There are parties aplenty this New Year’s Eve, and that means those who use social networks like Facebook and Twitter are bound to post photos and other data, but before you mindlessly over-share, here are some things to consider.

First up, always consider who reads your posts or what effect the various postings could have on your safety. Posting certain photos, labelling them and subsequently making them available for viewing to a general audience could make you a target the next time you choose to step out.

But what can you do about it?

Few know that Facebook is actually configured for privacy control, offering security features, which can help to minimise the probability of online victimisation.

You may befriend anyone you want while being comfortable that there are ways to ensure that not all your ‘friends’ see everything you post.

The main concern with implementing these privacy options is that they’re too confusing for non-techies to handle. And often users do not want to bother to take the time to learn how to manipulate these functions.

One of the first and most important things to do when guarding yourself on Facebook is to make Friend Lists. As the name suggests, these lists are useful in categorising your friends into different groups. If you mix business with pleasure, then maybe it’s wise to create a Friend List for your work colleagues and professional acquaintances into a list designated ‘work’. Also, you could opt to create two separate lists for your close friends and/or family. This will allow you to choose which category is allowed to view your postings.

To create a friend list, click on ‘Friends’ located on masthead of the Facebook homepage. In the left-hand column, click ‘Friends’ again under the ‘Lists’ section ahead of selecting ‘Create New List’. You now have an option to name your list and select the members.

Ahead of making changes it is useful to think about what sorts of things you want to make public or private. In an effort to do this go to the ‘Privacy Settings’ where you can designate who gets to see particular information by clicking on ‘Only Friends’. Anything else could open up your profile to unwanted readers. For example, if you choose ‘Everyone’ of ‘Friends of Friends’, then people you may not know would be granted access. Choosing ‘My Networks and Friends’ opens up your profile to Jamaica, your old high school or whichever other data infrastructure you subscribe to.

While listing phone numbers and address on Facebook can be a useful tool if someone worth your time is trying to locate you, it can all be horribly dangerous as well. By following the steps above, you can configure your page to show your private information only to those whom you wish to have view said data.

So as you step out this weekend, take lots of photos and of course post your adventures, try to remember that the Internet can be a big and scary place… follow these guidelines and protect your online integrity.