No longer tucked away in a discreet corner of the app, Facebook has launched an all-new set of privacy tools to help you control what people can and can’t see on the site.
Currently, privacy settings are buried away in a mass of menus and are scattered throughout the social network. The revamped Facebook privacy centre brings together all these core privacy settings into a single hub, making it easier to manage your privacy controls.
“We’re constantly working to develop new controls and design them in ways that explain things to people clearly,” Erin Egan, Chief Privacy Officer, wrote in a blog post. “We’re designing this based on feedbak from people, policy-makers, and privacy experts around the world.”
In addition, this centre will help you take control of your data if you decide to permanently delete your Facebook.
READ NEXT: How to permanently delete Facebook
Alongside the launch of its new privacy centre, Facebook has released a set of privacy principles, which it promises to abide by, and will be making educational videos to help teach people how to use the privacy controls.
“Privacy controls are only powerful if you know how to find and use them,” Egan continued.
Facebook will also be sending out reminders to users in the EU, advising them to take a privacy check-up.
Facebook’s privacy principles:
– 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
– We are accountable
Facebook’s decision to tighten up the social network’s security comes as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is due to come into effect this year. The regulation, directed by the EU, will see companies fined millions of pounds if they fail to handle users’ data and privacy adequately.
READ NEXT: What is GDPR? Everything you need to know about your data and how it’s being used
Facebook’s privacy centre was first announced by Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer, at a Facebook event in Brussels last week, where she announced that the company would double the amount of people working on safety and security to 20,000 by the end of the year.
“Our apps have long been focused on giving people transparency and control and this gives us a very good foundation to meet all the requirements of the GDPR and to spur us on to continuing investing in products and in educational tools to protect privacy,” Sandberg said.
GDPR is already shaking up the internet, and having major consequences for the whole world – not just countries in the EU. Under the GDPR, huge tech giants like Facebook will be required to allow users to export and delete their data. Currently it takes up to 90 days for users to permanently delete their profile from the Facebook servers.
The privacy check-up reminder has begun rolling out from today.
Disclaimer: Some pages on this site may include an affiliate link. This does not effect our editorial in any way.
