Facebook has changed their privacy settings again. Bowing to immense user pressure, and the threat of millions of its users closing their accounts and leaving the site, the new rules were put in place to make it easier for users to control what portions of their data are accessible or not.
Now users are able to set their privacy settings with just several clicks of the mouse. Prior to this, users had to click and choose the settings for each section of their facebook profile, including for every picture album they have uploaded.
The reaction has been luke-warm at best. Many people, including privacy advocates want Facebook to do much more to allow their users to fully control their privacy settings in a way that they have yet to do. Facebook may not have a choice soon, as legislation currently making its way through Congress would require sites like Facebook to only share their users information if the users themselves give the ok. Otherwise, it would be illegal. This would obviously be a very big blow to online advertisers, as it is assumed that many users would refuse to allow their personal information to be shared.
The ever evolving sage of Facebook's privacy continues. Stay tuned.