Social Media Tools on NYTimes.com: Frequently Asked Questions

Feedback

How do I provide feedback on the NYTimes.com social media tools?

Overview

1. What are the social media tools on NYTimes.com?
2. How do I start using Facebook on NYTimes.com?
3. How do I start using Twitter on NYTimes.com?
4. Do I have to have a Facebook account or a Twitter account to recommend items on NYTimes.com?
5. Whose activity will I see in Facebook modules on NYTimes.com?
6. How do I stop seeing personalized activity in the Facebook modules?
7. How does my NYTimes.com profile overlap with my Twitter or Facebook profile?

Connecting With Facebook

8. How do I connect my Facebook account to my NYTimes.com account?
9. How is my NYTimes.com activity used on Facebook?
10. Will all of my NYTimes.com activity appear on Facebook?
11. How do I disconnect my Facebook account from my NYTimes.com account?
12. I have two NYTimes.com accounts — one that's connected to Facebook and one that is not. How do I fix this?

Connecting With Twitter

13. How do I connect my Twitter account to my NYTimes.com account?
14. What does it mean to allow NYTimes.com to connect to my Twitter account?
15. Will all of my NYTimes.com activity appear on Twitter?
16. How do I disconnect my Twitter account from my NYTimes.com account?

Data Storage and Privacy

17. What is your privacy policy for social media activity?
18. Do you store my Facebook or Twitter data?
19. When I comment on an NYTimes.com article, will my comment appear on Facebook or Twitter?
20. How do I stop sharing my NYTimes.com activities on Facebook or Twitter?
21. Who can see my NYTimes.com activity?
22. How do I "opt out" of all social media tools on NYTimes.com?

Miscellaneous

23. What are the software and hardware requirements for social media tools?
24. Will other people be able to tell that I'm on NYTimes.com?
25. I signed up for a TimesPeople account before August 2010. I've also connected my Facebook account to my NYTimes.com account. Where will my Facebook activity appear?
26. Can I access TimesPeople data via other tools or an API?

Feedback

How do I provide feedback on the NYTimes.com social media tools?

We welcome your comments. Please contact us at social [at] nytimes.com.

Overview

What are the social media tools on NYTimes.com?

NYTimes.com offers many ways to share content across your social networks. If you're a regular reader of NYTimes.com, you may be familiar with the options to share articles with various tools, post links and comments to Twitter, and build a network on TimesPeople, our social media service. The social media tools were recently expanded: Now you can recommend content on Facebook and see what your Facebook friends are recommending on NYTimes.com.

On NYTimes.com, social media tools appear in three key areas: in Facebook modules on the home page and article pages; in the article tools area (along with actions such as Print and E-Mail); and on your TimesPeople user page.

Home Page and Article Page Facebook Modules

Article Tools

TimesPeople User Page

Note that Facebook activity does not appear on your TimesPeople user page; it appears in Facebook modules only.

How do I start using Facebook on NYTimes.com?

If you already have a Facebook account, just click the "Log In With Facebook" button on the NYTimes.com home page or on an article page:

After you connect to Facebook, you'll be able to click "Recommend on Facebook" links throughout NYTimes.com, and you will be able to see what your Facebook friends are recommending on NYTimes.com.

If you don't have a Facebook account, simply log in to NYTimes.com as you normally would and look for links that allow you to recommend items or use social media. You'll be prompted to make the necessary connections when you're ready.

Note that even if you don't connect your Facebook account to your NYTimes.com account, you'll still see aggregate activity from the Facebook community in the Facebook modules. These links can help you discover new content on NYTimes.com and see what others around the world are recommending.

How do I start using Twitter on NYTimes.com?

To post to Twitter from NYTimes.com, click a "Twitter" link on any page. Look for this link in the tools area, where you'll also find links such as "E-Mail" and "Print."

If you haven't already connected your Twitter account to your NYTimes.com account, you'll be prompted to link your accounts. If you have an existing Twitter account but don't yet have an NYTimes.com account, you'll be able to register for NYTimes.com using your Twitter account. Just follow the prompts.

If you don't have a Twitter account, you'll be prompted to create one the first time you click a "Twitter" link.

Do I have to have a Facebook account or a Twitter account to recommend items on NYTimes.com?

If you signed up for TimesPeople before August 2010, you will still be able to recommend items to your TimesPeople network by clicking the button on the TimesPeople toolbar. If you did not have a TimesPeople account as of August 2010, the toolbar will not appear. Please use Facebook or Twitter to recommend or share content.

Whose activity will I see in Facebook modules on NYTimes.com?

In the Facebook modules on the NYTimes.com home page and on article pages, you'll see the latest activity in your network. Here's how we define "activity in your network":

• If you have connected your Facebook account to your NYTimes.com account and you are currently logged in to NYTimes.com, you'll see your Facebook friends' activity, if any exists. You'll also see aggregate Facebook activity from all NYTimes.com users, showing you suggested reading and what's being recommended right now.
• If you are not currently logged in to NYTimes.com, you'll see only aggregate activity from the larger Facebook community.
• You will never see individual activity from Facebook users you do not know, and your individual activity will not be displayed to Facebook users you do not know.

How do I stop seeing personalized activity in the Facebook modules?

To temporarily hide the activity in your network, log out of NYTimes.com. To permanently hide the activity, disconnect your accounts as described in How do I disconnect my Facebook account from my NYTimes.com account?

How does my NYTimes.com profile overlap with my Twitter or Facebook profile?

When you connect your NYTimes.com account to your Facebook account, we will import your Facebook picture and user name into your NYTimes.com account.

When you connect your NYTimes.com account to your Twitter account, we will import your basic Twitter profile information (user name, location and URL) into your NYTimes.com account.

You can change your NYTimes.com profile information at any time by clicking "Edit My Settings" on your TimesPeople user page. Changes you make on NYTimes.com will never affect your Facebook or Twitter profile.

Connecting With Facebook

How do I connect my Facebook account to my NYTimes.com account?

If you already have a Facebook account, click "Log In With Facebook" on the NYTimes.com home page or anywhere else you see it on the site. If you do not yet have an NYTimes.com account, we'll create one using your Facebook account. See also How do I start using Facebook on NYTimes.com?

How is my NYTimes.com activity used on Facebook?

When you recommend NYTimes.com items, they are posted to your Facebook Wall, just like any other item you share on Facebook. Your Facebook friends will see items you have recommended, subject to the privacy settings you have selected on Facebook.

Will all of my NYTimes.com activity appear on Facebook?

No. Only your Facebook recommendations will appear on Facebook, if you have linked your NYTimes.com account to your Facebook account and have explicitly shared items on Facebook. Your ratings, reviews and other public actions will be visible on NYTimes.com only. (Your Tweets will also appear on Twitter, if you have linked your NYTimes.com account to your Twitter account and have clicked "Twitter" links on NYTimes.com. No other actions will appear on Twitter. Also, if you signed up for TimesPeople before August 2010 and have made recommendations via the TimesPeople toolbar, those recommendations will appear on NYTimes.com only.)

How do I disconnect my Facebook account from my NYTimes.com account?

To disconnect your Facebook account from your NYTimes.com account, first make sure you are logged in to NYTimes.com. Then click this button:

Disconnect

After you have disconnected your accounts, your Facebook activity and friends will no longer appear in the Facebook modules on NYTimes.com. You can reconnect your accounts at any time.

I have two NYTimes.com accounts — one that's connected to Facebook and one that is not. How do I fix this?

First, disconnect the account that's currently connected to Facebook: see How do I disconnect my Facebook account from my NYTimes.com account?

Then log in to NYTimes.com with the account that you want to connect with Facebook, and click "Log In With Facebook" again.

Connecting With Twitter

How do I connect my Twitter account to my NYTimes.com account?

First, click a "Twitter" link on NYTimes.com (look for this link in the article tools, where you'll also find links such as "Recommend" and "E-Mail"). You'll then be prompted to link your Twitter account to your NYTimes.com (TimesPeople) account.

After you have followed the prompts to link your Twitter account to your NYTimes.com account, click "Twitter" again to post a link, along with any text you want to add. See also How do I start using Twitter on NYTimes.com?

What does it mean to allow NYTimes.com to connect to my Twitter account?

When you link your Twitter account to NYTimes.com, you'll be prompted to "allow TimesPeople to access and update your data on Twitter." Here's how we'll use the connection between your accounts:

• Your Twitter bio, URL and location will be imported into your TimesPeople profile, unless those settings already exist in your profile. You can change these at any time.
• If any of the people you follow on Twitter are also TimesPeople members, we'll add them to your TimesPeople community. You can view and change your Following list at any time.
• When you click a "Twitter" link on NYTimes.com, we'll access your Twitter account in order to create a post that includes a link to that NYTimes.com page. (You’ll have the opportunity to review the post before it is created on Twitter.)

For related information, see What is your privacy policy for social media activity?

Will all of my NYTimes.com activity appear on Twitter?

No. Only your Tweets from NYTimes.com (created by clicking a "Twitter" link on NYTimes.com) will appear on Twitter. Your recommendations, ratings, reviews and other public actions will be visible on NYTimes.com only. (Recommendations will also appear on Facebook, if you have linked your NYTimes.com account to your Facebook account and have explicitly shared items on Facebook. No other actions will appear on Facebook.)

How do I disconnect my Twitter account from my NYTimes.com account?

To disconnect your Twitter account from your NYTimes.com account, log in to Twitter.com. Click "Settings," and then click the "Connections" tab. Locate TimesPeople in the list of approved connections and click "Revoke Access." (If you later decide to reconnect your accounts, log out of NYTimes.com, then click a "Twitter" link and repeat the linking process.)

Data Storage and Privacy

What is your privacy policy for social media activity?

All social media tools are covered by the NYTimes.com Privacy Policy, but here are some key points:

• Registration via Third-Party Tools: You can sign up for an NYTimes.com account by using third-party login credentials, such as your Facebook account information. This single sign-on service allows you to associate your existing third-party profile with an NYTimes.com account. As part of this process, NYTimes.com may access certain information contained in your third-party profile, such as your screen name and your profile picture.
• User-Generated Content and Public Activities: We offer opportunities for you to engage in public activities on NYTimes.com, including submitting comments, recommendations, reader reviews and ratings in a number of areas throughout NYTimes.com. Any information you disclose in your public activities, along with your screen name and any image or photo, becomes public and may be used by The New York Times. Your public activities may also be read and collected by other users of the public activity areas on NYTimes.com. We are not responsible for the personally identifiable information you choose to submit in these forums.

For full details, please read our Privacy Policy.

Do you store my Facebook or Twitter data?

When you create an NYTimes.com account with Facebook or link an existing NYTimes.com account to your Facebook or Twitter account, The Times will store select profile information about you (such as your user name and photo) if you have explicitly authorized us to do so during the login or linking process.

The Times abides by the data retention guidelines of both Facebook and Twitter.

Once you have authorized The Times to store select personal data, we may use a subset of that data in the TimesPeople API, which allows developers to use NYTimes.com public activity in their applications.

When I comment on an NYTimes.com article, will my comment appear on Facebook or Twitter?

No. Only the items you recommend on Facebook will appear on Facebook. Only the items you post to Twitter will appear on Twitter.

How do I stop sharing my NYTimes.com activities on Facebook or Twitter?

To stop sharing NYTimes.com items on Facebook or Twitter, simply stop recommending items on Facebook or stop posting items to Twitter. Your other activity (such as commenting on an article or rating a movie) will never appear on Facebook or Twitter.

See also How do I disconnect my Facebook account from my NYTimes.com account? and How do I disconnect my Twitter account from my NYTimes.com account?

Who can see my NYTimes.com activity?

When you connect with Facebook, your Facebook privacy settings (such as share only with friends, share with friends of friends, or share with everyone) will control the visibility of your NYTimes.com recommendations on Facebook and among your Facebook friends who use NYTimes.com.

If you link your NYTimes.com account to your Twitter account and then post to Twitter using the article tools on NYTimes.com, your Tweets will appear on your public Twitter account and will be visible to everyone who is able to see your Twitter activity.

No one can see your NYTimes.com activity (beyond inherently public activity such as commenting on an article) if you do not use the social media tools on NYTimes.com and do not connect your NYTimes.com account to Facebook or Twitter.

How do I "opt out" of all social media tools on NYTimes.com?

You are not required to use any social media tools on NYTimes.com, but social media options will continue to appear on the site even if you do not use them. Please consider the following options as you use NYTimes.com:

1. If you do not connect your NYTimes.com account to Facebook or Twitter, your activity on NYTimes.com will never appear on those networks.
2. Your Facebook privacy settings (such as share only with friends, share with friends of friends, or share with everyone) control the visibility of your NYTimes.com recommendations on Facebook and among your Facebook friends who use NYTimes.com.
3. To disconnect your NYTimes.com and Twitter accounts, see How do I disconnect my Twitter account from my NYTimes.com account?
4. To disconnect your NYTimes.com and Facebook accounts, see How do I disconnect my Facebook account from my NYTimes.com account?
5. When you are logged out of Facebook and logged out of NYTimes.com, your activity will not be visible on either site.

Miscellaneous

What are the software and hardware requirements for social media tools?

There are no requirements beyond using an updated browser (the most recent release of Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer or Chrome). For best results, make sure you have enabled JavaScript and cookies.

Will other people be able to tell that I'm on NYTimes.com?

Not explicitly. But if you make recommendations and use the social media tools on NYTimes.com, other people will see your shared activity (subject to your Facebook privacy settings, if you have logged in with Facebook).

I signed up for a TimesPeople account before August 2010. I've also connected my Facebook account to my NYTimes.com account. Where will my Facebook activity appear?

Facebook activity appears only in the Facebook modules on the NYTimes.com home page and on article pages (and on your Facebook Wall). Facebook activity does not appear on your TimesPeople user page. Your TimesPeople user page shows all other public NYTimes.com activity.

Can I access TimesPeople data via other tools or an API?

Yes. At the top of each TimesPeople user page, a link allows you to get a user's activity via RSS.

For information about the TimesPeople API, visit the Times Developer Network.

Feedback

How do I provide feedback on the NYTimes.com social media tools?

We welcome your comments. Please contact us at social [at] nytimes.com.