Facebook Timeline apps

Beware what you share. A look at the appropriate settings you’ll need to protect your privacy while using Facebook’s latest apps.

If you’re interested in using an application but don’t want  your activity broadcast to your friends’ News Feeds and Tickers, choose the  “Only Me” option. While your activity will appear on your Timeline,  no one else will be able to see it.

Facebook Apps: How to adjust settings after downloading

If you’re not sure what your app preferences are or you  want to adjust them, you can review them one by one from within your Privacy Settings page.

From the drop-down menu in the top-right of your screen,  select “Privacy Settings” then choose “Edit Settings” next  to “Apps and Web sites.” On the apps privacy page, click “Edit  Settings” next to “Apps you use”–this will show you all the  apps that you have downloaded, and the privacy and permissions associated with  them.

Here, you can remove the app if you no longer want it  connected to your account. You can also preview what permissions the app has  and remove certain ones (some are mandatory, which you cannot remove).

The last option, “App activity privacy” will tell  you who can see posts and activity from this app. If you don’t want Facebook to  share your activity, change this option to “Only Me.”

Facebook Apps: How your friends may share your activity

Your friends and other people you share information with  can also share your activity with apps they use. Here’s how Facebook describes  this:

“One of your friends might want to use a music  application that allows them to see what their friends are listening to. To get  the full benefit of that application, your friend would want to give the  application her friend list – which includes your User ID – so the application  knows which of her friends is also using it. Your friend might also want to  share the music you “like” on Facebook. If you have made that  information public, then the application can access it just like anyone else.  But if you’ve shared your likes with just your friends, the application could  ask your friend for permission to share them.”

To prevent your friends from sharing your app activity with  others on Facebook, go to “Privacy Settings,” choose “Edit Settings”  next to “Apps and Web sites” then “How people bring your info to  apps they use.”

Here, make sure the box next to “My app activity”  is unchecked