Who Can See My Stuff? A Privacy Settings Tour

When Grandma sends you a video of her dog wearing a hat, would you want a stranger on the other side of the world to see it too? Every app and game has a setting that decides exactly that — who gets to see your pictures, your name, and your messages. That setting is called a privacy setting, and today you get to go on a tour and learn how it works.

- What a privacy setting is, in simple words - The difference between "Everyone," "Friends Only," and "Just Me" - Why a grown-up should always help you check these settings - How to spot when something is set to share with too many people

Think of a privacy setting like a door on your clubhouse. "Everyone" is like leaving the door wide open — anyone walking by can come in and look around, even people you've never met. "Friends Only" is like a door with a peephole — only people you already know and picked can come in. "Just Me" is like a locked door with only your key — nobody else gets in at all, not even friends. Most photos, videos, and profile pages you make on a family device should be set to "Friends Only" or "Just Me" — never "Everyone," unless a grown-up specifically decides that's okay for that one thing.

On most apps, privacy settings live in a menu shaped like a little gear (⚙️), usually in a corner of the screen. A grown-up can tap it with you and look for words like "Privacy," "Who can see this," or "Audience." You don't have to know how to change these settings by yourself yet — your job right now is to know that they EXIST, and to always ask a grown-up before you post a picture, video, or your name somewhere new.

You can spot a setting that might be too open if: a stranger you don't know comments on your picture, a video shows a number for "views" that's much bigger than the number of people in your family and friends, or an app asks to share your location with "everyone." If you ever see any of these, tell a grown-up right away — it's not tattling, it's keeping your clubhouse door locked.