Facebook Search Update: Use It Before It Uses You

This week the folks responsible for the search algorithms under the surface of Facebook have made a big update. They're rolling this Search Update out to desktop users throughout the week, and iPhone and iPad users will see it before the end of the week in an app update – Android has not yet been mentioned. What you need to know about this update depends on what kind of a Facebook user you are. Do I get embarrassed easily by old photos? This is the first question you must ask yourself.

This update changes the search system of Facebook so that the more natural way of searching – with a line of keywords – is active. Before you'd have had to type something like "an event I attended, Lucy's Wedding". Now you'll be able to type "Lucy's Wedding photos of cake."

Just so long as those words are included in the title or the description of the photos at hand, you'll see them pop up. The same is true of status updates and posts without photos. Videos will pop up as well.

In general, it's about to get a whole lot easier to search for photos of your friends, videos of your enemies, and embarrassing opinions you had when you were in Jr. High School.

Which brings us to the most important topic: What you need to do ASAP.

1. Search for political posts you might have made.2. Search for drunk updates with keywords like "luv" and "h8"3. Search for your name with the keyword "lol" next to it – find every photo that was funny at one time or seemed funny to whoever posted it.4. Search for the names of people you've had to block. You wont see them, but you'll see the posts you've made – or friends have made – with their name in them.

Then delete or block at will. If you've got an embarrassing past on Facebook in any way, shape, or form, now's the time to take action. Again, this update isn't necessarily going to be live for you right this minute. Facebook announced the change-over on Monday and we're halfway through Tuesday without a fully rolled-out system.

Just cross your fingers and pray your best frienemy doesn't get the update before you do!