Want to join facebook but fear privacy issues.?

[Knicks4Life]

Currently in my class everybody has facebook and want me to join, I care for my privacy and do not want others to google my name and find out I have a page. Any advise to join facebook without giving my real name.

[Andrew K]

dont worry

[sweetieface]

use your first and middle name (john brian) or whatever
you can also use your first name in multiple (gary gary gary b)
I've seen both of these done

[cnplovesyou]

Yes, if you google yourself your page will appear, but you can change the setting so no one can see your wall, pictures, and all that jazz.

[Amy]

Just change all of your security settings to "friends only". Yes people will be able to see that you have facebook, but they will not be able to access any of your information, pictures, etc

[faithfultank362]

dont worry bout a thing CUZ everything little is guna be alright

[deathcabforcatiex]

you can customize your privacy settings to make it so you can't see your name when you google it, let alone when you FB search your profile. you can make it so people can't write on your wall, or see your uploaded pictures. the bare minimum that FB requires is a full name and a profile picture, and you can't change that...it has to be public. but the rest can be completely hidden to anyone that is not your friend.

[Annalyn]

You can change your privacy settings so it won't show up on a google search. Or just use a fake name if you really want to. To change the privacy settings go to 'account', 'privacy settings', 'search', and un check the box next to 'public search results'.

[Essie]

If you have doubts DON'T DO IT!!. Facebook changed the privacy settings so that friends of friends can add themselves to your friends list. There is no setting for "friends only" to suggest friends or add them to your contacts.
Before friends could only suggest friends to you, and that was less intrusive. But now, you are put into the embarrassing position of having to click on the ignore button to people you would only consider as acquaintances and just hope they do not send messages through your "friend" whom you are now rapidly losing interest in.

I had almost persuaded many of my real friends to join facebook, but after the latest few rounds of the changes to the privacy settings, i have now told them they were wise and i was stupid to get sucked into the myth of privacy within facebook.

It has got to the stage that i now rarely log onto facebook as any activity will be logged and those people (not friends) that i have ignored will know i am on facebook.
If anyone can suggest an alternative to facebook i would like to try that before i bow out of the internet social network scene.

[Jill]

Well, if you don't feel right about getting a Facebook page and strongly feel that your privacy will be invaded then you should not get a Facebook page just because everyone at school wants you to get one. Don't listen to what others want you to do, they can't make you do it. Don't give in to peer pressure. Be careful on putting pictures of yourself on the internet, just because it's Facebook doesn't mean it's safe. Your privacy and safety come first. It will be hard to not have your real name on Facebook then your friends and family will have trouble finding you unless you tell them your secret name.