How to Set Up Privacy on Social Media

Step by step

1. 3 min

   Switch to private accounts on all platforms

   Set Instagram to private in Settings > Privacy > Account Privacy. Make Facebook posts visible to Friends only in Settings & Privacy > Privacy > Future Posts. Set Twitter account to protected in Settings > Privacy and Safety > Audience and Tagging. Private accounts require approval for new followers and hide your content from public searches.

   Note: Review existing followers before going private and remove any you don't recognize or trust.
2. 3 min

   Disable location tracking and geotagging

   Turn off location services for social media apps in your phone settings. Disable location history in Facebook Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Remove location data from Instagram posts in Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Instagram > Never. Delete existing location data from previous posts by editing them individually.

   Note: Check photo metadata before posting — many phones automatically embed GPS coordinates in image files.
3. 3 min

   Restrict data collection for advertising

   Opt out of Facebook ad targeting in Settings > Ads > Ad Settings > Ad Personalization > Off. Disable Instagram ad tracking in Settings > Ads > Data About Your Activity from Partners > Off. Turn off Twitter ad personalization in Settings > Privacy and Safety > Ads Preferences > Personalized Ads > Off.

   Note: Clear your ad interest categories monthly as platforms continuously rebuild these profiles based on your activity.
4. 3 min

   Control who can find and contact you

   Prevent email and phone number searches on Facebook in Settings > Privacy > How People Find You > Off for both options. Disable contact syncing on all platforms to stop suggesting your contacts as friends. Set Instagram to not allow messages from everyone in Settings > Privacy > Messages > Others on Instagram > Don't Receive Requests.

   Note: Use a dedicated email address for social media accounts instead of your primary email to limit data correlation.
5. 4 min

   Review and revoke third-party app access

   Check connected apps in Facebook Settings > Apps and Websites and remove unnecessary access. Review Instagram third-party apps in Settings > Security > Apps and Websites. Remove Twitter app connections in Settings > Security and Account Access > Apps and Sessions. Delete apps you don't actively use.

   Note: Many quiz apps and games request extensive permissions — always read what data access you're granting before connecting.
6. 4 min

   Enable two-factor authentication

   Activate 2FA on Facebook in Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication using an authenticator app rather than SMS. Set up Instagram 2FA in Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication. Enable Twitter 2FA in Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication. Use authentication apps like Google Authenticator or Authy for better security than text messages.

   Note: Save backup codes in a password manager immediately after enabling 2FA in case you lose access to your authentication device.
7. 3 min

   Configure post and story visibility settings

   Set Facebook post audience to Friends as default in Settings > Privacy > Future Posts. Limit Instagram story viewing to Close Friends for sensitive content in Settings > Privacy > Story > Close Friends. Create custom friend lists to share different content with different groups. Hide your friends list from public view in your profile privacy settings.

   Note: Post a test update with limited visibility to verify your settings work before sharing important content.