How to Use Facebook Without Actually Visiting Facebook

Background

You're probably wondering how it is possible to access Facebook without actually accessing Facebook. This article will give you a work around for those times when Facebook is blocked or when you could not access it because of filter software or blocks installed by your company or school. It is possible to use other means to access Facebook without going to the site itself. For example, you can use Facebook's text messaging or e-mail offerings to communicate with Facebook friends, and perform other activities on the site. This article will show you how to use these methods and interact with Facebook without typing in "facebook.com" in your browser.

• Try other ways to unblock Facebook
• What your boss sees on Facebook and how to stop him
• Facebook Privacy - how to make your account "Super Secure."

Email

If for some reason you cannot access the site, whether it be because of a block, or some other reason, you will want to have signed up for Facebook Communications ahead of time. Essentially you are subscribing to receive communications from Facebook in your e-mail inbox. This means that when someone writes on your wall or sends you a private message, Facebook will send you an e-mail that alerts you of that activity. This is useful because you can then reply to that e-mail or simply read it without actually having to log into Facebook. This method is something you will need to set up beforehand, but once it is setup you will be able to use it in the future. To set up Facebook's Communications by e-mail you first need to log into Facebook as you normally would. Then, in the top right hand corner click on "Account" then "Account Settings." On the page that appears, you can go through and check all the communication types you would like to receive via e-mail.

So you should go through and select the check box under e-mail for each of the settings that you would like to receive communications about. So for example if you elect to receive an e-mail when someone comments on a story on your wall, you can then reply to that e-mail and it will show up on Facebook as if you were on the site and commented. Each time someone leaves a comment, you will receive another e-mail with a copy of that comment. This makes it easy to communicate via e-mail without ever actually having to access the site. I will warn you, however, that you cannot do everything via e-mail. Sometimes you'll still need to access the site, so if it is blocked you will have to wait until you are home or somewhere where it is not blocked.

Text Message

Another option for accessing Facebook without logging onto the site is to use the text messaging feature. You'll need to submit your cell phone number to Facebook, but once you are signed up you will receive a text message notice every time someone communicates with you via private message or a wall post. To access these features, simply go to the same page that you did for e-mail and check the boxes under "SMS."

Subscribing to Friends

If you miss being able to receive status updates from your friends at times when Facebook is blocked, you can still have them delivered right to your phone. Again, you'll have to do this ahead of time, but it will work for the future once you do. Go to Facebook, and click on your friend's profile. Under their picture is an option to "Subscribe Via SMS." Clicking that link will mean that every time that friend posts an update, you'll get a text that says what it is. I don't recommend doing this for every friend you have or you'll be getting hundreds of texts a day. Also, make sure you have an unlimited texting plan or the charges will be overwhelming.

Third Party Sites

Sites like Yahoo! have been adding more and more support for Facebook recently. The new homepage for Yahoo allows a user to connect his or her Facebook account with Yahoo and then view status updates, etc. inside of Yahoo itself without ever having to visit Facebook.com. This is beneficial because it allows you to communicate with Facebook without having to access it. To enable these settings, you must go to Yahoo.com, sign in with your Yahoo! ID, and then click on "Facebook."

Conclusion

Facebook has a wealth of resources that allow you to access the content on the site without actually visiting the site itself. Many people are probably wondering what the purpose of all this is. But if you've ever been somewhere that Facebook is blocked (such as school or work), and needed to access something on Facebook, you understand why these methods are needed. Be warned however, that you should never be violating your company or school's IT policy because doing so could mean a loss of a job or expulsion.

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