Facebook - Using lists to customize who sees your posts

Using "lists" in Facebook allows you to create a post (with or without photos or videos) and share that post with a specific list of people that you have created, instead of sharing it with "everyone" in your friends list... 

You must be signed into your Facebook account and Remember in Facebook you have 2 different pages: a timeline page and a home page.

·       Your timeline page shows everything you have written/posted - as well as easy access to all your friends, photos, maps & likes (companies, groups, artists etc)

·       Your home page (or wall) shows your own postings as well as postings by those you are friends with and comments/likes made on those various posts

To create or edit a custom list, go to your home page. 

P  Click the Home link (along the top-right of every Facebook page)

P  Choose "Friends" from the sidebar on the left side of your home page

P  Press "Create List" at the top of the page

P  Type the name of your list in the "List Name" field. Type the names of Friends into the "Members" field

P  Return to your lists page. Your new list that you created should be on the page

To edit a custom list, go to your home page. 

P  Click the Home link (along the top-right of every Facebook page)

P  Find the list you want to edit in the left column, or click the More link next to Friends

P  Select the list you want to edit or click Create a List

P  Search for your friends in the search bar at the top of the page, or add people from the List Suggestions on the right

You can add individual friends to lists by hovering over the Friends button at the top of their timeline and selecting from the list names that appear. If you don't see the name of the list you're looking for, click the option to show all of your lists.

To delete a custom list that you have created, go to your home page (you are only deleting the custom list - the individuals in that list remain in your friends list)

P  Click the Home link (along the top-right of every Facebook page)

P  Click on name of the list you want to delete

P  Click on the Manage List dropdown and select Delete List

You will notice there is a RESTRICTED LIST category provided by Facebook, people you add to your Restricted list. When you add someone to your Restricted list, they'll only be able to see your Public content or posts of yours that you tag them in

Update: Yes-Facebook Timeline will be compulsory

I've been inundated with questions as to whether or not the new Facebook Timeline design will be compulsory - this is the notice found on the Facebook Forum on January 30th, 2012:


Facebook has confirmed it is making the move to Timeline compulsory to ALL members in the next few weeks


Note however that a petition is being circulated asking Facebook to change this decision, as of now it already has more than 1 million signatures - but remember there are more than 800 million Facebook users...


Like everything new - it may just take us a little time to get used to the new design...

Facebook's New "Timeline" Design & Features

WHAT IS FACEBOOK’S NEW PRIVACY FEATURE CALLED “TIMELINE”..

If you don't have Facebook Timeline already, you will soon - during the next month or so, Facebook is introducing its updated “Timeline” design to all Facebook users.

Facebook Timeline is basically a cosmetic design change, but it will affect the layout of your profile and also has some functional changes intended to make it easier for others to see your Facebook history and parts of your profile and this is where you want to pay attention, because now others will be able to see those embarrassing photos, status updates when you didn’t know any better, and what your friends have posted on your wall since the day you joined Facebook.

Profile (Timeline) Review is a new privacy option that lets you approve or reject posts that you've been tagged in before they go on your profile (timeline). When you turn it on, posts may already be visible in other places on Facebook, but they won't appear on your profile (timeline) until you approve them. When you have a post to review, it will show up in the Pending Posts section of your profile or in your ACTIVITY LOG (if you you've upgraded to timeline).

• Note-Your ACTIVITY LOG is a list of your posts and activity, from today back to the very beginning. You’ll also see stories and photos you’ve been tagged in, as well as the connections you’ve made, like when you liked a Page or added someone as a friend.

Many articles and forums are saying the same thing – Facebook Timeline is a great new feature, but Everyone should take some time to review exactly what is available on our own profiles, especially reading those old, forgotten posts that we may have written a long time ago, because now they will be a lot more visible for people to read (same goes with pictures from those late night or weekend escapades!!).

You may want to start deleting what you don't want anyone to see and setting limits on "the audience" (such as friends, friends of friends, vs. everyone)  for the content you want only some people to see.