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    Social Media First Steps

    A first-time walkthrough for Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor. Set privacy before you post anything.

    Best for staying in touch with family and old friends. Most people 60+ are already here.

    1. Sign up

    1. Open facebook.com or the Facebook app and tap Create New Account.
    2. Enter your full name, mobile number or email, a strong password, birthday, and gender.
    3. Confirm the code Facebook texts or emails you, then sign in.
    4. Skip the suggested friends and photo upload screens for now — privacy comes first.

    2. Privacy first — do this before posting

    1. Tap menu (three lines) → Settings & Privacy → Settings → Privacy.
    2. Set "Who can see your future posts?" to Friends.
    3. Tap "Limit Past Posts" to sweep older public posts down to Friends-only.
    4. Set friend requests to "Friends of Friends" to cut off spam accounts.
    5. Set phone and email lookup to Friends so strangers cannot search you.
    6. Turn on Login Alerts in Security and Login.

    3. Find family and friends

    1. Tap the search bar at the top and type a family member's full name.
    2. Look at the profile photo and mutual friends — confirm it is the right person.
    3. Tap Add Friend. Send a short message so they know it is you.
    4. Wait for them to accept before sending more requests.

    Good to post

    • Photos of grandkids, gardens, pets, recipes, day trips.
    • Birthday and holiday greetings to family members.
    • Comments and reactions on family posts — this is how you stay connected.

    Skip these

    • Vacation photos while you are still away (post after you return home).
    • Your full birthday including the year — set it to friends-only or hide the year.
    • Your home address, phone number, or photos showing your house number.
    • Health details, bank info, or anything you would not say to a stranger at the grocery store.

    Related

    Social Privacy Lockdown

    Deeper privacy settings on each platform.

    Scam Message Decoder

    Spot fake DMs and friend requests.

    Family Tech Roundtable

    Talk it through with your family.

    Quick Tip: privacy first, post second. Once something is public it can be screenshotted forever.