With the New Facebook Updates, You are More in Control of Your Privacy Settings!

Facebook has announced new privacy tools that will allow users to edit their personal information on the social networking site. This move is coming after the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, where the data analysis and mining company used details from 50 million users of the network.

According to a Facebook’s blog post announcing the changes, “Most of these updates have been in the works for some time, but the events of the past several days underscore their importance.”

The new changes are being introduced to give users more control over their data #Facebook #FacebookDataBreach #CambridgeAnalytics https://t.co/YRGrKyNGwi

— Extra.ie (@ExtraIRL) March 29, 2018

What are the New Changes?

As part of the updates, it has simplified the settings menu in its mobile app. Instead of having them spread out on different screens, they are now being incorporated into one screen which will make privacy and data controls more explained and easier to find by users.

Alongside the simplification of the setting, the social network is also introducing a new privacy shortcuts menu. The menu will enable users to better control their personal information that appears on the site. With this new menu, users can review what has been shared or deleted. Also, users would be able to manage the information accessed by Facebook to display adds.

Too little too late ? – Facebook announces new privacy tools which allow users to access/delete information it holds about them from a new section called Access Your Information. https://t.co/xqI2JFlbZp

— Vatche Dakessian (@VGDakessian) March 28, 2018

A new section called “Access Your Information” is also being introduced, which will allow users to permanently delete anything from their timeline or profile they no longer want on the site.

What Would the New Updates Mean for Facebook Users?

With these updates, users have complete autonomy of data that is shared on their profile. Users can now access the secure copies of their Facebook history, control what social media networking site gets to find out about them and make their accounts more secure.

Speaking on these new changes, the firm’s Chief Privacy Officer, Erin Egan said:

Last week showed how much more work we need to do to enforce our policies and help people understand how Facebook works and the choices they have over their data. We’ve heard loud and clear that privacy settings and other important tools are too hard to find and that we must do more to keep people informed. So in addition to Mark Zuckerberg’s announcements last week – cracking down on abuse of the Facebook platform, strengthening our policies, and making it easier for people to revoke apps’ ability to use your data – we’re taking additional steps in the coming weeks to put people more in control of their privacy.

Currently, Facebook is battling with investigations on its privacy practices after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica, data analysis and mining company, used user’s data without the permission of the social media platform.