Facebook Makes Privacy Settings Simple

Altogether, Facebook contends that it is going for simplification and more control by condensing six privacy pages and 40 privacy settings into one solitary privacy page, while standardizing options for each privacy setting to provide consistent policies.

Facebook's new streamlined privacy settings come as microblogging site Twitter, which touts simplicity and ease of use as major assets, experiences explosive growth as a social networking tool.

One of Facebook's biggest changes includes the launch of a Transition Tool, which asks users to select their own privacy levels for all content they publish, which includes postings, images, links and video. Specifically, Facebook users will have the ability to determine which members on their network have access to their most personal information. That means that users can determine the level of access -- profile by profile and post by post. In short, they'll have an even greater ability to filter views of frat party photos, or rant and complain about their boss -- even if those unwanted viewers are already in their network.

Facebook said that the Transition Tool is also designed to respect previous access restrictions, automatically carrying over old access restrictions to the user's new privacy settings once the changes have been rolled out.

"We think Facebook is most useful when people can find and connect with each other, which is why this tool will enable you to make available those parts of your profile that you feel comfortable sharing in order to facilitate better connection," said Chris Kelly, Facebook's chief privacy officer, in a company blog post. "You will have the choice of being as open or as limited in the sharing of this information as you want."

The revamped privacy settings were unveiled just a week after Facebook launched its beta Publisher Privacy Control, which gives users the ability to determine who can see their published content on a per-post basis.

Facebook reassured its member base that none of the changes the site is making includes providing users' personal information to advertisers -- unless, of course, it's under "the direction and control of a user."

The changes, launched this week, will be beta-tested by 40,000 Facebook members, who will provide feedback for six different versions of the Transition Tool before the new privacy settings become available to the public over the next few weeks.

But the blogosphere has questioned if Facebook's new privacy settings give users a more efficient tool or will ultimately add one more layer of complexity to an already complex network -- complexity that will either be misunderstood or ignored by the majority of its user base.

Facebook ultimately hopes that the new privacy settings will encourage users to become more comfortable posting private information on their profile -- like they do on Twitter -- without fear it will be viewed by future employers, mother-in-laws, or anyone else looking to dig up a little dirt.