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Since the introduction of the new facebook profile layout known as timeline, there has been a great deal of privacy concern among users. I wish I could revert back to the old profile but all known tweaks stopped working since timeline went public and I’m presently stuck with it just like everyone who upgraded to the new profile layout. I read somewhere that disabling your facebook account for ten minutes or so reverts your profile back to the old layout but it didn’t work for me. I saw some search queries like ‘hiding new facebook wall’ and that prompted me to come up with this post on how to hide this new facebook wall known as timeline. There was a post I made earlier on how to hide facebook recent activities but this might not apply to you if you’re now using timeline or if you intend to hide more than just recent activities.
Timeline rocks when viewed but sucks if you have lots of things to hide, especially if you’ve been using facebook for so many years and would rather have certain posts or photos remain in the past. Timeline makes it very easy for anyone to dig into your past through facebook and I’ve seen quite a couple of my facebook friends close their facebook accounts just because of this. It only takes some settings and you won’t have a profile wall anymore.
1. Adjust Privacy Settings To Hide Wall posts
Click on the drop down menu at the top right and select Privacy Settings. You’ve probably made some public posts in the past but you first need to limit the visibility of those posts to friends only. Click on Manage Past Post Visibility and confirm as shown below:
Now, the next thing is making your wall posts disappear. Under Control Your Default Privacy, select Custom and wait the a box pops up.
From the options, select Only Me. This limits your posts, status updates, photos and everything you share to just your view only.
Now, under How You Connect, click Edit Settings and set Who can see posts by others on your timelineto Only Me. You can as well choose not to allow anyone post on your timeline/wall from here.
That’s all the privacy settings we need to do here, let’s proceed to the next step which will be done on your profile.
2. Remove Recent Activities From Timeline/Facebook Wall
If you’re still using the old facebook profile layout, then I suggest you check this post on how to hide your recent activities but if you’re now using timeline, follow the steps below to hide your comments, likes, and other recent activities showing up on your wall.
Beside each recent activity, there’s a tiny X button. Click on this to hide any recent activity you don’t want showing up on your timeline
Select Hide Similar Activity from Timeline and confirm your selection:
The example above is for friending activities. It automatically hides existing and future friending activities from your profile. You should do the same also for posting activities ans comment activities and also hide your subscription and likes following the above example.
If you need to unhide the activities again and need them to show on your timeline, click the edit (X) button beside Recent Activities.
A box pops up where you’re shown your hidden recent activities. Just unhide anyone you wish to have shown on your profile again and it appears right away.
By following these tips, you should now have a almost blank timeline and no one gets to look at your facebook history by just viewing your profile. It looks like a pretty long process but there is actually no one click trick to hide your new facebook wall/timeline. I’m presently looking for a way to revert back to the old facebook profile and I’m going to post it when I find it. Share this post if it helps.