Facebook has brought new privacy options to its social networking site, advocating for its 350 million users to become more conscious when sharing information online. With the new software every member of the worldwide and popular website will have to change settings for their profile, specifying exactly who can see updates, videos, photos and other pieces of information.
Explaining that up until now only between 15 and 20per cent of users had customised their privacy options, Facebook said that the new software would require individuals to specify content into “Customised”, “Everyone”, “Friends” and “Friends of Friends” categories. However, whilst Facebook explained that the move meant all users had direct effect over how and who viewed their content, critics hit out at the company saying that the default option was “everyone”. Recently signing deals with both Google and Microsoft this would allow data to be indexed into online search results.
Elliot Schrage, vice president at Facebook for global communications, marketing and public policy explained that the latest move would allow users to prevent friends such as bosses or work colleagues seeing revealing updates or embarrassing photos. “You will have the opportunity to customize even individual pieces of content when you upload a picture or a video. If you want to share a photo with just your family, you could do that as well. It is much more straightforward.”
Meanwhile Jules Polonetsky, director of Future of Privacy Forum explained “It is going to be far more intuitive for users. When we post something is when we think of whom we want it to go to, and this is the first time we will be able to do that.”
