Facebook simplifies privacy settings
May 26, 2010 Author: James Christie
Facebook’s founder has revealed that he and his colleagues have worked overtime to simplify the privacy settings on the world’s most famous networking site.
Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that the changes have partly come about because so many of Facebook’s 400 million members were unhappy about alterations to the privacy settings introduced earlier this year.
Some of these disgruntled networkers had threatened to close their Facebook accounts by May 31st unless action was taken.
One of the bones of contention seemed to involve the fact that profile photographs are automatically on display to anyone who wants to browse them – regardless of whether they have been accepted as an individual’s ‘friend.
Likewise, information such as members’ activities and list of friends also suddenly become public knowledge at the turn of this year.
Previously, Facebook members had been able to easily hide such sensitive information but now they have to engage in some annoying clicking around with a mouse to opt out of displaying their personal details to complete strangers.
In an attempt to appease the May 31st rebels Facebook has vowed to simplify the system by providing one privacy page. This page will contain a list of all the users’ applications and a choice of three settings for each.
By browsing the list, users will be able to choose to share their applications with ‘just friends’, ‘friends of friends’ or ‘everyone’.
There will also be a ‘turn-off’ button so that no information can be shared with third parties without consent.
Finally, you won’t have to go in to alter your security settings each time Facebook comes up with a new setting – as the system will be clever enough to guess which privacy option you will choose for new features by examining your current settings.
Mr Zuckerberg revealed that Facebook developers had “worked weekends, camped out in the conference centre” to revamp the privacy settings.
He said: “The number one thing we’ve heard is that the settings have gotten complex and hard for people to use.”
So will the site’s disgruntled members be happier now and ready to once again accept Facebook as a friend?
Well, the site looks as if it will remain designed to share information with uninvited snoopers unless you intervene and opt out.
Wouldn’t it have been easier to have maximum privacy settings as the default option?
No date has yet been set for Facebook’s revamped ‘one-stop shop’ privacy settings page.
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