and your comment, even though your friends don't know Mike Smith. IMO,they should not be able to read what you comment on walls of people who are not their friends.

Sorry, I edited before I saw this post. Yes, that's how it works. Your comments and posts are available to your friends unless Mike Smith's privacy settings override that. So if his settings specify "friends only" then no one but his friends will see his status or your comment about it. But if he chooses to leave it open to "everyone" or "friends of friends" then it becomes available to your friends, too. As JulielovesDisney says, the only way to avoid that is to send your comment as a message instead of posting it on Mike's wall.

 

[Tink888]

I already read that page and it does not answer my question or help me solve this privacy issue, but thanks for trying!

I do know how to control who sees my status updates, but I don't have any control over who sees my comments I make to others who are not friends of my friends. It's such an invasion of privacy.

I now feel like I can't comment on statuses -- even someone who none of my other friends know because it will be out there for EVERYONE to see. There's no way to block people from viewing status comments.

I also can't believe other fb users are okay with this. Doesn't it annoy you that if you comment to your friend about something (maybe work related) that you don't necessarily want your boss to see it, even though he has no ties at all to this other person and is not fb friends with this other person?

OP - I know what you're talking about and I don't like it either and I feel like it's an invasion of privacy (even though, and it's said time and again, that there is NO privacy on the internet).

It does bug me that through my comments, my friends have access to my other friend's posting who they are not friends with. Likewise, even though my privacy settings are set to friends only, When my friends post comments to my status, it now makes what I'm posting visible to their friends who I'm not friends with. Which kind of defeats the whole purpose of FB allowing me to have privacy settings in the first place.

I also haven't been able to find a way to fix it. For me, it kind of ruins the back & forth social chit chat that was the big draw to FB for me in the first place.

 

[Scurvy]

Likewise, even though my privacy settings are set to friends only, When my friends post comments to my status, it now makes what I'm posting visible to their friends who I'm not friends with. Which kind of defeats the whole purpose of FB allowing me to have privacy settings in the first place.

Tink888, are you absolutely sure that the bolded is happening? This part had me worried, so I logged in on my account and on my son's account (which I'm friends with) to see what I could figure out. With my account, I commented on three of my friend's statuses (Randy, Keith and Karl). I also "liked" two pictures of Keith's, one of which is in a "friends only" album and the other is in a "friends of friends" album. My son isn't friends with Randy, Keith or Karl. Here's what I found: My son's account can see that I commented on Randy's status, and can read the status and the comment. His account can't see that I commented on Karl or Keith's statuses. I know that Keith's status privacy is set to "friends only"; I don't know how Randy and Karl have theirs set. My son can see Keith's "friends of friends" photo album and my comment about it, but he can't see the other picture or my comment. This leads me to believe my friends' privacy settings are still preventing non-friends from seeing their statuses and pictures if their settings specify "friends only".

Okay, so I was still concerned about this, so I went in to test it some more. I unfriended my son's account. My husband was still friends with him, so I had my husband comment on my status and "like" a picture in an album I had set as "friends only". My son's account couldn't see that he had done either thing. Then I changed the settings on the album to "friends of friends" and went back to my son's account. He still couldn't see the status or the comment about it, but he could see the picture and album, and that my husband had "liked" the picture. I changed the album back to "friends only" and it went away on my son's page. He can't see that it even exists, much less that my husband commented on it.

 

[4Robins]

A few things i have found out about FB are a little scary. First off, and i have recently done this, you dont need to use your real name and or pics or any REAL personal info, unless you want to be "found". Just use an assumed name and let the people you talk with know that info. EVERYTHING on FB is collected and used and FB is so easily hacked its not even funny. And if you want to delete your account???? TRy it, its easier to steal a space shuttle and fly it to Fresno than it is to completely delete you account. FB doesnt want you to delete, they want to keep your info.....look it up. I prefer phone calls or face to face, so much nicer that way!!!!

 

[Tink888]

Tink888, are you absolutely sure that the bolded is happening? This part had me worried, so I logged in on my account and on my son's account (which I'm friends with) to see what I could figure out. With my account, I commented on three of my friend's statuses (Randy, Keith and Karl). I also "liked" two pictures of Keith's, one of which is in a "friends only" album and the other is in a "friends of friends" album. My son isn't friends with Randy, Keith or Karl. Here's what I found: My son's account can see that I commented on Randy's status, and can read the status and the comment. His account can't see that I commented on Karl or Keith's statuses. I know that Keith's status privacy is set to "friends only"; I don't know how Randy and Karl have theirs set. My son can see Keith's "friends of friends" photo album and my comment about it, but he can't see the other picture or my comment. This leads me to believe my friends' privacy settings are still preventing non-friends from seeing their statuses and pictures if their settings specify "friends only".

Okay, so I was still concerned about this, so I went in to test it some more. I unfriended my son's account. My husband was still friends with him, so I had my husband comment on my status and "like" a picture in an album I had set as "friends only". My son's account couldn't see that he had done either thing. Then I changed the settings on the album to "friends of friends" and went back to my son's account. He still couldn't see the status or the comment about it, but he could see the picture and album, and that my husband had "liked" the picture. I changed the album back to "friends only" and it went away on my son's page. He can't see that it even exists, much less that my husband commented on it.

Not 100%. You are right though....I just tried what you did with my DH and son's pages and got your results. That makes me feel better to know that people aren't able to view my statuses other than my friends (not that there's ever anything worth reading on there). I guess the lesson then is just to beware of what you're writing on someone else's page.

 

[Tink888]

A few things i have found out about FB are a little scary. First off, and i have recently done this, you dont need to use your real name and or pics or any REAL personal info, unless you want to be "found". Just use an assumed name and let the people you talk with know that info. EVERYTHING on FB is collected and used and FB is so easily hacked its not even funny. And if you want to delete your account???? TRy it, its easier to steal a space shuttle and fly it to Fresno than it is to completely delete you account. FB doesnt want you to delete, they want to keep your info.....look it up. I prefer phone calls or face to face, so much nicer that way!!!!

So true about the hacking. My son's page was recently hacked (we think it was a friend of his playing a prank). All someone needs to know is a person's email address and the city/zip where they live and they are pretty much capable of hacking away.

 

[richmond282]

It has to do with how your friends have THEIR privacy settings set which of course you have no control over. If you need to comment on something you don't want others to see just message your friend instead of posting on their wall or commenting under their status.

 

[IDoDis]

Yes, it stinks.