Facebook backs down

David Swan
Thursday, 27 May 2010 08:44

Your IT - Home IT

Following months of controversy and threats of a mass user revolt, Facebook has finally announced sweeping changes in the way it handles your privacy.

Facebook today responded to user comments and concerns about privacy by announcing it will introduce simpler and more powerful controls for sharing personal information.

New settings will give the more than 400 million people who use Facebook the power to control exactly who can see the information and content they share, all with just a few simple clicks. In addition, new settings will be added to make it easier to turn off third-party applications or websites. Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg officially announced the changes in a blog post today at http://blog.facebook.com/.

"When we started Facebook, we built it around a few simple ideas," said Zuckerberg.  "When people have control over what they share, they want to share more.  When people share more, the world becomes more open and connected. Over the past few weeks, the number one thing we've heard is that many users want a simpler way to control their information. Today we're starting to roll out changes that will make our controls simpler and easier."

The company's new privacy controls reflect wide-ranging consultation with the office of Senator Charles Schumer and a number of online privacy and consumer advocacy groups. These include the Centre for Democracy and Technology, Consumer Action, Future of Privacy Forum, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Progress and Freedom Foundation, NetChoice, CATO Institute, TRUSTe, Technology Policy Institute, and Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. According to Facebook, the consultations have proven "extremely helpful" in both clarifying and communicating Facebook's privacy principles, and have greatly contributed to the design and implementation of the new privacy controls.

These updated controls will start rolling out today and will be live for all Facebook users in the coming weeks. 

Zuckerberg first announced Facebook's intention to make these changes in a Washington Post op-ed that detailed principles by which Facebook operates:

·         People have control over how their information is shared.

·         Facebook does not share personal information with people or services users don't want.

·         Facebook does not give advertisers access to people's personal information.

·         Facebook does not sell any of people's information to anyone.

·         Facebook will always be a free service for everyone.

Today's announcement focuses three main principles, which are on the next page.