by Leigh Goessl

Created on: September 21, 2011

Facebook is a great way for those who want to reconnect with friends or meet new people to socialize with and build friendships. While millions of people have benefited from Facebook's platform in cultivating relationships, this does not mean it does not come without some disadvantages.

Like most any other interaction that takes place on the web, Facebook has its share of dangerous possibilities, especially since much personal information is streamed across the network. The good news is that despite the potential pitfalls which can compromise safety, with a bit of knowledge and savvy use, you can decrease your chances of running into peril.

• Learn about risks

The first and foremost step in mitigating any potential danger is to learn what the risks are. By gaining an understanding of the dangers associated with Facebook interaction and the potential dangerous content you may encounter, you can learn how to recognize threats and side step these problems.

• Monitor your postings

One significant drawback associated with Facebook is the fact the network is rooted in sharing, but unfortunately if you give out too much personal information, this can lead to potential danger. Identity thieves and other cybercriminals revel in the fact users may not carefully consider or monitor what they say and give up too many personal details.

When members are lackadaisical about posting updates or sharing news this can lead to increased personal risk. Unfortunately there is a criminal element that resides on the web and stalk people or commit burglaries to their homes when they know people are out.

Watch what you say, how often you share details and post smartly, by doing so you can protect yourself, friends and family, and your property.

• Use privacy controls

Facebook users can manage their personal information to only be shared with certain people they are connected to on the network. By setting privacy controls, this can increase safety and ensure that the people you do not want to see certain information are blocked from doing so.

Be aware though, Facebook unfortunately has a history of making updates or redesigns and then defaulting individual privacy settings to Facebook's settings; however if you do a routine check on privacy settings, this can ensure your details are restricted the way you intended them to be if Facebook has altered them.

Also keep in mind that when Facebook adds new features, these generally are defaulted as 'opt-out' rather than users

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