Facebook Updates Privacy Settings Once Again

Facebook has made new changes to its privacy settings to give users more control over who can contact them and see their information. Along with that, it has taken away some features that people may miss.

Privacy Shortcuts

This new feature is a big change in control and it is seen on the site as users navigate the pages. It is a link to block someone from contacting them on Facebook. This lets people make it perfectly clear when they don’t want to have any contact with someone.

Another area is the Activity Log where people can hide things from their timeline that they don’t want others to see. This includes comments, photos, and posts where they are tagged by their friends.

The shortcut menu for privacy is changing to questions rather than using an actual setting. It will ask “Who can see my stuff?” and “Who can contact me?” This makes the language simple and easy to understand so that everyone will know what they are limiting.

Apps are going to be more detailed in asking for permission, too. Instead of one prompt, you will now get two. In one, it asks you for permission to post content and the second one asks for access to your data. Instead of just being generic, it states explicitly that it wants to access your public profile, friend list, and email address. This lets users know exactly what they are allowing.

What You Lose

Users no longer have the ability to hide in a search. When someone searches for you, your profile will now show up, even though it will only be a limited view, depending on your settings. According to Facebook, only a small percentage of people even use the feature. So, why take it down? The concern is that it makes people feel more secure than they really are. Instead of expecting Facebook to keep their information private from searches, the responsibility is shifting to the user.

Facebook continues to make changes to privacy settings as the need for protection of private information continues to grow.

[Image via mashable.com]