Accounts · Action Guide

Do a 10-minute social-media privacy cleanup

10 minFreeDo this with: Mom or Dad

Short answer · G022

Review what Mom or Dad shares publicly and remove details that do not need to be public. Focus on information that can help someone impersonate them or their family.

Do this now

Open the privacy/audience settings for the social accounts Mom or Dad actually uses.

Review whether posts, friend/follower lists, birthday details, phone numbers, email addresses, hometown, and family relationships need to be public.

Remove or restrict information that has no reason to be public.

Review old public posts periodically rather than trying to perfect every setting in one sitting.

Don’t do this

Do not publish account-recovery answers or security details.
Do not assume a profile is private without checking its current audience settings.
Do not turn this into an exhausting full-history cleanup; remove the highest-value personal details first.

Official sources

CISA — Online Safety Tips for Older Adults ↗

Last reviewed: September 23, 2026

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Finished this task?Mark it done on this device. You can undo it later.

Not sure what else Mom or Dad needs?

Build the full plan around their actual devices and setup. Free steps come first.

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