Watchet, Williton and Quantock Advertiser, March 2020

4 MARCH 2020
Passports … and privacy on Facebook
Dear Readers
Passport renewals used to be incredibly time consuming. However, I recently had need
to renew the twins’ passports as their first ones were running out. Although extremely
expensive compared to other EU and non-EU countries, (Bulgaria for example is around
25 GBP for an adult passport), I found the process this time very easy. It can all be
done online and even the signature part has changed. Now the recognised person who
countersigns receives an email and low and behold four weeks later two passports
arrive!
Although a lot of emphasis is placed on privacy and security I don’t know if this can be
said for Facebook. If you have a Facebook account how much information are they
holding on you? I went to check my Comments and my Liked pages right the way back
to 2009 when I opened my account and was surprised at how much information was
still there.
Interestingly, one of the sections is Apps. You may not know this but the games you
might play, or random quizzes you might see all track your information and are
authorised by you but normally in a way you don’t realise. Who really reads the small
print when agreeing to use an App? I generally don't use Apps on Facebook as I only
want to see information from people I am friends with and pages I follow. One section
everyone should look at is “Your Ad preferences”. Despite deleting hundreds of things
from this section, Facebook seems to add them quicker than I can compensate for. But
further down you will find information on you. Entitled “Your Information” you can
choose what is shown and what is hidden. I have disabled as much as possible
because I simply don’t want Ads. It is a tool to use and adapt as you want, and don't be
afraid of cutting people off. I have 119 friends on my list and personally know each and
every one of them. I only share to my friends and never share to friends of friends.
Why? If I don't know you, you don't need to see or know about me, my wife, my family,
where we are, when we are out and what we are doing. That is my private life. I am
convinced most people in this day and age have forgotten privacy and how important it
is to protect ourselves. I could go on and on about privacy and Facebook in particular,
but the subject would quickly become boring and I am almost out of space.
As always, if you have any queries or questions, please do get in touch with me, that’s
Andy, at ICT@lyntonadvertiser.com
advertise@watchetadvertiser.com 01598 752788