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- Facebook Tips: What’s the Difference between Top News and Most Recent?
  by Melody Quintana on Friday, August 6, 2010 at 10:55am
  The following is part of our series, Facebook Tips, which answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using Facebook. While we hope these tips are informative, we are unable to answer individual questions on this blog. Visit the Help Center for more information about any topics we cover.
  
  Last time I checked, I had 845 Facebook friends. That's a lot of people with news to share, but Facebook's home page can organize these stories for me into two easy-to-follow views of my News Feed—a summary of some of the top stories called "Top News..." and a live feed of all stories called "Most Recent." Here's how the two views work:
  
  Top News
  
  If you haven't logged onto Facebook in a while, your home page will default to this view.
  
  Top News shows popular stories from your favorite friends and Pages, many of which have gained lots of attention since the last time you checked. In this view, you might find out about an old friend becoming engaged or see a hilarious video that your sister posted and that tons of your friends liked.
  
  Since Top News is based on an algorithm, it uses factors such as how many friends are commenting on a post to aggregate content that you'll find interesting. It displays stories based on their relevance, rather than in chronological order.
  
  Most Recent
  
  Switch over to the Most Recent view to see all updates from your friends. This view of News Feed also constantly refreshes itself so that you can catch the latest updates.
  
  You might score a free treat by stumbling on a daily update from Sprinkles Cupcakes, meet up with a friend who posts an update about getting lunch at your favorite deli right now or be the first to find out that U2 concert tickets are on sale. Many of these are stories that you may not have seen in Top News.
  
  The Most Recent view shows updates from as many as 250 friends and Facebook Pages. If you have more connections, you can adjust the number to have more friends and Pages appear in Most Recent by clicking "Edit Options" at the bottom of your News Feed.
  
  Don't forget: If there's ever a person, Page or story type that you don't care to see in either of your feeds, you can prevent them from appearing in your News Feed by hovering over the story and clicking the "Hide" button that shows up to the right. If you want to unhide them, click "Edit Options" at the bottom of your News Feed and choose the friends or Pages you want to see updates from again.
  
  Between your Top News and Most Recent feeds, you'll always be in the loop about news from your friends that matters the most to you.
  
  Melody Quintana, a specialist on Facebook's user operations team, saw a photo of her newborn cousin for the first time in her Top News.
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- Topics: News Feed, Facebook Tips
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- Facebook Tips: What’s the Difference between a Facebook Page and Group?
  by Nick Pineda on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 1:40pm
  The following is part of our series, Facebook Tips, which answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using Facebook. While we hope the tips we share will be informative, we are unable to answer individual questions on this blog. Visit the Help Center for additional information about any topics we cover.
  
  Making connections on Facebook is not limited to friends. Through both Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups, you can stay more connected with everything that matters in your life—from businesses and public figures to common interests... and hobbies.
  
  To forge these ties on Facebook, it's important to understand the difference between Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups.
  
  Facebook Pages
  
  Like a friend's profile, Facebook Pages enable public figures, businesses, organizations and other entities to create an authentic and public presence on Facebook. Unlike your profile, Facebook Pages are visible to everyone on the internet by default. You, and every person on Facebook, can connect with these Pages by becoming a fan and then receive their updates in your News Feed and interact with them.
  
  Authenticity is at the core of Facebook. Just as profiles should represent real people and real names, so too should Pages for entities. Only the official representatives of a public figure, business or organization should create a Facebook Page.
  
  For example, I am an avid watcher of the American TV show "Lost" on ABC. By connecting with the official Facebook Page for "Lost", I can keep up on the latest episodes and other information directly from the people behind it.
  The official "Lost" Facebook Page.
  
  We have a team at Facebook that is focused on verifying the authenticity of Pages on the site. If an official representative or user identifies a fake, spammy or abusive Page, we will investigate and determine whether to remove these Pages at their request. Remember that you can always remove yourself as a fan of any Page by clicking the "Remove Me from Fans" link in the bottom left corner of the Page.
  
  Facebook Groups
  
  While Pages were designed to be the official profiles for entities, such as celebrities, brands or businesses, Facebook Groups are the place for small group communication and for people to share their common interests and express their opinion. Groups allow people to come together around a common cause, issue or activity to organize, express objectives, discuss issues, post photos and share related content.
  
  When you create a group, you can decide whether to make it publicly available for anyone to join, require administrator approval for members to join or keep it private and by invitation only. Like with Pages, new posts by a group are included in the News Feeds of its members and members can interact and share with one another from the group.
  
  Groups range widely, from members of a church group or athletic team organizing activities to serious topics on politics and world events or even more lighthearted themes.
  
  Say that you and your friends have a favorite celebrity or cause you want to rally around, but you are not the official representative of either. You can either become a fan of the official Facebook page for the celebrity or cause and show your support there or create your own group on Facebook around the common interest.
  
  For example, just as I'm a fan of the official Page for the show "Lost," I am also a member of groups created by other fans like myself. The "Lost" groups offer a way to interact with a community of people and discuss the latest theories around what is happening on the show—from what the "smoke monster is" to how it will all end.
  A "Lost" Facebook Group created by a fan.
  
  Together, Pages and Groups bring even more ways for you to stay connected on Facebook. You can help us by reporting any fake Pages you come across or abusive Groups you come across. Simply click the "Report" links located in the bottom left corner.
  
  Nick, an associate in Facebook user operations, is excited to see how "Lost" will end.
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- Topics: Groups, Pages, Facebook Tips
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- Facebook Tips: How do I find and "fan" a Page?
  by Morin Oluwole on Monday, November 23, 2009 at 11:11am
  The following is part of our series, Facebook Tips, which answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using Facebook. While we hope the tips we share on the blog will be informative, remember that we are unable to answer individual questions here. We'll always direct you to the Help Center for additional information about the topics we cover.
  
  In the same way that profiles on Facebook help you connect with friends, Facebook Pages allow you to interact with and stay up-to-date on your favorite public figures, organizations and... businesses. When you become a fan of a Page, you are connecting with that organization or public figure and will begin seeing status updates, photos, videos and other posts from the Page.
  
  All of the posts from Pages will appear in your home page just as they would from your friends. You can get access to videos from your favorite band, chat live with your favorite celebrity, or even get a sneak peek of new products being launched by your favorite brand through Facebook Pages.
  
  There are several ways to find and become a fan of your favorite Page:
  Type the name of the celebrity, artist, brand or organization in the Search box in the upper-right corner of any page on Facebook. From the results page, select the the Pages filter in the left-side menu to show only Page results. Click the "Become a Fan" link next to the Page name and posts from that Page will begin appearing on your home page.
  
  If you already know the web address, or URL, of the Page you want, simply type it in the address bar of your web browser. For instance, to find Vin Diesel on Facebook, you can navigate directly to www.facebook.com/VinDiesel. From there, select the "Become a Fan" button next to the Page's name.
  
  You also can become a fan of a Page that you discover from your friends' recent connections. For example, if you see a News Feed story about your friend becoming a fan of the iTunes Page, you can connect with it by clicking the "Become a Fan" link within the story or click on the name of the Page to check it out further.
  Once you're a fan of a Page, it is listed on your profile and is included in the list of Pages you're a fan of that's viewable to "everyone" unless you have changed your "Search" privacy settings.
  
  Remember that you always have the option to remove yourself as a fan of any Page if you want to stop receiving updates or no longer want to be connected. Go to the Page and click on the link "Remove me from Fans" at the bottom of the left-side menu.
  
  Check out the nearly 1.4 million active Pages on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages to start connecting and interacting with your favorite celebrities, political leaders, media outlets, non-profit organizations, TV shows, musicians, and much more.
  
  Morin, who works on Facebook's user operations team specializing in Pages, just became a fan of Ibiss Boutique.
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- Topics: Pages, Facebook Tips
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- Facebook Tips: How Do I Change My Email Notifications?
  by Melody Quintana on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 10:40am
  The following is part of our series, Facebook Tips, which answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using Facebook. While we hope the tips we share on the blog will be informative, remember that we are unable to answer individual questions here. We'll always direct you to the Help Center for additional information about the topics we cover.
  
  You don't have to be logged in to Facebook to get the latest updates from friends. Email notifications allow you to know when people interact with you on the site, whether through Wall posts,... comments, tagged photos or friend requests. Similar to the notifications you see in the lower right hand corner on Facebook, email notifications let you know what's happening even when you aren't logged in.
  
  You can manage email notifications by selecting the "Settings" link in the upper right hand corner of any page. From the Notifications tab, you can choose which actions you want to generate emails. For example, if you want to be notified by email each time someone writes on your Wall or receive weekly email digests about your friends' upcoming birthdays, just check the boxes next to these options. If you'd rather not be notified when people poke you or comment on your photos, just leave those boxes unchecked.
  
  To change the email address associated with your account, select the "Settings" tab. You'll then see your current email address and can select "change" to add or delete addresses. Your Facebook email notifications will only be sent to the address you designate as your "Contact Email," so also be sure this information is accurate.
  
  Melody, a specialist in Facebook user operations, has three new email notifications.
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- Topics: Notifications, Facebook Tips
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- Facebook Tips: How Do I Change My Profile Picture?
  by Chengos Fei on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 11:29am
  The following is part of our series, Facebook Tips, which answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using Facebook. While we hope the tips we share on the blog will be informative, remember that we are unable to answer individual questions here. We'll always direct you to the Help Center for additional information about the topics we cover.
  
  Last week, my mom called to ask me for help. She, like many of you, wanted to change her Profile picture to one that her old classmates would instantly recognize when they viewed her friend... requests.
  
  You can easily change your Profile picture by moving your cursor over the upper right-hand corner of your current photo and selecting the link, "Change Picture." From there, you can choose among uploading a new picture, taking a picture with your computer's webcam, choosing from an album, editing your current thumbnail or removing your current picture entirely.
  
  If you want to use a photo in which you're already tagged, just navigate to the photo you want and select the "Make Profile Picture" link at the bottom right-hand corner of the photo. After selecting the photo, you'll also have the option to crop the picture and adjust its size.
  
  If you are a new user and currently do not have a Profile picture, navigate to your Profile and click on either of the links located underneath the area dedicated for a Profile picture, "Upload a Picture" or "Take a Picture." From here you can either upload a picture or take one using your webcam.
  
  Chengos Lim, who works on the verification team in user operations, hopes that it all makes sense to her mom now.
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- Topics: Facebook Tips
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- Facebook Tips: What Happens If I Ignore a Friend Request?
  by Xenia Nosov on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 12:02pm
  The following is part of our series, Facebook Tips, which answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using Facebook. While we hope the tips we share on the blog will be informative, remember that we are unable to answer individual questions here. We'll always direct you to the Help Center for additional information about the topics we cover.
  
  Have you ever received a friend request from someone you didn't know or with whom you had second thoughts about being friends, such as the student you never spoke with but sat in front of during... class? Luckily, if you want to decline a friend request or remove someone from your Facebook Friend List, you can do so without attracting attention.
  
  When you receive a friend request from people you don't wish to be friends with, you can decline by simply selecting "Ignore." Doing so will remove the request from your Requests list. They will not be notified that their friend request was declined, but they will be able to send you another friend request in the future.
  
  If you take no action on the request they've sent you, they will not be able send you another friend request. You will appear instead as a pending friend request when they view you in Search or elsewhere on the site until you either accept or ignore the request.
  
  You can always remove people as friends by scrolling down to the bottom left side of their Facebook profiles. Select the link "Remove from Friends." Your former friends will not be notified, but they will be removed from your Friend List and you will be reciprocally removed from their list. If you change your mind, you'll have to go through the process of requesting their friendship again.
  
  Xenia, a specialist in Facebook user operations, loves getting friend requests from people she knows in real life.
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- Topics: Friend Requests, Facebook Tips
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- Announcing Facebook Tips: Where Do I Go for Help?
  by Jason Min on Friday, July 31, 2009 at 11:30am
  Facebook Tips, a new, ongoing series starting today on the blog, answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using Facebook. While we hope the tips we share on the blog will be informative, remember that we are unable to answer individual questions here. We'll always direct you to the Help Center for additional information about the topics we cover.
  
  In the comments on this blog and on the Wall of our Facebook Page, many of you ask us about functionality on the site or issues you may be experiencing with your account. People often... ask, "How can I change my last name?" or "How can I control my email notifications?" — to name just a few. The answers to these and many other common questions can be found through our Help Center.
  
  The Help Center breaks down commonly asked questions into specific topic areas, enabling you to find answers to almost any issue you may encounter. For example, on the right-hand side of the Help Center's main page, you'll see a list of the "Top Searches" that includes topics like "name change" or "limited profile." Clicking those links will quickly lead you to some of the most common help topics people are asking about.
  
  Other help topics can be found in four main categories including Using Facebook, Facebook Applications and Features, Ads and Business Solutions, and Applications by External Developers. Under each topic, you'll be able to browse common areas for help, in addition to getting answers directly from other users. User responses to your questions will include a tally of how many other people found their responses helpful. If you still can't find the topic for which you're looking, just enter it in the search field at the top of the Help Center.
  
  By visiting the Help Center, you also will be taken to the appropriate ways to contact us if your issue requires more help from our user operations team. For example, we want to know if your account has been compromised or affected by security issues. By visiting a security topic in the Help Center, you'll be taken to online forms to report security issues.
  
  You can access the Help Center by clicking the "Help Center" link at the bottom of any Facebook page. The Help Center is currently available in English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese, and we're working to expand the number of languages that are offered.
  
  Jason works on Facebook's user operations team and runs the Help Center.
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- Topics: Facebook Tips
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