Facebook implements clearer user-privacy settings

Facebook is revamping its privacy policy, which will allow users to have clearer control over their privacy settings. Facebook profile controls will be embedded on a user’s profile page and users will be able to determine their privacy settings as they share information and photos on the network.

Facebook users can customize their status updates to be viewer only by friends, specific groups, or all of their contacts. The “Everyone” option also has been changed to “Public” for more clarity.

Also, Facebook’s tagging options have become more comprehensive. Now, Facebook users have the option of untagging themselves from photos, sending a request to the user who uploaded the photo to remove a photo, or blocking that user. Users also can approve a photo in which they have been tagged before it’s posted. Interestingly, the new tag-approval system allows users to tag anyone in a photo regardless of that person’s “friend” status, but the approval method still applies.

A user also can see exactly how his/her profile will be viewed by others through the “View Profile As” option that’s accessible directly from his/her profile.