Over the last few months, I’ve been taking active steps to protect my privacy and broader online footprint. Whilst I haven’t gone to extreme levels as is often recommended on the Privacy SubReddit (in which I actively follow), I’ve implemented a few changes here and there in an effort to take back some control. Some of these changes include:
- Switching from GMAIL to Self-Hosted Mail;
- Switching to a Privacy focused browser such as Firefox or Brave;
- Switching from Google Search to DuckDuckGo; and
- Using a VPN — in my case, I went for ExpressVPN.
I acknowledge that there is still a long way to go before I can comfortably say I’ve done all that I can to protect my privacy online. You will however notice in the list above that one of the most obvious and easiest changes to make is missing — the removal of social media.
I stopped using Facebook and Instagram as personal tools long ago. Whilst the accounts still remain active, I haven’t actually used the platforms in well over two years. So, why not just deactivate and delete the accounts?
Running a business makes achieving Facebook Privacy near impossible
If you’re not aware, a Facebook Business Page must be tied to a personal profile, which in turn can then be connected to Instagram. In fact, Facebook have made it incredibly easy to manage both a business page and Instagram profile from the one platform since they acquired the photo sharing giant back in 2012.
Unfortunately, this means that in order to continue running my business page, I need to keep my personal profile active. I’ve only been able to think of three possible solutions which could help me take control of my Facebook Privacy.
1. Just create a fake personal profile!
This is a potential solution in which I’ve explored in the past, however doing so actually violates Facebook’s Terms of Service. If Facebook identify you using a fake profile to administer a business page, they can (and will) remove your profile and/or your business page. This is one risk I’m certainly not willing to take.
2. Leave it to staff
Almost all of our staff have active Facebook accounts. So why not jut assign Admin access to someone else and be done with it? Well, it’s certainly a possibility, but as the old adage goes, ‘Anything can happen in business.’ I simply cannot predict staff movement and/or changes in internal structures. As the owner of the business, I want to remain Administrator so no matter what happens, I’ll always have top level control and oversight.
3. Forget Facebook Altogether
Whilst Facebook does nothing for me personally, it has done wonders for our business in terms of engagement and advertising. Whilst the most obvious answer to this question is to simply stop using Facebook altogether, I can certainly see the value of the platform from the perspective of a business owner.
Is there even a solution?
Honestly, I don’t think there is. Facebook certainly isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, nor is the need for businesses to be actively present on social channels. Facebook have successfully created a need for their platform and I’m certainly starting to notice just how intertwined it has become in our day to day lives. Can we ever truly escape their grasp? Only time will tell!
I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue! Leave your comments below or send me an email. Until next time…
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