Best examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media (2025 guide)

Real-world examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media

Let’s start with what you probably care about most: concrete, real examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media that you can copy right away. I’ll walk through specific actions on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.

You’ll notice a pattern: every platform hides privacy under slightly different menu names, but the goals are similar—control who sees, who contacts, and what data is stored about you.

Facebook: examples of locking down your profile and posts

Facebook is still where a lot of your real‑life connections live, which makes its privacy settings worth your time. Here are some of the best examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media, using Facebook as the model.

Example 1: Limit who can see your future posts

On Facebook, you can decide whether your next post is public, friends‑only, or visible to a custom list.

On the mobile app, tap the menu (three lines), go to Settings & privacy → Settings → Audience and visibility → Posts. Change “Who can see your future posts?” to Friends or even Specific friends. This is a classic example of how a simple privacy setting can stop strangers—and even coworkers—from scrolling through your life updates.

Example 2: Hide your friends list

If you don’t want everyone seeing who you’re connected to, you can restrict your friends list.

In Settings, open Audience and visibility → How people find and contact you. Set “Who can see your friends list?” to Only me or Friends. This is a powerful example of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media to reduce stalking, social engineering, and random friend‑of‑a‑friend drama.

Example 3: Review tags before they appear on your timeline

Facebook lets other people tag you in photos and posts, but you can require approval before those tags hit your timeline.

Under Profile and tagging, turn on “Review posts you’re tagged in before the post appears on your profile”. This is a great example of taking control over your public image—no more surprise party photos or old college pictures resurfacing without your say‑so.

Instagram: examples include private accounts, story controls, and DMs

Instagram is where visuals rule—and where oversharing can get uncomfortable fast. Here are Instagram‑specific examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media.

Example 4: Switch to a private account

A private account is one of the simplest and best examples of locking down who can see your content.

Go to your profile, tap Settings and privacy → Account privacy, and toggle on Private account. From that point on, only approved followers can see your posts and stories. This is especially important for teens and anyone who doesn’t want their photos freely searchable.

Example 5: Control who can reply to your stories

Stories feel casual, but replies still land in your inbox.

In Settings and privacy → Messages and story replies, you can set who can reply to your stories: Everyone, People you follow, or Off. This is a clear example of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media to reduce harassment or unwanted DMs without quitting the app entirely.

Example 6: Limit who can mention or tag you

Instagram allows you to choose who is allowed to tag or mention you.

Under Tags and mentions, you can set tags and mentions to Everyone, People you follow, or No one. Choosing People you follow is a practical middle ground. It’s a real example of dialing down random exposure while still letting friends interact with you.

TikTok: examples of controlling visibility, duets, and downloads

TikTok has exploded globally, and with that popularity comes a lot of data collection and public sharing by default. Here are some TikTok‑specific examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media.

Example 7: Make your TikTok account private

A private TikTok account means only approved followers can see your content.

Open your profile, tap the three lines, go to Settings and privacy → Privacy, and toggle on Private account. This simple setting is one of the best examples of a quick privacy upgrade, especially for younger users.

Example 8: Turn off video downloads

By default, people may be able to download your public TikToks.

In Privacy → Downloads, you can turn off Video downloads so others can’t easily save your videos to their devices. This is a strong example of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media to keep your content from being spread outside the app.

Example 9: Control duets, stitches, and comments

TikTok’s remix culture is fun—until you become the unwilling main character.

Within Privacy, look for Comments, Duet, and Stitch. Set them to Friends or Only me depending on your comfort level. These are real examples of how you can stay creative on TikTok while avoiding being dragged into viral drama.

X (Twitter): examples of protecting your posts and location

X (formerly Twitter) is fast, public, and searchable, which makes its privacy settings worth a careful look.

Example 10: Protect your posts (make your account private)

Protected posts mean only approved followers can see your tweets.

Go to Settings and privacy → Privacy and safety → Audience and tagging and check Protect your posts (or similar wording, depending on the latest update). This is a classic example of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media if you want to tweet more freely without random strangers jumping in.

Example 11: Turn off location sharing

If you’ve ever accidentally attached your city to a tweet, you know how weirdly exposed it can feel.

Under Privacy and safety → Location information, turn off Add location information to your posts and consider deleting past location data if the option exists. This is a practical example of reducing your digital footprint and making it harder for people to track your habits.

LinkedIn: examples of limiting professional visibility and data

LinkedIn is a bit different—it’s built around being visible. But that doesn’t mean you have to share everything with everyone.

Example 12: Hide your connections list

If you don’t want recruiters, competitors, or random people mining your network, you can hide your connections.

On desktop, go to Settings & Privacy → Visibility → Visibility of your profile & network and adjust Who can see your connections to Only you. This is a strong example of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media to protect your professional relationships.

Example 13: Control profile visibility outside LinkedIn

LinkedIn profiles often show up in Google results.

In Settings & Privacy → Visibility → Visibility of your profile & network, look for your Public profile settings and turn off data points you don’t want indexed (photo, headline, activity, etc.). This is a real example of how you can still use LinkedIn for networking while keeping a tighter rein on what the wider internet sees.

Data, tracking, and safety: examples of deeper privacy controls

Beyond who can see your posts, there are quieter but powerful examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media that affect tracking, recommendations, and security.

Example 14: Turn off ad tracking and “off‑platform” activity

Most major platforms track what you do on other sites and apps to target ads.

On Facebook, for instance, you can visit Settings → Your Facebook information → Off-Facebook activity to view and manage data shared by other businesses. You can clear history and turn off future activity. This is one of the best examples of reducing how much behavioral data is tied to your account.

On Instagram and TikTok, look for Ads or Advertising sections in Settings. Often you can limit ad personalization based on your activity.

For a broader view of online privacy, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers practical tips on protecting your personal information online here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-protect-your-privacy-online

Example 15: Enable two‑factor authentication (2FA)

Privacy isn’t just about who can see your content; it’s also about who can get into your account.

Most social platforms now support two‑factor authentication. In Settings, look for Security, Login & security, or Account protection. Turn on 2FA using an authenticator app or SMS.

This is a critical example of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media to prevent account takeovers, which can lead to impersonation, scams, and embarrassing posts made in your name.

For a solid non‑technical explanation of 2FA and strong passwords, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has a helpful guide: https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world

Example 16: Limit who can look you up by email or phone number

Many platforms let people find you if they have your email or phone number. That’s convenient—until it isn’t.

On Facebook, under How people find and contact you, you can set who can look you up using the email address or phone number you provided. Options usually include Everyone, Friends of friends, or Friends. Choosing a more restrictive option is a simple example of reducing how easily strangers can connect your offline information to your online identity.

LinkedIn and other platforms offer similar controls under Visibility or Privacy sections.

How to build your own privacy routine using these examples

You’ve now seen many concrete examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media. The next step is turning those into a simple routine you can repeat a few times a year.

Here’s an easy approach you can follow without needing to be a tech expert:

Start with visibility. On each app, open Settings and search for words like Privacy, Audience, or Visibility. Change your default audience for posts to the smallest group that still makes sense—usually Friends or Followers, not Public.

Move on to tagging and mentions. Decide who’s allowed to tag or mention you, and turn on review tools where they exist. This alone can dramatically change how much of your life gets surfaced without your consent.

Then check DMs and comments. Most apps now let you filter messages, restrict who can contact you, or auto‑hide offensive comments. Use those tools; they exist for a reason.

After that, review tracking and ads. Turn off off‑platform tracking where possible, and limit personalized ads. You won’t remove ads entirely, but you can stop them from feeling so invasive.

Finally, lock down security. Enable two‑factor authentication, review active sessions/devices, and sign out of old devices or browsers you don’t use anymore.

If you want a more general, non‑platform‑specific overview of social media privacy and digital footprints, the University of California, Berkeley’s security office has a useful primer on online privacy and safety: https://security.berkeley.edu/resources/best-practices-how-to-articles/online-privacy

FAQ: common questions and examples about social media privacy

What are some simple examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media?

Some simple, high‑impact examples include:

• Switching your Instagram or TikTok account to Private so only approved followers see your content.
• Changing your Facebook audience for future posts to Friends instead of Public.
• Turning on tag review on Facebook so you approve posts you’re tagged in.
• Limiting who can reply to your Instagram stories or comment on your TikToks.
• Turning off location sharing on X and other platforms.
• Enabling two‑factor authentication on all major accounts.

Each of these is a real example of a quick setting that can significantly improve your privacy.

What’s one example of a setting I should change first if I’m overwhelmed?

If you only change one thing today, pick your default audience for new posts on the platform you use the most. Set it to Friends or Followers, not Public. This single example of a privacy adjustment instantly shrinks who can see what you share from “the entire internet” to “people you’ve actually chosen.” You can always widen the audience for specific posts later.

How often should I review my social media privacy settings?

A good rule of thumb is to review them at least twice a year, and also whenever you notice a big app update or new feature. Platforms quietly add new options all the time, so coming back to these examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media every few months keeps you from falling behind.

Do these privacy settings replace common sense about what I post?

No. Privacy settings help, but they don’t guarantee that screenshots, forwarding, or data breaches will never happen. Think of these examples of privacy controls as layers of protection, not a magic shield. You still want to pause before posting highly sensitive details like home addresses, financial information, or anything that could harm your safety or career if it spread.

Where can I learn more about staying safe on social media?

For general online privacy and safety tips, the FTC’s guide on protecting your privacy online is a solid, plain‑language resource: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-protect-your-privacy-online. For broader digital security habits, CISA’s Secure Our World campaign at https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world offers practical advice you can use beyond social media.

Use the examples of ways to adjust privacy settings in social media from this guide as your starting toolkit, and then layer on these broader safety habits as you get more comfortable.