A short simple guide to the new timeline feature launched by Facebook in Autumn 2011.

1. A simple guide to the new Facebook timeline

2. The evolution of online life The way we use the internet is evolving. We now interact in online space in a way we never used to. The internet is becoming a space where we express ourselves.

3. We started communicating online first through email. Email represents an online version of sending a letter.

4. Then we joined Facebook and created a ‘profile’. Your Facebook profile is a bit like your family fridge. You put stuff on it and allow others to put stuff on it too.

5. Now Facebook has changed how your profile works. Instead of a fridge, it is now more like a scrapbook – showing past and present things from your life.

6. Old Facebook profile New Facebook timeline Only shows recent posts All posts viewable to all friends Only shows your life’s activities since you joined Facebook A single column for your ‘wall’ Shows all the posts you’ve ever made You can now choose who specifically can see what You can update your status to show what you were doing in 1982 (or whenever!) Your ‘wall’ is now a double column

7. A quick tour This is the cover photo – you can choose whatever you want to go here Here’s your timeline, click on a year to jump to it

8. View at the top of your profile

9. Your ‘wall’ is now in two columns The line running down the middle is a vertical timeline going from the current time down to the year you were born.

10. New ways to update your status Work & education Family & relationships Living Health & wellness You can add events from the past as well as current things. Milestones & achievements

11. For example: add a pet’s story

12. Control who sees what You can especially highlight something in your timeline to appear in ‘widescreen’ over both columns or hide it so that it won’t appear.

13. Go on a nostalgia trip Browse your old posts. This is great fun – look back and see what you were doing on Facebook in 2008 for example.

14. Enjoy your new timeline! It’s a different way of thinking about your Facebook profile. Think of it as your online life scrapbook. You have more control than you used to have over who sees what and how you arrange your information. Let me know if you have any questions! http://facebook.com/vahva

15. Image acknowledgements Pillar box by Johnny English on Flickr. Fridge by Dutch Astrid on Flickr. Scrapbook by Reneero on Flickr.