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How to become (almost) invisible on Facebook

Randomers making friend requests? Adverts irritating you? These tips might help.

FACEBOOK DOESN’T EXACTLY make it easy for you to stay off its radar.

Some people don’t like getting random friend requests or awkward messages from long-forgotten friends. Some people just want to use Facebook to keep up with others, but don’t want others to be able to keep up with them.

Want to stay hidden on Facebook?

We can help you out.

When you’re finished, no one but you will be able to see your Facebook activity, view your photos, or see where you’ve checked in. Your current friends will still be able to view your basic profile — there’s no way around this — but all your activity will be blank.

Note: You don’t have to block all the features we suggest. You can pick and choose. If you still want to keep things like wall posts and event invites, you can.

To get started, click on the cog in upper right hand corner and select 'Privacy Settings'
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  • To get started, click on the cog in upper right hand corner and select 'Privacy Settings'

  • To change privacy settings, click 'edit' to right of each setting. When finished, click 'close' to exit each individual section.

  • For the most stringent settings, select 'Only me' from dropdown menu.

  • You can make it so random strangers can't send you friend requests by changing this setting to 'friends of friends'.

  • To further shrink communciation from outside world, select 'strict filtering' to keep randoms from messaging you.

  • To eliminate people from looking you up using email or phone number you used to sign up to Facebook, select 'friends' from 'Who can look me up?' setting.

  • Uncheck the 'Let other search engines link to your timeline' so the very fact that you are on Facebook can't be Googled or Yahoo-ed or whatever.

  • Now move onto 'Timeline and Tagging' (below privacy settings).

  • You'll use the same technique here - always choose 'only me' option when available.

  • Once done, your 'timeline and tagging' page should look like this.

  • Disable the app platform to prevent apps from gaining access - but note that you won't be able to log in to third-party apps using Facebook anymore.

  • If you do turn off app platform, the Apps menu shrinks. Next: adverts.

  • Changing 'Third Party Site' to 'No-one' ensures your picture or name will be left out if any third-party tries to use them in adverts....

    ...Switching 'Adverts and Friends' to 'No-one' stops Facebook from making suggestions to your friends, based on what you have 'liked'.

- Steven Tweedie

These people were arrested because of something they wrote on Facebook>
Graphs show what social media sites Irish people are using>
9 embarrassing things we all do on Facebook, but can never admit>
How to spot an Irish mammy on social media>

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34 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Billy Nomates
    Favourite Billy Nomates
    Report
    Jul 28th 2013, 11:49 AM

    And then next week they reset all your settings with the release of a new feature

    247
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stayfrostynatty
    Favourite stayfrostynatty
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    Jul 28th 2013, 1:19 PM

    If you dont want to be seen,dont join facebook or any social sites simple as and the idea of social sites is to be seen so…

    160
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fagan Fagan
    Favourite Fagan Fagan
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    Jul 28th 2013, 1:42 PM

    As the CIA has stated Facebook has made there work so much easer
    Makes you wonder who really crested it

    64
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Briain de Seadhach
    Favourite Briain de Seadhach
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    Jul 28th 2013, 4:48 PM

    I believe it was one Mark Zuckerberg.

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fagan Fagan
    Favourite Fagan Fagan
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    Jul 28th 2013, 5:31 PM

    Yes the same mark zukerberg who has been quoted as saying that anyone who opens a Facebook page is an idiot

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Louise Carroll
    Favourite Louise Carroll
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    Jul 28th 2013, 12:25 PM

    Might be better for the people at journal to do a story on how to view the photos on their slide shows without a microscope.

    244
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Drunk Tweets
    Favourite Drunk Tweets
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    Jul 28th 2013, 1:25 PM

    Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel forward.
    Or get a bigger screen.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Breadwinner
    Favourite Breadwinner
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    Jul 28th 2013, 3:24 PM

    I love how Drunk Tweets points out the most obvious common sense answer and gets thumbed down for it.
    And the amount of thumbs up Louise got for the silly question in the first place?? God help is all.

    23
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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Annette Temple
    Favourite Annette Temple
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    Jul 28th 2013, 4:51 PM

    Probably because a lot of people are accessing the journal on their crappy smartphone (e.g., me) and don’t have a mouse to scroll with!

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cuddle Flips
    Favourite Cuddle Flips
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    Jul 28th 2013, 8:10 PM

    It’s even easier and more intuitive to zoom with a smartphone.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ======
    Favourite ======
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    Jul 30th 2013, 10:23 PM

    I knew that!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute COOM
    Favourite COOM
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    Jul 28th 2013, 11:45 AM

    Facebook is so yesterday. privacy is so today.

    221
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Suzeit Paudel
    Favourite Suzeit Paudel
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    Jul 28th 2013, 12:16 PM

    How to become invisible on facebook? Ummm Deactivate it.

    207
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute itiswhatitisMF
    Favourite itiswhatitisMF
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    Jul 28th 2013, 11:52 AM

    Facecock is dying anyways

    144
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ryan Murphy
    Favourite Ryan Murphy
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    Jul 28th 2013, 1:10 PM

    Here’s how to become invisible on FB. At least to me, because I hide and or delete anyone who persists in the following:

    - vague and passive aggressive attention seeking updates, “that bitch will get what’s coming to her”, “sum ppl need to get a life” etc.

    - constant likes and shares to win a box of matches, bottle of milk, mythical iPhone or smart TV.

    - reposting like whoring pics of special needs babies or dogs at gravesides.

    - attending a “nyt out” with any number of others and posting identical pictures or blow by blow accounts. All bloody night times however many are there.

    - #hashtags.

    I’ve removed immediate family members on foot of this and they still don’t get it. You’d think I’d disowned them or something.

    #facebookisnotreallife.

    124
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute richardmccarthy
    Favourite richardmccarthy
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    Jul 28th 2013, 1:27 PM

    God almighty.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ryan Murphy
    Favourite Ryan Murphy
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    Jul 28th 2013, 1:29 PM

    Eh?

    24
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    Mute Cuddle Flips
    Favourite Cuddle Flips
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    Jul 28th 2013, 8:11 PM

    In fairness, facebook does currently support hashtags. I hide those guilty of all those other offences from my feed though.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Simon Eales
    Favourite Simon Eales
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    Jul 28th 2013, 12:11 PM

    If you don’t know how to control your privacy settings then you shouldn’t even be on Facebook.

    116
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Johnston
    Favourite Paul Johnston
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    Jul 28th 2013, 11:35 AM

    Tips on how to stalk ..

    103
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    Mute John Jacobs
    Favourite John Jacobs
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    Jul 28th 2013, 11:33 AM

    Some people are so uptight that there’s no “add friend” button on their profile. Such persons are better off not being part of my life. Aloof bastards.

    76
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Jacobs
    Favourite John Jacobs
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    Jul 28th 2013, 11:44 AM

    They’re usually the type of people that look down on socialising with work colleagues.

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Bambi Keeling
    Favourite Sean Bambi Keeling
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    Jul 28th 2013, 12:51 PM

    Why would you sign up to a site that allows you to connect with people and then hide yourself on it. Steps If don’t want to be found on facebook: Step 1: Don’t make a facebook account.fin.

    64
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fergal Kelly
    Favourite Fergal Kelly
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    Jul 28th 2013, 7:48 PM

    This one needs to learn the art of creeping.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eugene Walsh
    Favourite Eugene Walsh
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    Jul 28th 2013, 12:47 PM

    I use facebook on a temporary basis,when I’m done scouring…I delete my profile on a temporary basis, works for me! I still can’t believe what people even over 30 are prepared to put up there! It’s amazing!

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ryan Murphy
    Favourite Ryan Murphy
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    Jul 28th 2013, 1:45 PM

    The oul ones are nearly worse than the kids. They’re around so long they think they know it all, and have no interest in learning how the internet works. Once they can get on to Candy Crush and look at pics of their buddy’s 50th, they’re happy out.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liz (10) (^_^)
    Favourite Liz (10) (^_^)
    Report
    Jul 28th 2013, 12:11 PM

    Already do a few of these already, but there were a few I didn’t know about. Thank you Business Insider for that enlightening article :).

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul M. Barrett
    Favourite Paul M. Barrett
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    Jul 28th 2013, 12:23 PM

    Many thanks for this, I’ve always found it difficult to make my page completely secure and available only to friends.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick Moran
    Favourite Patrick Moran
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    Jul 28th 2013, 11:39 AM

    Who’s Malcolm Reynolds ? Mmm ….. must search out and friend him.

    21
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    Mute T
    Favourite T
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    Jul 28th 2013, 12:57 PM

    And then watch Firefly?

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Richard Humphreys
    Favourite Richard Humphreys
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    Jul 28th 2013, 9:40 PM

    Why will the journal not allow you to post comments through Facebook unless you let it access your basic info and friends list???

    16
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    Mute Marie Louise Ni Riain
    Favourite Marie Louise Ni Riain
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    Jul 28th 2013, 6:08 PM

    Love UR points ryan

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Randy Fisher
    Favourite Randy Fisher
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    Jul 29th 2013, 3:38 AM

    I have facebook to use my apps only.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Den Darlington
    Favourite Den Darlington
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    Jul 28th 2013, 7:31 PM

    Great thanks for info

    1
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