Lately I’ve been dealing with random diet pill posts showing up on my Facebook news feed.  These posts would share a link to some diet “miracle” and entice my friends to click on the link sending their information into places even the NSA wouldn’t go.  Then I would get a bunch of private messages and comments asking if it was true.  Of course not people!

This morning I decided that I would try changing my password one more time to see if that helped.  I ran a malware check on my computer – clean.  I checked the extensions on my browser – clean.  I’m using secure browsing – check!  It was time to change my Facebook password.  Then I did something stupid…I clicked on the “wrong” tab in my Facebook settings and discovered a whole world of security settings that could prevent random posts on my Facebook News Feed!

To get to the Security Settings in Facebook click on the blue arrow in the upper, right-hand corner of the page when you’re logged in.  You’ll get a drop down and then click on Settings.  Once there, you’ll see Security Settings on the left hand side of the page; the second link from the top.  Clicking on that will take you to the following 8 security settings that you should consider using, especially if you’re dealing with random posts!

Secure Browsing – this makes sure your session is secure when you browse on Facebook by sending you to an HTTPS:// connection.  You should check this for sure!

Login Notifications – We can notify you when your account is accessed from a computer or mobile device that you haven’t used before.  BINGO!  You can check either email and/or text message.  I want to know right away so I checked text message.

Login Approvals – We can notify you when your account is accessed from a computer or mobile device that you haven’t used before.  BOOYAH!  This is an added measure of security.  Not only are you going to be notified when someone tries to access your account from another device, now they CAN’T unless they can get the security code sent to your phone!

Code Generator – This allows you to get security codes from your app on your smartphone.

App Passwords – App passwords are one-time passwords you can use to log in to your apps and help keep your Facebook password safe.  To learn more go to https://www.facebook.com/help/249378535085386/

Trusted Contacts – Allows you to designate a friend or family member that you trust that can help you access your account if you’re having trouble.

Trusted Browsers – THIS IS IMPORTANT!  Check this to make sure only the devices you use are listed.  If you’re not sure, remove all of them and then login again from the devices that you use.

Where You’re Logged In – THIS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT!  When I checked this I found that I was “logged in” in places I had never been to!  Scary!  I quickly clicked End Activity on each of the places listed that didn’t jive with where I had been.  Then I got more paranoid and clicked End All Activity so I could just start over.  I recommend this setting if you’re getting the SPAM on your News Feed like I am.

I’m confident with removing rogue sessions, re-establishing my trusted browsers, re-logging into Facebook from my phone, getting notified when a non-trusted browser attempts to login, AND requiring a security code to access Facebook from a non-trusted browser, I should eliminate the SPAM on my Facebook News Feed and you can too!