Facebook privacy, then and now

Posted on May 28, 2010 in Facebook, Social Media

In case you’ve missed it, Facebook has been dealing with a backlash from users, media, & even the government regarding their privacy policy. Facebook recently revised its privacy policy to require users to opt out if they wish to keep information private, making most of that info public by default. Users have complained that the privacy policy is confusing and just takes too much time to figure out. Did you know that Facebook’s privacy policy consists of 5,830 words – that’s longer than the United States Constitution (4,543 words). In order to manage your privacy settings, you have to navigate through a total of 50 settings with almost 200 different options. See diagram below (courtesy of NY Times).

Earlier this week, Facebook announced it would be releasing simpler privacy controls for users. These controls will be gradually released to the masses. Below is a recap (via The Facebook Blog) of how they’ve tried to simplify the crazy chart above:

  • Reduced the number of settings required to make all information private from nearly 50 to less than 15.
  • Introduced presets that cover 18 individual settings for sharing with one single control – two clicks to control what had been more than 100 different options.
  • Consolidated 10 settings on 3 separate pages into 7 seven settings on one page.
  • Reduced the number of separate pages in the privacy settings from 13 to 8.

It’s important to note that Facebook has NOT changed any of the privacy settings, but tried to make it easier for users to understand / control their information. They also have a new comprehensive privacy guide to help you learn more about the new privacy controls. I think this is a step in the right direction, but it’s still not as clear as it could be. What do you think of this move by Facebook? Satisfied with how they’ve tried to address the privacy concern or were you expecting more?

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