Like Instagram and WhatsApp , the social network Facebook belongs to the Meta conglomerate. All of these platforms offer the opportunity to network with others. Registration is free and possible from a minimum age of 13 years .  However, this is not checked.

When creating a profile, children and young people in particular should limit themselves to the mandatory information and set up Facebook securely. If they reveal too much about themselves, there is a risk of unwanted contact, among other things. Parents should take the time together with their children to check their Facebook profile for privacy and data protection settings. In this way, dangers can be prevented. saferinternet.at offers help here with the step-by-step guide help.

Anyone who wonders whether it is possible to delete the Facebook prifl afterwards - yes, but this is a difficult matter. How to delete your account permanently is explained further down in the text.

Meta, a major corporation, collects and bundles all the information from its platforms and stores it in one place. This allows Meta to create a detailed profile of users. For example, if you reject location tracking on Instagram but have activated it on WhatsApp, your location is still visible to all networks.

This networking is also used for personalized advertising . If you show interest in an article on Facebook, ads are also played on Instagram. 

To decide for yourself which ads you want to see, you should go to the "Ads" section. Among other things, you have the option here to object to the forwarding of personal data. In the help area , all questions regarding the topic of advertisements are explained in detail.

Set up Facebook securely

To check the privacy and data protection settings, Facebook offers the so-called "privacy check". Here you are guided through all possible options. For example, who can see what you post or how you can be found on Facebook. If you work through all the settings carefully, you can protect your own data from strangers. However, Facebook itself will continue to collect some usage data for its own use.

In the Security and Login section, you can check everything about the registration. After registering, it is advisable to set the two-step authentication here. This way you can additionally protect your own account from strangers. If someone logs into your account using a "foreign" device, this person will be asked for an additional password.

Another important section in the security and login area is the overview of the logged-in devices. Here you can see the devices and the location on which you are currently logged in, or were logged in. This is an additional way to check if someone else has access to your account.

No matter how long you have been using Facebook, you should make sure to check your personal settings regularly. These can be found in the browser view in the top right dropdown under "Settings and Privacy". Here you can set up a variety of settings to your liking. In addition, Facebook offers answers to any questions about the network and its use in the help section . This area can also be viewed if you are not logged in or registered with the social network.

Deactivate Facebook or delete account

Once registered with Facebook, it is difficult to delete the account. Preferably, users are offered to deactivate the account. This leaves the option open to reactivate and use it at a later time. If you want to delete the account permanently, you can do so via the privacy settings. It is best to make it clear to children and young people before they register that any data once shared with the Internet cannot be completely deleted. Facebook can continue to store the data that has already been shared even after the account has been deleted.

Block and report

Anyone who feels harassed by others on Facebook can use the "Block user" function. Blocked users can no longer see their own Facebook profile and posts. They can also no longer send direct messages. However, this also applies vice versa. If you block a person, he or she will not be informed. At saferinternet.at there are step-by-step instructions on how to block users.

Another way to stop problematic content from being displayed on Facebook is to use the "Report" option. Almost all content on Facebook can be reported: complete profiles, individual posts or personal messages, groups, images, videos, etc.. The field for reporting a photo, video or similar can almost always be found on the post itself. If you have difficulties, you can find adetailed explanation at saferinternet.at .

What does the blue checkmark on Instagram, Facebook and the like actually mean?

Anyone with a blue tick next to their profile name has been confirmed as "genuine" by the platform. In this way, it can be made apparent that it is not a fake profile. However, since the hook is no longer just "lent" since mid-2023, but can also be purchased, you should not rely 100 percent on the security.