Facebook ups privacy credentials with major revamp

The social networking giant has rolled out a raft of updates, including embedding profile controls, which were previously buried in the privacy settings page, on the right-hand side of a user's profile.

 

This means users will be able to access the "view profile as" feature, which allows them to view their profile pages as their friends see them, more easily.

 

Facebook is now allowing users to tag anyone on the social networking site, rather than just their friends, as before. This means that photos, for example, can be shared with users who a member might not want to necessarily be friends with, such as a colleague.

 

However, when users are tagged, either in a photo or a posting, they will have to confirm whether they want the posting to appear on their profile, and whether they want to remove the tag.

 

In a bid to eliminate the problem of malicious tagging, users will also have the option to contact the tagger and ask them to remove the posting, or block them there and then if they are unhappy with the posting.

 

Prior to the changes, users could only tag a page if they liked it. However a page can be tagged in any post, meaning brands get more visibility and potentially receive more traffic to their pages.

 

It is also making it simpler for users to add location to postings. Places, which is the Facebook check-in tool, has been integrated into the Publisher bar, so users can tag a location from the browser or mobile app. 

 

Ross Taylor, chief digital officer at Tullo Marshall Warren, said: 'Removing the barrier of requiring users to 'Like' a page before they were able to comment on it is a positive step and one we anticipate will deliver greater interaction with branded content on Facebook.

 

"In addition however, it will also make it easier for negative comment on content to be shared, so will increase the need for brands to consider their response to this in advance."

 

Facebook has faced criticism in the past over how it has handled the rollout of privacy setting changes.

 

It came under fire in June this year when it quietly expanded facial recognition technology that automatically identifies users' pictures to their friends.