Social media privacy checklist for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp
A step-by-step privacy checklist to secure the apps Nepalis use most — control who sees your posts, hide your contact details, stop strangers messaging you, and protect your account from takeover.
The default settings on social media are built to make your profile public and easy to find — great for the platform, not always good for your privacy or safety. A few minutes of changes puts you back in control.
This checklist is especially useful for women, teenagers and anyone who has received unwanted contact, but everyone benefits from it. You do not need to delete your accounts — just tighten them.
Go app by app. Each section is short and practical, and you can do them all in under half an hour.
Universal first steps (do these on every account)
Before the app-specific settings, three things protect every account no matter the platform. These stop most account takeovers and casual snooping.
- Set a strong, unique password for each account — never reuse the same password.
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) so a stolen password alone cannot log anyone in.
- Review where you are logged in and remove old or unknown devices.
- Be cautious with 'log in with Facebook/Google' on small unknown apps — they can gain access to your data.
Facebook is the most-used platform in Nepal, so it is worth securing properly. Open Settings & Privacy, then go through the Privacy and Profile sections.
- Set 'Who can see your future posts' to Friends (not Public).
- Use 'Limit Past Posts' to make old public posts friends-only in one click.
- Restrict who can send you friend requests and who can look you up by phone or email.
- Hide your phone number, email, birthday and relationship details from your public profile.
- Review tag settings so posts you are tagged in need your approval before appearing.
- Turn off location/check-in sharing and review which apps have access to your account.
Switching to a private account is the biggest single improvement on Instagram — only approved followers can see your posts and stories.
- Set the account to Private in Settings > Privacy.
- Control who can message you and who can reply to your stories.
- Use 'Restrict' to quietly limit a harasser without alerting them, or Block to cut them off.
- Hide your story and 'Close Friends' lists from people you do not trust.
- Turn off 'Show activity status' so others cannot see when you are online.
- Remove your location from posts and turn off location services for the app.
TikTok
TikTok skews young, so privacy matters most for teens. A private account, plus controlling comments and messages, removes the most common problems.
- Set the account to Private so only approved followers see your videos.
- Limit who can comment, duet, stitch and download your videos.
- Restrict or turn off direct messages, especially for younger users.
- Turn off 'Suggest your account to others' to reduce exposure to strangers.
- For families, explore TikTok's Family Pairing to link a parent and teen account with safety controls.
WhatsApp is more private by default, but a few settings stop strangers from learning about you or adding you to unwanted groups.
- Turn on two-step verification (Settings > Account) with a PIN.
- Set 'Last Seen', profile photo, About and status to 'My Contacts' rather than Everyone.
- Control who can add you to groups (limit to your contacts).
- Be wary of unknown numbers, forwarded links and 'you have won' messages — common scam entry points.
- Never share the 6-digit verification code with anyone — that code can hijack your account.
Keep it private over time
Privacy is not a one-time job. Apps add new features and occasionally reset or add settings, so a quick review every few months keeps you protected.
Also build private habits: think before posting your live location, your home, your school or workplace, or photos of children — once something is public, you cannot fully take it back.
- Re-check key privacy settings every few months and after big app updates.
- Avoid posting real-time location, daily routine, or images that reveal a home or school.
- Ask before posting photos of other people, especially children.
- Clean your friends/followers list periodically and remove people you do not recognise.
Key takeaways
- ✓Default settings favour visibility — a few changes put your privacy back in your control.
- ✓On every account: a strong unique password and two-factor authentication come first.
- ✓Private/friends-only profiles plus hidden contact details stop most unwanted contact.
- ✓Control who can message, comment and tag you; use Block and Restrict freely.
- ✓Never share your WhatsApp 6-digit code — it can be used to hijack your account.
- ✓Privacy is ongoing: review settings every few months and avoid oversharing location and children's photos.
Social Media Privacy Checklist — FAQ
Will making my account private stop people from seeing my old posts?+
On Instagram and TikTok, switching to private hides your content from non-followers going forward. On Facebook, use 'Limit Past Posts' to make old public posts friends-only in one step, and set future posts to Friends. Always check what is still visible from a logged-out view.
What is two-factor authentication and do I really need it?+
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second check — usually a code sent to your phone or an app — when logging in, so a stolen password alone is not enough to access your account. It is one of the strongest protections against account takeover, and yes, it is worth turning on for every important account.
Someone added me to a group I never joined. How do I stop that?+
In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Groups and set who can add you to 'My Contacts' or 'My Contacts Except...'. You can also leave any group and report or block its admin if it is spam or harassment.
Why should I never share my WhatsApp verification code?+
The 6-digit code is what proves you own your number. Scammers often pretend to be a friend or support agent and ask for 'the code they accidentally sent you' — sharing it lets them take over your WhatsApp account. Never share it with anyone for any reason.
Sources & data note
These guides explain widely-accepted SEO, AEO and GEO practice as documented by Google Search Central, schema.org and current industry research. Search and AI systems evolve continually — treat specific thresholds (e.g. Core Web Vitals targets) as current guidance and verify against the latest official documentation. Examples are tailored to Nepal's market.