Facebook Places: How to Regain Control Over Your Privacy

Facebook recently launched Places, a location-based function that enables mobile Facebook users to check-in to locations you visit. This has a very similar model to the popular location-based social media site Foursquare.

This new feature enables any Facebook user to mark and share your or their location. You can see everyone who’s checked-in at current or nearby locations and can tag your friends who are with you.

How To Use Facebook Places

• From your mobile device, click on the Places tab.
• “Is Facebook allowed to know your location? Allow or Disallow
  

• You can then share your current location, browse locations around you that your friends haved checked-in, see other Places etc. For example, when I tested the check-in I saw a series of five locations in the area I was going to check-in (i.e. 711 and McDonalds).

• You can also add places, i.e. your house and tag people who are with you. Tagging those with you is very similar to the photo tagging features.

The Default Setting Facebook Opted You Into

When you use Places, your check-ins will appear on your profile, in the News screen and in the Activity Feed for the Place you checked-in. Your friends can check you in without your approval. When you check-in, your location is visible to your Friends and anyone else nearby.

My Personal Concerns

Being a military member, operational security is a major concern of mine. If military members share their locations, while tagging other military members, this gives the enemy specific locations and information along with an idea of how many soldiers may be checked in at a specific location. Once Places is launched in other countries, it’s even scarier. Soldiers have the potential to give up their deployed locations and painting a target.

I’m also concerned with friends checking in other friends to locations without permission. If someone of a high status, i.e military commander, judge, mayor, teacher, priest, etc is tagged at a location such as a strip club, bar, etc the consequences could be damaging to that person.

While Places isn’t a bad thing, not properly locking down you privacy settings, while being “Friends” with so many people you probably don’t truly know can be a problem waiting to happen. Use the steps below to adjust your privacy settings accordingly.

Control Who You Share Locations With & Who Sees Your Check-ins

• Log in to Facebook
• Click Account -> Privacy Settings
• Find Customize Settings (bottom left hand corner)  and Click

• In the Things I Share header find Places I check in
• Use the drop down menu to choose Friends of Friends, Friends Only, choose Specific People, or Only Me
• From the same screen, you can also choose to hide your check-ins from specific people by typing their names in and selecting them.
• Also within the Things I Share screen, you’ll find the Include me in “People Here Now” after I check in box. This option lets people view your location by the location page or when people search nearby locations. Uncheck to disable.

Remove Your Friends Ability to Tag You at Locations

By default, your friends can check you in to locations without your permission. Whether you are at a location or not, the location your friend tags you in can get you in trouble or make your life more difficult. They can check you into a location as a joke (i.e. strip club, adult video store, etc) or share an actual location you visit without your knowledge.

• Log in to Facebook
• Click Account -> Privacy Settings
• Find Customize Settings (bottom left hand corner)
• In the Things Others Share menu, find Friends can check me in to Places.
• Set to Disabled, so your friends can’t check you in

Disable Applications Sharing Your Location Data

• Login to Facebook
• Click Account -> Privacy Settings
• Find the Applications and Websites link (bottom left-hand corner) -> Edit Settings
• Click Info accessible through your friends -> Edit Settings
• All checked boxes shows you which Facebook Applications are available for your friends to use.
• Scroll down to Places I’ve visited and uncheck if you don’t want your friends applications getting your location information

What are your thoughts on Facebook Places? Do you share some of the same privacy concerns I have? How about for businesses? Do you see the value this new feature provides?