A handbook for people with learning difficulties who want to use facebook safely. It covers getting started, privacy settings, blocking people and web safety

1. Webwise -using Facebook safely
Setting up a facebook account

2. Contents
Page Number
Sign up on Facebook
3
Creating your Profile
8
Joining groups such as luv2meetu
17
Messages
19
Privacy settings
23
What to do if someone sends you messages that upset you
27
When you have finished using facebook
28
2

3. Sign up on Facebook
Type in the address bar
https://facebook.com
Press enter.
You will be taken to the ‘sign up’
page.
3

4. Write in your first name and last
name.
You need to write your email address
twice.
This is to make sure you don’t make a
mistake.
4

5. Create a password. It needs to be at
least 6 characters long. Use capital
letters and small letters, numbers and
punctuation marks. This makes it safer.
Use a different password from other
websites you go on.
You need to put in your date of birth.
Later on you need to make this
private.
5

6. Left click with your mouse to say if
you are male or female
If you share a computer make sure
that the box isn’t ticked which says
‘keep me logged in’
It is important that you log out every
time or people could pretend to be
you.
6

7. Press ‘sign up’ and you are ready to
create your profile page.
7

8. Creating your Profile
This is what a profile page looks
like.
8

9. Add a picture from your
computer by choosing ‘upload
a picture.’
Select ‘choose a file.’
9

10. Search your folders for a
picture.
Double left click on the picture
you want.
10

11. Your picture will appear.
11

12. Write information you are
happy to share with people on
your profile page.
12

13. Facebook will ask you where
you live, education, what you
are into and about your
relationships.
If you don’t want to share
something press ‘skip’.
13

14. Facebook will suggest films
and music you like. If you type
in what you like it will appear.
You don’t have to select what
Facebook suggests.
Facebook will ask you to add
your mobile phone number.
Don’t do this because then
everyone can see it. Only give
your number to people who
you know well.
14

15. There are many ways to add
friends. If you type in places
that you go to suggestions
come up.
You can type in someone’s
name in the search bar and
then press add friend.
They will get an invite to be
your friend.
They can say yes or no to
being your friend.
15

16. Sometimes when you log on
Facebook will ask you for your
email to find friends from your
contact list. If you don’t want
to, click on your name (to go
to your profile) or click on your
news feed.
Some people will ask to be
your friend. Sometimes
facebook will suggest friends.
You don’t have to be friends
with people. Only say yes to
people you know and like.
16

17. Joining groups such as luv2meetu
If you type in the search bar
the name of group you are
interested in you can click on
it. You can like groups and
then you will get updates
about them.
Groups like luv2meetu can
invite you to be in their group.
17

18. Sending Messages
You can send people private
messages.
Click on the ‘envelope’ icon.
Click on send new message.
18

19. Type in who you want to send
the message to. You can send
a message to more than 1
person at once. Only the
people you write the message
to will see it.
When you have written your
message press enter or reply.
19

20. When people send you a
message you will see it come
up. To reply click on the
‘envelope’, write your message
and press ‘reply’.
You can write on your friend’s
walls. This is public and all your
friends and their friends can
see it.
20

21. You can write on your own
wall. All your friends can see it.
Don’t write anything private.
21

22. Privacy settings
It is very important to have
‘privacy settings’. This stops
everyone being able to see
your pictures and information.
You can find your ‘privacy
settings’ at the top right of your
page.
You can choose who can see
your stuff. Who can contact
you and who can look you up.
22

23. You can decide who sees your
stuff. It is a good idea to make
sure only your friends see your
Facebook page.
You can decide who can send
you messages. ‘Strict filtering’
means that you will only get
messages from friends.
23

24. You can decide who can send
you a ‘friend request’.
If you choose the ‘friends of
friends’ setting it will stop
strangers trying to be your
friend.
You can decide who can find
you on facebook.
You need to click on more
settings. Then click on ‘edit’. If
you click on ‘friends of friends’
strangers can’t find you.
24

25. Make sure your date of birth is
private.
Go to your ‘profile page’.
Choose ‘update info’ Then edit
‘basic information.’
Select ‘don’t show my date of
birth’ or ‘only show the month
and day.’
This helps stop identity fraud
(someone pretending to be
you to steal money)
25

26. What to do if someone sends you messages that upset you
You can block someone by
clicking on the ‘privacy
shortcut’ and writing the
persons name where it asks
you.
This stops the person being
able to contact you.
You can report people to
facebook that have upset
you.
26

27. When you have finished using facebook
If you share a computer you
must log off’. This stops
people pretending to be you.
They might write things you
don’t want on your page.
They could also read your
private messages.
27