Facebook Retools Privacy Procedures
Leslie Harris
Center for Democracy & Technology
May 26, 2010

Harris reports that Facebook has announced a more simple, top-level system of handling privacy over user information and how that information is shared with applications and third parties.  These privacy controls will remain consistent from this point forward even if Facebook rolls out further updates.

Harris believes this is a return to “roots” for Facebook in the way one controls their personal information.  But Harris also states that Facebook has added the ability to control the privacy of pages as well as what she refers to as the “nuclear option” that will allow users to make sure that content placed or created on Facebook stays there.

The author does not believe this solves all of Facebook’s issues though.  Harris calls for the following to shore up what she considers to be the remaining weak points in privacy:

• More information and and control over “Instant Personalization”
• An easily found “Logout” button
• Increased transparency for items like data retention policies and what data Facebook is collecting

In the end, Harris feels like the concern that any real hope of privacy was extinguished was over exaggerated, and that once the market made it clear what they wanted, Facebook has attempted to respond to the market.

Find the full article here.