User accounts on GNU/Linux systems are per default open and not hidden to other users on the system. 
Many people migrating from Windows will wrongly consider this to be a security problem when it at most is a privacy concern. The reason why this is not a security issue is the basic fact that if a user has access to your un-encrypted folders and hardware – then there is no way to prevent him from getting in if he so desires.
In other words – GNU/Linux reminds you that you need to use ENCRYPTION if you want to keep your data private.
That said – for many purposes normal “no access” signs are usable in not-so-secret setups. Here is how to make your home folder private:
(1) Makes the user’s folder owned by that user
(2) Prevents read, write and execute access for everyone but that user
Simple!
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