Can People on Facebook See Your Profile if You Reply to a Message?

By Melly Parker

Even a reply to a complete stranger doesn't change your privacy settings.
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Facebook has privacy settings to ensure that you are able to control who sees your information, including photos, status updates, general information and your friends list. You can adjust your privacy settings to block strangers and non-connected people from viewing your profile; you can also block established connections from viewing certain parts of your profile. Sending a message to a person who is blocked by your privacy settings doesn't allow that person access to your profile.

Facebook Messages

Facebook messages can be sent between you, your connections and anyone with a Facebook account. You don't necessarily have to be friends with a person to send a message, and vice versa. However, if you don't want messages from strangers, you can adjust your privacy settings so that they can't message you.

Profile Privacy Settings

Your user pictures, name, networks, Facebook ID, gender and cover photo are open to anyone on Facebook, regardless of whether they have a connection with you. Facebook explains that it uses the information to describe you and help you find connections. Other information contained in your profile may or may not be provided to general Facebook users and your connections, depending on whether you choose to share it with them. Privacy settings allow you to block all strangers from viewing your albums, allow only friends of friends to view them or block specific friends from specific albums. You can block certain parts of your personal information, like religion and political affiliation from everyone, or you can choose to share it with your friends or all Facebook users. Other than the default public information, every part of your Facebook timeline has customization privacy to help you determine who sees what is posted in your profile.

Privacy

If you don't want to get messages from strangers or those with whom you don't have a connection, you can disable messages from certain groups in your privacy settings. Even if a person sends you a message, it doesn't change his access to your profile. He can see your name and the image he has the access level to see, but nothing more.

Tips

Although replying to Facebook messages doesn't affect your profile privacy, you should still be cautious about which messages you respond to. Facebook isn't immune to hackers, and sending messages is still one way for them to gain information and access to your account. If you're suspicious about a message you've received, delete it or report it to Facebook via the gear icon above the message.

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