Facebook overhauls privacy settings in response to growing complaints
By APThursday, May 27, 2010
Facebook’s latest privacy changes at a glance
In response to growing criticism over the way Facebook handles users’ personal information, the company unveiled new privacy settings Wednesday intended to make things simpler.
Here are some of the biggest changes being rolled out in the next few weeks:
— Facebook currently gives users granular controls over many of the things they share on the site, such as each photo and status update. With the changes, users can apply the same settings to everything with one click, so that they can share with friends, friends of friends or everyone. But for those who want it, the granular controls are also staying.
— There is less information that Facebook makes automatically public. You can now hide your hometown, for example, and the pages for hobbies, books and other interests that you have linked to your profile. These were previously visible to everyone.
— Facebook says it will stop updating its privacy settings so frequently.
— Users can now turn off all outside applications and websites, instead of having to deny them access one by one.
— As it rolls out the changes, Facebook plans to notify users through a message that will appear on their page when they first log in.
— The changes apply retroactively, as well as to new services still to come.
What’s not changing:
— Users’ full name, profile picture, gender and work or college networks remain visible to everyone.
