Facebook has revealed a range of features which they say will help users keep better control of their privacy.
The social network giant is introducing a new “privacy centre”, putting all relevant settings in one place, as well as producing a selection of new videos which will appear on users’ timelines showing them how they can manage their data.
The company, which has more than two billion users globally, also revealed its “privacy principles” for the first time.
Privacy Controls Education CampaignPosted by Facebook on Sunday, January 28, 2018
Chief privacy officer Erin Egan said: “We recognise that people use Facebook to connect, but not everyone wants to share everything with everyone – including with us.
“It’s important that you have choices when it comes to how your data is used.”
The move comes in advance of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation coming into force on May 25.
The new data protection law puts greater restrictions on how companies handle personal data.
Users must be able to delete their data, while companies will be forced to report any data breaches within three days.
The new privacy centre will bring together all privacy settings which are currently scattered throughout different pages on the site.
Users will also be encouraged to take a “privacy checkup”, which guides them through settings such as who can see posts and which apps they are logged into via Facebook.
The features reflect Facebook’s seven privacy principles, which the company has made public.
They are: we give you control of your privacy; we help people understand how their data is used; we design privacy into our products from the outset; we work hard to keep your information secure; you own and can delete your information; improvement is constant; and we are accountable.
