Maintaining privacy on the Internet is a very important thing and we don't always succeed. Through social networks, for example, our personal data can be compromised. This occurs on platforms like Facebook. Although we can make the profile private and thus reduce the risk of information leaking, the truth is that sometimes this does not always happen. In this article we will explain why can you see our private Facebook profile and what can we do to prevent this from happening.

Why can they see your private Facebook profile

Something common that we can take into account is to make the Facebook profile be private. Basically it means that they will only be able to access the information that we publish our contacts. For example they could not see photos that we upload, who are our friends, where we have been, etc. But there are some methods or strategies that you can use to achieve this.

Bots accounts

One of those methods is through bots accounts or by phishing. What someone who wants to enter our private Facebook account does is create an account and add us. We accept that user thinking that there is no problem and he will see everything that we have hidden.

They can use bots, which are basically mass-created accounts to send spam or collect personal data. But they could also create an account with names and surnames that is even from someone close to us. We can believe that he really is that person and we add him. With this you will have access to our account, even if we have it private.

Enter from another account

They could also use a method as simple as it is access another account that we do have added and see all the information even if we have a private profile. This is not so simple, since they are going to need a third person and they are going to have to know that they have us added, but it is another option.

But they will not only be able to do it if the other person wants, but also by force. That is, they could steal an account through a Phishing attack, keylogger or any other variety of malware and, in this way, know what the password is and enter. They could thus see the content that we have published.

Steal your password

Also, they could steal our own account and have full access. This would allow them to take control, view private messages, contacts, post on our behalf, etc. It is an option that hackers are going to have, since they could even sell our profile on the Dark Web and make a profit.

Now how can they steal the account? There are different methods that you can use. A regular one is a Phishing attack, which basically what they do is send an email with some kind of bait for us to log in. The data we put will go to the attackers, without us noticing.

They can also use malware to steal data and passwords. For example a keylogger, what it does is record all the keystrokes we put in and thus steal the access keys from Facebook or any other platform.

Through other services

To Facebook we can link some online services and applications. For example, we can log in through the account of this social network and thus not have to register or create a different one. Although this may seem useful and is sometimes a good option for comfort and speed, it can be a problem.

Those services could have access to our account, see information we share, etc. In case there is a problem, such as a leak, we could see that our privacy is compromised.

What to do to avoid it

As you can see, someone may be able to see your Facebook account even if you have it private. However, there are certain measures that you will be able to put into practice to increase security and preserve your data. The goal is to make it easier for others to see what you post, what your contacts are, or where you've been.

Protect the account

Of course, a first step is to protect the account correctly. For this you must use a good password. This is essential to prevent attacks and for a potential intruder to access without your permission. That password must be unique, totally random, and contain letters (, both uppercase and lowercase ), numbers, and other special symbols.

But also, it is a good idea to enable the two-step authentication from Facebook. This will help you create an extra layer of protection. You can avoid intruders entering even if they know your password, as they will need a second step to achieve it. That second step may be, for example, a code you receive by SMS.

Add only acquaintances

Also it's a good idea only add contacts we trust. Avoid adding anyone to send us a request without really knowing who it is, as it could be a fake bot or profile. That would allow you to access the information we publish, even if we have a private Facebook account.

Therefore, just add friends, family and contacts in general that you know who they are and do not mind that they can see private data that you can share on this social network. This is important so that information is not leaked.

Control linked services and applications

Similarly, care should be taken when link other services and applications to Facebook. For example, you can link other platforms online and not have to log in whenever you want to access. It is true that this is useful and saves time, but it can be a major problem.

What you should do is avoid linking these types of services and, in case you decide to do it, take a good look at what you are adding at all times. You can search for information and verify that it is not a scam.

Use official programs

Something essential is also to use always official applications. You should avoid installing software from non-legitimate sources, as they could be a trap and pose a major problem for your privacy. They may contain malware or be leaking information to potential attackers.

Our advice is to install Facebook directly from its official page or use secure application stores, such as Google Play. Alternatively, you can also log in directly from the website. Never enter from links you find on third party sites, as they could be a trap.

In short, as you can see, it is possible that someone can read information that you share on Facebook even if you have a private account. However, you can consider a number of tips to improve security and privacy and thus reduce the risk of problems.