By Janette Speyer and Ilana Youngheim, Web Success Team

With Facebook going public, there has been a lot of discussion about privacy. Facebook has been dealing with privacy issues from the start. Whether you have a business page or a personal page, the privacy issue remains the same. In the days before the internet, brands controlled the messages going out to their customers. Today, there is less control. But for all of you Facebook users there is nothing to be afraid of you still have control.

Privacy advocates worry about Facebook’s plans after going public because users share so much personal information. People talk about their vacation plans, where they are eating, political views and even relationship statuses. After the IPO, the leaders of Facebook will no longer be able to run a private company. Investors will want to know every step of the company and they may even asp for changes.

The key is to protect yourself and your company image. Here are 5 ways to do this while keeping your brand intact.

1. Post only what you want to share

Think before you write. The information stays online, once it’s out there it’s out there. Sharing information with “Friends of Friend” could expose you to thousands.

Each user name and profile picture is public. If you don’t want people to know it’s you don’t put up a photo or don’t show a face.

2. Hide Your Facebook Profile from Google

You can hide your profile from Google’s search engine. That’s an easy way not to be found online. You can do this by going to Account/Privacy Setting/Search and un-checking the Public Search Results box. This way if people go to search for you it will not show up on Google, Bing, and Yahoo!.

3. Disable “Personalization”

One of the recent changes to Facebook is the “like” button and in turn instant personalization. When you “like” a page it is shared with your friends that visit the site and Facebook. This means other sites can find you based on your interests without ever going to their site.

If you don’t want this go to Account/Privacy Settings/Applications and Websites/Instant Personalization Pilot Program, click on the Edit Setting button and uncheck the box.

4. Prevent People From Tagging You

At times I get notifications that people tagged me and I’ve never heard of them before. Or you have photos you don’t want people to see. If you don’t want that happen you have to change your settings. Go to Account/Privacy Settings/Profile Information/Photos and Videos of Me and deselect everyone. The best thing to do is customize. You can choose “Only Me”, and share images you want when you want or change so only your friends can see.

5. A Social Media Agency Can Help Your Brand’s Image

Hiring a Social Media agency is a great investment. They can create and review content before it gets posted. They can also manage and monitor your brand for negative comments. A Social Media Agency does this for a living so they have the expertise. They can address a problem well before it becomes a crisis.

Change is scary. Facebook has been making changes since its beginning and users have had to evolve with them. We are sailing into uncharted territory. Social media and the internet is a constant moving target. Knowledge is power and staying ahead of the curve will protect you and your brand.

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