Friday 22 October 2010

Facebook Locks Up Tightly On Privacy


We all know, as Facebook users, how much of an issue the privacy\security element of the social networking site has been. The wait is over it was May 26th 2010, when the popular social networking site, Facebook responded to user complaints. Bringing you a more enhanced, and innovative controls for personal sharing. The new controls, give over 40 million Facebook users the opportunity, to control, who exactly can see the information, and content published all this, with just a few clicks of your mouse. As well as the new changes,

Facebook has also made it easier for the consumer, to turn off third party apps and websites. There are five goals to making Facebook more secure, and comfortable to use. These are as follows:

• Users have more power to be in control of how their information is shared

• Facebook assures clients that personal information will not be distributed to third party services or unauthorised users

• Facebook will not give advertisers permission to access users’ personal information

• Users’ information will not be sold by Facebook

• Facebook promises to remain a free service that everyone can use


There’s only one objective, for the popular social networking site. Which is to simplify privacy control, putting users minds at ease, and socialise freely.
Users, and professionals’ reaction to these changes have been positive. The president of centre for Democracy and Technology, Leslie Harris, who’s convinced Facebook’s privacy system is simplified. She states; “While more work still needs to be done, these changes are the building blocks to giving people what they want, and deserve."

Facebook go onto claim, that users were involved with the updated privacy settings, in every step of the way. Getting involved with this procedure, not only gives Facebook one on one insight, but users are also kept up to date, with the changes the second it happens. So, what does this mean? You get to have your cake and eat it too right? The new features give consumers variety, and more choice on how to control what information is shared to the public.

The new features, guarantees that only a certain amount of personal information, will be available to the public. The details is currently restricted to name, profile picture, (if the user has one), gender, (even though members have the option to hide this), and finally network and joined groups visibility. But wait, it doesn’t stop there, users also have the opportunity, to choose which fan pages can be visible to other consumers.

It’s fair to say, Facebook have been working hard, in mastering these issues with privacy. There’s no doubt, in the future, Facebook will solve these problems, and maintain consumer satisfaction. I want to know what you think, of the privacy options in Facebook. What would you change? What’s the one thing you’d like to have in privacy that Facebook doesn’t have at the moment? Comment below please.

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