Facebook adds privacy controls, further confirms chat feature

Section: Web, Web 2.0, Websites

Sixty-seven million Facebookers can now control what their contacts see. The social network which rose fast to popularity in 2007 introduced new privacy controls Wednesday. The new settings will allow members to control what their family and friends can access, which means that managing friends’ list is now possible.

Officially launched more than a year ago, Facebook first started as a social network site for Harvard University way back in 2004 and soon found it way to universities and offices and now the world. According to a Facebook statement, only 25 percent of the users are currently using the network’s default access settings. With the new privacy controls, Facebook users can create as much as 100 different ‘contacts lists’ to organize their friends when such filter enables only the chose friends can view one’s messages or a part of one’s profile.

Facebook has received privacy complaints especially after the controversial Beacon can be turned off by the users but it is only now that the Silicon Valley company has finally focused on the users’ request. Facebook’s VP of Product Management, Matt Cohler noted that what they are facing is normal in SV. It’s a “classic Silicon Valley dilemma” of making something for most people and at the same time, working on the privacy issues.

In the very near future, Facebook is also set to launch Facebook Chat, a web-based chat feature that will work similar to online chat service Meebo. According to Facebook the chat “will be introduced in a matter of weeks.”

Read [Reuters]

Full Story » | Written by Reah Bunsoy for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »