Do you share too much information on Facebook?

The Consumer Report's State of the Net says that 13 million Facebook users haven't configured their privacy settings or don't even know they exist. (Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)

You know what you like. But did you know Facebook also knows what you 'Like' - and even what you don't?

Consumer Reports looked at Americans' use of the social media juggernaut Facebook, as part of its annual State of the Net report. They surveyed 2,002 online households, including 1,340 that are active on Facebook.

According to the survey, people have a tendency to share too much about their lives on their Wall, Timeline or whatever Facebook interface you prefer.

CR projected that 4.8 million people mentioned on Facebook where they are going on a certain day, which the report calls "a potential tip-off for burglars."

Another 13 million users left the privacy controls on Facebook completely unchanged, or did not even know that they existed.

Consumer Reports' technology editor Jeff Fox told Mashable that 10 to 15 per cent of users set their profile to "public," meaning everything they post is accessible to the public instead of restricted to their friends.

It also warned that Facebook collects more information than simply what pages you click the thumbs-up 'Like' icon.
    
"For example," says the report, "did you know that Facebook gets a report every time you visit a site with a Facebook 'Like' button, even if you never click the button, are not a Facebook user, or are not logged in?"

The State of the Net report includes a list of basic tips that people can use to keep their information secure both on Facebook, such as:

• "Un-public" your wall, making it visible only to your friends. Check this periodically by viewing your profile while logged out to see if anyone else can see information you want to keep private.
• Block application that access your personal information. Limit the information that apps can see, as even friends can share personal information about you through them.
• Protect your basic information such as city of residence or employer. " And remember: Sharing info with "friends of friends" could expose it to tens of thousands."
• If you want to close your Facebook profile, deactivate it instead of shutting it down altogether. Deleting an account can take up to a month, and information can remain in Facebook's database for up to 90 days. Deleting the account makes it completely inaccessible, while deactivating allows you to re-visit it if you want.

Do you share too much information on Facebook? When was the last time you read through your privacy settings? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.


(This survey is not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)