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December 12, 2012

Facebook Makes Changes in Privacy Controls

By Brittany Walters-Bearden, TMCnet Contributor

Users on multiple social networks have been very vocal about their concerns about privacy and what happens to the information that’s put on their sites, including one Austrian student group (Europe vs. Facebook) that is organizing a lawsuit. Facebook (News - Alert) has heard these pleas and has now made efforts toward establishing privacy policies that will make their more than one billion users happy.



On Wednesday, Facebook made available new tools that will allow users to have more control over who is able to see photos, information, and comments that appear on various parts of Facebook. There is also a way to remove themselves from photos they have been tagged in. There will also be a new privacy shortcut that will make it easy for users to manage who contacts them and they will also be able to block other users who they do not want to have access to their page.


Image via Shutterstock

Facebook has come under recent scrutiny for their privacy controls being too complicated for its users. Sam Lessin, director of Facebook Products, says that Facebook has made these new changes to make their users feel more comfortable when using Facebook. He says, “When users don't understand the concepts and controls and hit surprises, they don't build the confidence they need.”

In April 2012, the United States Federal Trade Commission agreed to a settlement with Facebook on charges it levied against them, stemming from findings that Facebook was deceiving users into disclosing more personal information than was necessary. With the settlement, Facebook must get permission from users to make changes to the privacy policy and are subject to random federal audits for the next 20 years.

Lessin says that many users post personal information about themselves without knowing that other information about them is also available for viewing. The new improvements to the Activity Log should help users gain a better understanding as to what information is being made available for fellow Facebook-ers.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO Miami 2013, Jan 29- Feb. 1 in Miami, Florida.  Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.




Edited by Brooke Neuman
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