Thursday, June 20, 2013

No "Followers" on Facebook


Did you know you may have secretive "followers" on Facebook? People you probably don't know and they are reading your posts and looking at your photos?

Ignorant social media experts confuse fans, friends, and followers on Facebook. If you Google "why would someone follow me on Facebook?" you're going to see a lot of articles on why you should want to have more people seeing your brand messages.

But a "follower" on Facebook is NOT a "friend". Let me explain this mess.

Women and other vulnerable people may want to guard against potential predators. I suggest you do something about "followers" on Facebook.

I don't want anybody subscribing to my public posts, which Facebook now calls a "follower," because I only want to share my insights and photos with people I know or who have sent me Friend Requests and I see that we share common interests.

Why would someone "subscribe to" or "follow" your public posts -- but do so semi-clandestinely, "under the radar"? I don't like it. On your profile page you can see your Followers if you click on that word in the left sidebar.

"Followers" (who used to be called "subscribers") are typically unknown strangers. You may think it's creepy, or odd, that someone would follow, be able to read, your public posts. The posts of most Facebook users are public by default. Few have changed their privacy settings to limit who can read their status updates.

I agree with those who consider "followers" to be creepy. I assign them to the category of stalkers.

Here's how to prevent strangers from "following" your public FB posts:

(1) Click on the gear tool icon in the upper right of your Facebook page, to the right of Home and [Your Name]

(2) Click on Privacy Settings

(3) Look on left sidebar

(4) Click on Followers

(5) Then UNCLICK "Turn On Followers".

http://mashable.com/2012/12/05/facebook-subscribers-followers/

http://www.quepublishing.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2036563


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