ASK CAPPIE THE COMPUTER CAT
ABOUT FACEBOOK Dear Cappie, All 5 of my children have asked me to get on Facebook. They say it is better than email because we can send messages to each other, video chat or call each other on the Facebook app. They said we can also make real time videos to broadcast to family members, buy and sell items in nearby communities (similar to eBay), create public and private events, join Groups (people that have similar interests), share photos, and more. I’m excited to try some of these things but I am fearful about privacy issues. My wife and I are not sure we could actually learn how to do all these things. Sincerely, Jeff and Marie
Dear Jeff and Marie, Cappie understands why your children would like you to engage in this social media app. People around the world use Facebook to stay in contact with family and friends. They share information, private messages (through Facebook’s Messenger App), photos, videos, as well as play games, create specialty pages, specialty groups and events, and share content they’ve found on the Web. Facebook is the largest social networking site in the world, with over 1.79 billion monthly active Facebook users and more signing up every day. Facebook is fairly easy to use and if you adjust your settings properly, you can also ensure your privacy. “Who do I want to see my posts, my status updates and my personal information?” will determine how you set your privacy and safety settings. n As with most social networking sites on the web, you are required to register your name and email address (or mobile phone) and to create a password (at least 6 digits) and a user profile (which can be as minimalist or as complete as you choose and as private or public as you choose). On a computer, go to www.facebook.com to register and if
you are using a mobile device (phone, iPad, or tablet), download the app from Android Market or Apple Store, depending upon which device you have. n You can access the privacy and security settings on a computer by clicking the down triangle to the right of the “Home” button in the top blue horizontal bar, or on your device by clicking on the three blue bars at the bottom of the News Feed. Then scroll to Settings>Security and Privacy. Cappie suggests your privacy default be set to “Friends” or a specific group or groups but not “Public” unless you actually want to post to the world. n You can also use the audienceselector button beneath the status update box to set different sharing/ viewing options for each piece of content you post. n In Settings you have options to set Login alerts (in case someone tries to login as you from a different computer or device), to set your Trusted Contacts, Recognized Devices, and to select a Legacy Contact in the event of your death. n You can set parameters as to who can see your posts, contact you, look you
up, or add posts to your timeline. You can also block certain people from seeing your posts. You can determine who can follow you, determine what kinds of ads you want to see, and so much more. Generally you just scroll down the list and click in the appropriate box to determine the level of privacy you wish. Once you are registered, you can find friends to add, create and join groups (friends, family, work-related, sportsrelated—just about any special interest is there waiting for you). You can find people already connected in those groups, find those connected through outside email contact lists, and also connect with friends of people they know. Many first-time users get confused as to what the various columns, pages and tabs are that comprise the app. Here are a few basic components of Facebook: n Home Page and News Feed — the page you see after logging in which displays a “News Feed” of updates about what your friends are saying and doing as well as
For more information about social media, classes in Windows 10, Mac, and more, visit the Grand Computers Club. The Club is located in the Chaparral Center. If you are a member and have a question about or problem with your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can talk to a tech volunteer every Tuesday starting at 12:30 p.m.. Bring your device with you. Check out the club website: www.grandcomputers.org (note: our hours of operation are: Oct - Apr: 9:00 am to 3:30 p.m., Mon thru Fri). View the digital version of Ask Cappie the Computer Cat Column by logging on to www.grandinfo.com . 66
Grand Lifestyles | December 2016 | grandinfo.com