Thursday, December 10, 2009

Facebook rolls out new privacy tool



SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook on Wednesday began calling on users to get a better grip on their online privacy by dictating who sees what in profiles at the world's leading social networking service.

All of Facebook's more than 350 million members will be required to refine settings with a new software tool that lets them specify who gets to be privy to each photo, video, update or other piece of content uploaded to the website.

"We care so much about this that we will require people to go through it to get access to the service," Facebook vice president of global communications, marketing and public policy Elliot Schrage told AFP.

"The idea is to evolve, to give users better control of with whom they share when they share."

The change promises to help Facebook users prevent embarrassing images or overly revealing updates from being seen by business acquaintances, bosses or others not part of inner circles of online friends.

"You will have the opportunity to customize even individual pieces of content when you upload a picture or a video," Schrage said.

"If you want to share a photo with just your family, you could do that as well. It is much more straightforward."

The new privacy tools let Facebook members pre-determine accessibility to profile content in categories designated "Friends," "Friends of Friends," "Everyone" and "Customized."AFP

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