Hacks, Scripts, Mods and More: Tips on Chat, Backup, Privacy, Sharing and Ads

Keep Unwanted Users from Popping Up - Anywhere: If, on the other hand, you’re trying to actively avoid an ex (or creeper) from popping up in profile updates, or friend finder suggestions– and you don’t want the awkwardness of trying to explain why you’ve blocked them, then download the Google Chrome extension Eternal Sunshine which virtually erases them from your memory.

Video Chat is Available: Video chat finally came to Facebook last year in the form of SocialEyes (like many apps it’s not available while using an https connection). You can see your friends face-to-face while you chat, or group chat, or leave video messages. SocialEyes will pull not only basic info from your account – including profile picture and list of friends – but it also reserves the right to post to your wall and access your data even when you’re not using the app. But hey, if you want to see every one’s face while you’re talking to them, you’re probably used to giving up a lot of privacy anyways, right?

Integrate FB Chat with Your Desktop or IM Client: If you’ve got an IM client like Digsby (or Pidgin, or Trillian) it’s easy enough to just add your Facebook account and get FB chat in your preferred client. Or, just add a Facebook chat box to your desktop via Access Chat on Your Desktop: IM clients like social. Im, Adium, or ChitChat can all place a Facebook chat box on your desktop.

Get Email Updates on Your Social Media: If you can’t access Facebook at work but need to stay updated, or are looking for a way to stay on top of all your social networking happenings, check out NutShellMail’s service. A free tool that sends you an email summary of your social media activity, you can schedule what you receive updates on and when – it also works with Twitter, Yelp, FourSquare and LinkedIn.

Back Up Your Profile in Case of Disaster: If you’ve got a Facebook account for your business, or maybe a memorial account, or some other reason you hold the info on your FB profile dear, then you can back up the info on your account by going to Download Your Information under Account Settings. A tool that Facebook released last year, the download feature will save a copy of your photos, videos, wall posts, all messages, your friends list and other content shared on your profile in a tidy .zip drive.

Turn Off Facebook Places to Protect Your Location: When I moved into my new apartment, I didn’t tell anyone where it was for about six months. So, I’m really not the type of person who uses Location features. If you don’t want these active either, here’s how to ditch ‘em: from Privacy Settings, choose Customize Settings then edit Places I check in to, uncheck Include me in “People Here Now,” and disable Friends can check me in to Places. Then, go to your Apps and Websites menu and edit Info accessible through your friends – otherwise inconsiderate Joe is likely to check you in at the bar, when you told your girlfriend you’d be studying. You cad.

Check What FB is Saying About You: Like a chatty, gossipy friend who just doesn’t know when to close their mouths, FB will often run off at the information spout sharing way too much about you. To see what info this loudmouth is spreading, just use this link and type in either your FB name or your string of digits(the part after the / in the URL). This tool, from developer Ka-Ping, then loads all your profile info – anything that’s not listed in the Metadata box is visible to everyone. Makes for a nice double check system.

Another option is to visit reclaimprivacy.org and use their drop and drag bookmark link to scan your privacy settings. While it is open source, it also might not always be current with FB’s every other second upgrades.

Turn Off the Wall for Maximum Privacy: Now, this is easy enough - just go into Privacy Settings and turn off the Wall in “Personal Information and Posts” and now you have no visible way for anyone to leave you any jokes that begin “There once was a man from Nantucket” – but this is advanced because it requires the kind of social networking restraint that few average users are able to muster. This option means you get no wall, no posts, no quizzes, no filling out information, no uploading photos.

Don’t Be Used as An Advertisement: Nearly every website and business is also on Facebook too, followed with a Like button, and a list of the 67 million people who like "Blank Company" – including a handful of photos that link to actual, live FB profiles of people who have friended "Blank Company". If you don’t want to help anyone out with their advertising, and prefer to keep a low-profile, then one of your options is to turn off the Instant Personalization Program that puts faces on pages you’ve fanned. First thing to do is head to Apps and Websites, then click on the Edit Settings button next to Instant Personalization.

You’ll get a pop up window with info, once it’s closed you’ll see further information and the option to check a box to Enable instant personalization on partner websites. Make sure this box is unchecked and you should be protected. Another option, for fans of Adblock Plus, is to add FB filters to Adblock Plus. Just go to preferences within Adblock Plus, then add each of these filters separately by clicking “Add Filter.” Now you’re basically hidden when you’re logged on.

Also, make sure friends aren't sharing for you by using the tip in this video