Facebook continues to be a popular social media platform for connecting with friends and family, sharing memories, and staying updated on current events. A study conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by ClearMatch Medicare of 2,000 seniors found that most seniors 65+ spend nearly 300 hours per year scrolling through social media with the most time spent on Facebook (75%).

However, not all Facebook use is equally positive, and it’s easy to engage in rude behavior, share too many personal details, and repost false or misleading information. Negative behavior can make Facebook less enjoyable for everyone, and in some cases, it can even create a dangerous environment where scammers can thrive.

Read on to learn about seven ways you can use Facebook better, enhancing your online experience and keeping you connected (and safe) in today’s digital age.

1. Build your community with care

When it comes to social media and who you engage with online, you are in complete control. You can choose who you friend, what friend requests you accept, and what posts you interact with and share.

Whether you’re trying to grow your friend circle online or simply are trying to be polite, it’s important to only accept friend requests from people that you know and want to interact with on a personal level. Keep in mind that sometimes scammers may pose as someone you know, so before accepting a new friend request, be sure you know the person and are comfortable with them seeing your posts. Even if you know the person, don’t be afraid to decline a request.

If you’re trying to build your own online community, search for specific names by typing them into the search bar in the top left corner of Facebook. Once you find a person, you can send a friend request. Or, you can use the People You May Know feature, which finds friends of friends you may recognize and want to connect with.

Also don’t be afraid to unfriend someone if they post too often, share false, negative, or triggering information, or you simply don’t want them to see your posts anymore. You can also “unfollow” them if you want them to be able to see what you post but don’t want to see theirs, or “block” someone if what they are posting is offensive or harmful.

2. Resist the urge to click every ad

When you sign up for a social media platform, it immediately begins gathering data about you such as your age, email address, location, and more. The more you use the platform, the more it learns. It can even learn from things you click on, articles you read, and friends who you interact with. And, it can also gather information by monitoring what you click outside of the platform.

Every click you make online tells the platform a little more about you, including your opinions, shopping preferences, and more. That’s one reason that ads that appear in your Facebook feed seem perfectly tailored to you, often showing something you recently searched for or purchased.

There are ways you can stop this targeting entirely, such as by updating your internet cookie settings or selecting for apps not to track you. You can also manage it by avoiding clicking on things you don’t want in your feed. Try to only click on things you want to see more of; the less you click on things you don’t want to see, the more likely it is for Facebook’s algorithms to remove those from your feed.

3. Update your privacy settings

Privacy is a major safety issue on social media, and it’s important to set your Facebook profile up in a way that’s going to protect you and your information. Start by setting a secure password that includes a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols. Also ensure your profile is linked with an active email account so you can request a password reset if you forget it.

Next, check your post privacy settings. As a rule of thumb, restrict the users who can view your content to those who you are friends with. This will help prevent strangers and scammers from commenting on your posts or sharing photos or information. Additionally, turn off geographic or location tracking.

4. Filter out the fake news

The term “fake news” has become popular over the last few years, but refers to “false or misleading content intentionally dressed up to look like news articles, often for the purpose of generating ad revenue.” This sort of information is often shared as a way to make people angry and/or sway political opinion, and often is created in a way where users don’t even realize they are sharing something false or misleading.

To avoid spreading false information, first consider the source and the author. Make sure the article is from a legitimate, recognizable website. Also check the date. For some content the date doesn’t matter, but if it’s news-related and the article is several years old, it may no longer be accurate.

Finally, share only what you actually read. Headlines are designed to draw readers in, called “click bait,” but they don’t always accurately represent the story that follows. So, if a headline attracts your attention, avoid hitting the “share” button immediately. Be sure you read the article first.

5. Avoid spam and scams

Unfortunately, spammers and scammers are abundant on social media, including Facebook.

Spammers are typically out to steal your personal information and often spread through corrupted links, malicious software, or files, so it’s important to be mindful of what you click and download. Avoid clicking links from sources or websites you don’t recognize and don’t open any messages from people you do not know.

If you see something that you don’t recognize or seems suspicious, you can report it to Facebook.

Scams often happen when people create fake accounts or hack into existing accounts to trick users into giving them personal information or money. It’s easy to detect these scams if someone outright asks you to send money before you receive anything in return, but sometimes the scammers can be trickier. If you receive a message from a “friend” that seems out of character, don’t respond. Also reject friend requests from people you don’t know and never provide any personal information to someone claiming to need it.

6. Beware of the overshare

Some people document their every move on Facebook, including where they are, what they do, what they eat, and more. Sometimes that’s ok; however, don’t feel like you have to do that and in fact, it can be safer for you and your loved ones if you don’t. Avoid oversharing, such as sharing your current location, so that information can’t be used against you (for example, when you post you’re on vacation or away from your house, this can be an invitation for criminals to target your residence).

Also avoid sharing financial or private information.

You get to choose your level of engagement, so it’s up to you if you post at all, occasionally share posts, or post regularly. If you do post regularly, just keep in mind that what you post could be used against you if it gets into the wrong hands, so be thoughtful in what you share. It’s a good idea to treat all information you post with the potential that it can go public, so never share anything that you wouldn’t want strangers to see.

7. Ask your family and friends if they’re okay with you posting their photos

It’s easy to post on a loved one’s page or see what they are up to simply by searching for their profile or engaging with their posts in your newsfeed. And while it’s tempting to post photos and videos of your friends and family on your own page, keep in mind that not everyone may want that information online.

In fact, many parents who use social media decline to share things about their children due to privacy-related concerns. Additionally, some people ma­­­­­­y prefer not to have photos of themselves posted, or they may not want to be tagged in posts.

If you want to post something about a family member or friend, just make sure they are ok with it. Photos, videos, and posts with your loved ones can be a great way to stay connected, start a conversation, and keep you engaged with others, but it’s a good idea to get their permission first.

Additional Resources

• New York Post: OnePoll and ClearMatch Survey
• FactCheck.org: How to Spot Fake News
• Cambridge.org: Social Networking Sites and the Experience of Older Adult Users