How to Create an Anonymous Facebook Profile (and Why You Should)

From a variety of online jobs to keeping in touch with our loved ones, Facebook’s presence in our digital lives continues to grow. But what if you don’t want the privacy risks that a personal Facebook profile brings?

Read on to find out why you might want to create an anonymous Facebook profile and how to create one…

Why would you want an anonymous Facebook profile?

There are many reasons why someone might want an anonymous Facebook account, but they all generally have one thing in common: privacy.

Many people are concerned about Facebook’s privacy settings and breaches. Creating an anonymous Facebook profile helps keep fraudsters away from your personal information, such as your real email address and date of birth.

In the event of a major data leak on Facebook, having an anonymous account could prevent you from becoming a victim of fraud. Because you didn’t use your actual information to set up your Facebook account, it limits the chances of your personal data falling into the wrong hands.

It also saves you from worrying about colleagues or acquaintances trying to connect with you on the platform. By having a completely anonymous profile, you don’t have to worry about choosing between monitoring your co-workers or denying friend requests from those in your office. You can share personal posts with your loved ones.

While your friends will know who you are, the general public will not. You don’t have to worry so much about stalkers spying on your profile or a privacy breach exposing your personal information.

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Another reason someone might want a Facebook incognito account is because they might be an admin of a Page on the platform. Unfortunately, Facebook doesn’t allow you to act as an admin on a Page without an account to link it to.

For people who work in social media management or marketing, an anonymous account can save you from having to link your personal profile.

How to set up your anonymous Facebook account

Creating an anonymous Facebook account is very simple and fast. In truth, the more bland and simple your name and profile picture, the better. Your account is less likely to catch anyone’s attention if you keep it simple.

1. Create a Burner email account

If you want your Facebook account to remain truly anonymous, the first step is to create a new email address. This ensures that your Facebook login information will not be linked to any of your personal information.

If you use your own email address to sign up for Facebook, it may be linked to your personal information, especially if you have used that email address for other accounts. Be sure to use a name and email address that does not contain any features of your real name.

Insert the information to set up your email account, making sure you don’t enter any of your actual personal information.

When signing up for Facebook, it’s important that you use an email address and not your personal phone number. If you use your phone number, this very important data will be connected to your account, which defeats the purpose of having an anonymous account on the platform.

To sign up for Facebook, make sure you are logged out and visit Facebook.com. Select green Create an account button. In the mobile app, you can log out of your account (if you already have a personal one) and press the blue Create a new account button.

3. Enter your new account details

The details you enter in these fields are very important. Make sure you don’t use your real name, email address, or date of birth. By using only fictitious data, you ensure that none of your personal information will be linked to your new Facebook account.

Insert your new email address, a strong password, a fictitious date of birth and your preferred gender. Hit it Register button.

When Facebook asks for access to contacts during registration, be sure to click “No”. If you click “Yes”, you may appear in “People You May Know” suggestions for other Facebook users.

You now have a new Facebook incognito profile.

4. Select your profile picture

Since it’s the first thing people see on Facebook when deciding whether or not to interact with you, your profile picture is important. We recommend choosing an image that won’t compromise your account’s anonymity, such as a Facebook avatar or generic photograph.

A Facebook avatar will allow you to hide your identity and have fun with your profile picture.

If you use a Facebook avatar, you can add personality to your account, while remaining anonymous. If you want to create your own animated profile picture, be sure to read our guide on how to create a Facebook avatar.

5. Start adding your friends

Remember why you created that anonymous Facebook account when deciding who to add to your friends list. Only add people you trust and people who won’t share your new Facebook identity with others.

Sometimes people will notice how many mutual friends they have in common with you and add you out of curiosity. Whatever the reason, always be careful who you add and confirm on Facebook.

However, you may want to communicate with the people you add so they know who you are.

We suggest that you send individual private messages to your friends and family. This way they will know that the mysterious profile trying to add them is actually you under a pseudonym.

6. Confirm your account

Facebook will ask you to confirm your account. You can do this by email or with a phone number and Facebook will send you a one-time-use confirmation code.

We strongly suggest that you confirm your account with your engraver email address and not your real phone number. This will prevent your personal information from being linked to this Facebook incognito profile.

You are ready. Enjoy the privacy and freedom of having an anonymous Facebook profile!

Keep your profile private

To keep your new facebook profile anonymous incognito, avoid adding too many people you know, use a pseudonym for your username, and try not to comment or like too many posts from your real friend.

The key to keeping your profile anonymous is to be careful how you use your Facebook account.

An anonymous Facebook account is one of many ways to protect your privacy online while still participating in social media.

In a world where our personal information is at your fingertips, you can create an environment where your privacy is protected.

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About the Author

Amy Cottreau-Moore
(41 articles published)

Amy is the Social Media Technology Editor at MakeUseOf. She is an Atlantic Canadian military wife and mother who enjoys sculpting, spending time with her husband and daughters, and researching a myriad of topics online!