Facebook has just introduced a new feature in their registration process to educate new users about proper online privacy. The tutorial teaches new users how to control the privacy settings on their posts, and how ads and apps work. Most importantly, the feature added in-line privacy controls, so users can adjust their settings on the spot. This is a huge step forward for Facebook, who has often been criticized for its Byzantine series of privacy settings buried deep in its pages.
“At Facebook, we’re committed to making sure people understand how to control what they share and with whom. We’re pleased to be rolling out more prominent and detailed privacy information to new users as soon as they begin the account sign-up process,” said Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan in a statement to TechCrunch.
New users will be educated about their default settings, how apps and games use their data, and how to pick and choose which information is shared on their Timelines. This new push toward privacy education partially stems from Facebook’s settlement with the Irish Data Protection Agency last December to comply with data protection laws.
Of course, the elephant in the room here is the 1 billion current active Facebook users who received no such tutorial. But even if these steps are a few hundred million users too late, it’s still a positive step for Facebook as it tries to fix its numerous privacy issues once and for all.
Be sure to check out our own complete walk-through on Facebook’s account and privacy settings.
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BitDefender Safego is a Facebook application you can install that will scan your News Feed and help keep you safe from scams on Facebook.
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Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.