Forbes was quick to report that Facebook changed all user emails to a ‘facebook.com’ domain today – a pretty sneaky move on their part to do so without permission or notice.

Back in 2010, Facebook launched its own email service, and many predicted it would be the death of email. That was hardly the case. Email is alive and well, and most people don’t even realize they have a Facebook email address. Is this a move by Facebook to increase the adoption of their email service? Our guess is yes.

If you want to change the email address shown on your Timeline back to your non-facebook.com address, the process is simple:

Click on your name in the top right corner of your Facebook page. Click on ‘Update Info’ tab located just below your cover photo on the right side of the page. Locate your ‘Contact Info’ and click the ‘Edit’ link. Here, you can edit the options for each email address listed to have it ‘Shown on Timeline’ or ‘Hidden on Timeline.’ Set your options to your preference and then click ‘Save.’

While you are on your ‘Contact Info,’ make sure you aren’t sharing too much information. If you must include your phone number or address then be sure to share with friends only. (We strongly advise against including your address.)

While speaking of email addresses, we recommend that you use a totally separate email account for Facebook. Don’t use the same email address that you use for sensitive accounts.

Personally, I have my mobile number entered so that I can receive login approvals from Facebook; however, I don’t want my phone number displayed on my Timeline, so I have set the sharing option to ‘Only Me.’

For more information on configuring your account and privacy settings, be sure to check out our post: How to Lockdown your Facebook Account for Maximum Privacy and Security.

Recommended Resources

BitDefender Safego is a Facebook application you can install that will scan your News Feed and help keep you safe from scams on Facebook.

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Do Not Track + is a FREE browser plugin created by Abine. This easy to install plugin keeps websites from tracking you. If you value your online privacy, then you should definitely take advantage of this free product.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.