Facebook rolls out new, improved, and simplified security settings

Filed under: Internet, Security, Social Software

Rolling out right now is Facebook's new privacy settings. If you log in right now, you should be greeted with a pop-up which leads you through their new settings. In the wake of various reports outlining the dangers of loose social network security, these changes come at just the right time.

I have to admit, the new settings 'wizard' isn't very intuitive. You're presented one column which you presume is the new setting, and the other column shows you the old -- but it doesn't quite work. When you give it a go, you'll see what I mean. Only after you mouse-over the radio button (hardly intuitive) can you see the actual change being made. There's also a neat new flag on every wall post that you make, take a look:

The main reason for this change according to Facebook, is that they are moving towards a 'friends of friends' system. The current 'networks' scheme apparently doesn't accurately reflect most relationships on the largest social network in the world. For power users this doesn't really reflect a significant improvement in your security; it's good news for our families and loved ones, though. That pop-up is going to keep on nagging them until they actually go and change -- and thus LOOK -- at their security settings.

As always, technology is awesome, but incredibly dangerous if you have no idea of what's going on beneath the hood -- this is Facebook's way of forcing people to learn about their online security.

Facebook rolls out new, improved, and simplified security settings originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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