Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Facebook's new privacy changes

Facebook's new privacy changes
Thread Tools
Langdon
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 01:27 AM
 
Facebook changed its privacy settings today. I got a pop up from them when I logged in this morning. I guess it was meant to improve things but since the change I've been unable to find some of the privacy controls that were available yesterday.

Most notably I haven't found the "news feed and wall" options. Mine were somehow changed along with their new policy.

Before it looked like this under the privacy tab



Now it instead lists
1) Profile info
2) Contact info
3) Applications and website
4) Search
5) blocked list

Is this what it looks like for everyone else now? Has anyone found the personal newsfeed on your wall settings that they had before?
     
downinflames68
Baninated
Join Date: Jun 2009
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 01:29 AM
 
Yeah they updated it due to people having so many friends. It was listed when you signed in a few weeks ago.
     
JoshuaZ
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Yamanashi, Japan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 02:43 AM
 
Most people can solve this by NOT ACCEPTING FRIEND INVITES FROM EVERYONE THEY MEET.

God, nothing is worse than a person you met once wanting to become your facebook friend. Just use the "Ignore" button people.
     
Laminar
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 09:23 AM
 
They're also allowing you to set specific privacy options on each item - I could disallow my parents from seeing that picture of me taking shots, for example. Just to save an irritating conversation at the next family gathering.
     
SpaceMonkey
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 10:45 AM
 
Nothing is more annoying than their replacing the complicated, confusing, poorly designed privacy settings that I had finally mastered. All that mental energy lost.

"One ticket to Washington, please. I have a date with destiny."
     
Laminar
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 10:49 AM
 
Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey View Post
Nothing is more annoying than their replacing the complicated, confusing, poorly designed privacy settings that I had finally mastered. All that mental energy lost.
I love the outcry on facebook every single time a change is made. People create groups and petitions to go back to the way facebook used to be, then a couple weeks later everyone gets used to it and forgets about it.

I want to create a "Boycott whatever changes are coming up" group.

Also, a dislike button seems to be an extremely desired item.
     
nonhuman
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Baltimore, MD
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 10:52 AM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
I love the outcry on facebook every single time a change is made. People create groups and petitions to go back to the way facebook used to be, then a couple weeks later everyone gets used to it and forgets about it.

I want to create a "Boycott whatever changes are coming up" group.

Also, a dislike button seems to be an extremely desired item.
They already have one:

( Last edited by nonhuman; Dec 10, 2009 at 11:02 AM. )
     
Laminar
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 10:54 AM
 
Originally Posted by nonhuman View Post
They already have one:

Still learning how to link to Dropbox?
     
nonhuman
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Baltimore, MD
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 11:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
Still learning how to link to Dropbox?
Just a minor brain-fart...
     
ort888
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Your Anus
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 11:20 AM
 
I've only recently jumped on the facebook bandwagon... and is it just me or is a completely bloated mess. I mean, I'm a pretty tech and web savvy guy, and when I look at the facebook homescreen I'm just overwhelmed with options. I have no idea what half of it even does. It just seems so bloated and disorganized, and I have little desire to really dig in and learn either...

My sig is 1 pixel too big.
     
BlueSky
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: ------>
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 12:37 PM
 
I've been on Facebook for about a year and I still can't figure out the interface.
     
downinflames68
Baninated
Join Date: Jun 2009
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 12:41 PM
 
I really don't see how it's all that confusing.
     
starman
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Union County, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 12:46 PM
 
Originally Posted by JoshuaZ View Post
Most people can solve this by NOT ACCEPTING FRIEND INVITES FROM EVERYONE THEY MEET.

God, nothing is worse than a person you met once wanting to become your facebook friend. Just use the "Ignore" button people.
Soo.....then how are people supposed to keep in contact with you in today's social media world?

Friendster?

Home - Twitter - Sig Wall-Retired - Flickr
     
SpaceMonkey
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 12:48 PM
 
Originally Posted by starman View Post
Soo.....then how are people supposed to keep in contact with you in today's social media world?

Friendster?
Email. Just because someone is my acquaintance doesn't mean that they need to see all of my photos, party invitations, and the like.

"One ticket to Washington, please. I have a date with destiny."
     
SpaceMonkey
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 12:52 PM
 
Originally Posted by downinflames68 View Post
I really don't see how it's all that confusing.
Mostly what irks me is having navigation bars at both the top and bottom of the screen.

"One ticket to Washington, please. I have a date with destiny."
     
Person Man
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Northwest Ohio
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 12:56 PM
 
Originally Posted by Langdon View Post
Is this what it looks like for everyone else now? Has anyone found the personal newsfeed on your wall settings that they had before?
The newsfeed and wall settings have been moved to Profile info.
     
ort888
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Your Anus
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 01:00 PM
 
Yeah, I mean, I'm not stupid. I get what's going on... it's just that, there is so much bloat and visual clutter. It just kind of overwhelms you.

I was trying to figure out a way to keep someone as a friend but not have their endless inane posts show up in my news feed or whatever... and I had to dig through like 20 different sets of options for this that and everything... before someone finally told me how to do it.

This stuff should be easy. I'm a web-savvy guy who has been around the block a few times and it's all just confusing to me. There are like a 10 ways to do everything. It's very Windows like.

Then again, it looks 100 times better then MySpace, which is the ugliest site on the internet.
( Last edited by ort888; Dec 10, 2009 at 01:45 PM. )

My sig is 1 pixel too big.
     
starman
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Union County, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 01:44 PM
 
Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey View Post
Email. Just because someone is my acquaintance doesn't mean that they need to see all of my photos, party invitations, and the like.
So then set up a group for people like that and set privacy settings for them. I rarely use email anymore. It's all Twitter/FB/txt.

Home - Twitter - Sig Wall-Retired - Flickr
     
starman
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Union County, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 01:45 PM
 
Here's one thing I'm having a problem with. I'm trying to set up a group that has limited access, but I want to set the group up BEFORE I add people to it. Makes sense, right? Well, Facebook won't allow that. You have to put one person IN the list first before the list is available as a group selection.

Stu-piiiid

Home - Twitter - Sig Wall-Retired - Flickr
     
SpaceMonkey
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 01:52 PM
 
Originally Posted by starman View Post
So then set up a group for people like that and set privacy settings for them. I rarely use email anymore. It's all Twitter/FB/txt.
Hence the complaints about how Facebook's privacy controls have worked in the past (I haven't really looked at the recent changes). I'm sure it works great, but at a certain point I just throw up my hands and forget about it. It's far easier for me to not Facebook-friend everyone I come into contact with and thereby not have to worry about managing step-changes in privacy privileges among different groups. You have to ask yourself what the value of the Facebook connection is, and for me, it's nil. In fact, I've found that it sometimes hampers communication and "keeping in touch" because there is a certain passive-aggressiveness involved in broadcasting updates versus deliberately informing someone.

"One ticket to Washington, please. I have a date with destiny."
     
starman
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Union County, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 01:53 PM
 
For me, it's essential.

Home - Twitter - Sig Wall-Retired - Flickr
     
ort888
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Your Anus
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 02:21 PM
 
I hate how 90% of my news feed is the same 4 or 5 attention whores.

What makes a person want to post 10+ status updates a day? Do you think the world really cares that much about your life?

My sig is 1 pixel too big.
     
starman
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Union County, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 03:07 PM
 
The same can be said about people here....

Home - Twitter - Sig Wall-Retired - Flickr
     
The Final Dakar
Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 03:09 PM
 
Eating a turkey sandwich.
     
Laminar
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 03:12 PM
 
Pooping.
     
The Final Dakar
Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 03:16 PM
 
Thanks, besson.
     
imitchellg5
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 07:32 PM
 
Ever since the new privacy changes went into effect, the Facebook iPhone app has been terribly messed up for me, and Echofon FB won't even connect...
     
Langdon  (op)
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 08:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by imitchellg5 View Post
Ever since the new privacy changes went into effect, the Facebook iPhone app has been terribly messed up for me, and Echofon FB won't even connect...
Thank you.... this was my original point.

In whatever effort they put into making the site more privacy friendly they broke or deleted several existing features that were valuable before.
In addition to the suddenly missing ability to control what recent activity shows up on my wall I also can't seem to find the preference to show or hide my friend list from the public or keep it available to current friends. All those settings were changed by default when they enacted their new privacy settings.
     
Laminar
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 09:07 PM
 
Originally Posted by The Final Dakar View Post
Thanks, besson.
Crying.
     
Wiskedjak
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Calgary
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 09:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by JoshuaZ View Post
Most people can solve this by NOT ACCEPTING FRIEND INVITES FROM EVERYONE THEY MEET.
But then you can't win.
     
Stogieman
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 10:40 PM
 
How the f*** do you block those Farmville/Bejeweled/Twitter-linked posts in your news feed? That s*** is annoying.

Slick shoes?! Are you crazy?!
     
Wiskedjak
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Calgary
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 10:44 PM
 
Originally Posted by Stogieman View Post
How the f*** do you block those Farmville/Bejeweled/Twitter-linked posts in your news feed? That s*** is annoying.
Mouse-over any item in your feed. To the right of that item a 'Hide' button will appear. Click that button.
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 10:46 PM
 
Originally Posted by Stogieman View Post
How the f*** do you block those Farmville/Bejeweled/Twitter-linked posts in your news feed? That s*** is annoying.
Hover your mouse pointer in the upper right corner of the newsfeed block for the "whatever" stuff you want to block. You'll get a "HIDE" button-click on it. You're done.

It took a long time for me to find that little control, and in the last update they made it simpler and easier to use.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Langdon  (op)
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 11:14 PM
 
Originally Posted by Stogieman View Post
How the f*** do you block those Farmville/Bejeweled/Twitter-linked posts in your news feed? That s*** is annoying.
News feed options have been expanded but what you can control on your wall and what other can see on it seems to have been made less customizable. Based on how it was configured before the changes what now appears in a profile is different for some people. My list of friends has been removed from view for everyone but myself. It was not like that before and while it was an option to hide prior to the changes the control to do so has disappeared for me. Of lesser interest but still as annoying my recent activity is also hidden with no ability for me to decide if that's okay with me or not.
     
Stogieman
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 10, 2009, 11:40 PM
 
Thanks guys. I'll try that when I get home.

Slick shoes?! Are you crazy?!
     
Love Calm Quiet
Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: CO
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 08:09 AM
 
Techcrunch (and linked blogs) argues that the unstated FB agenda is *not* to protect you privacy, but to encourage folks to go "wide-open" so FB can take on Twitter better: The Facebook Privacy Fiasco Begins
TOMBSTONE: "He's trashed his last preferences"
     
imitchellg5
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 12:53 PM
 
Originally Posted by Love Calm Quiet View Post
Techcrunch (and linked blogs) argues that the unstated FB agenda is *not* to protect you privacy, but to encourage folks to go "wide-open" so FB can take on Twitter better: The Facebook Privacy Fiasco Begins
That's sort of what I thought when I was reading about the new changes even on Facebook itself.
     
Doofy
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Vacation.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 01:03 PM
 
Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey View Post
Hence the complaints about how Facebook's privacy controls have worked in the past (I haven't really looked at the recent changes). I'm sure it works great, but at a certain point I just throw up my hands and forget about it. It's far easier for me to not Facebook-friend everyone I come into contact with and thereby not have to worry about managing step-changes in privacy privileges among different groups.
I'm not on Facebook, but reading the above brought an image into my head.

This whole thing is like a chick planning her wedding, ain't it?
"Can't sit Mandy on that table with Derek but have to invite her anyway because she fed my cat 15 years ago while I was on vacation so I can't lose her as a friend because I'm going to Winnipeg next week and I don't want my cat to die of starvation and besides Debbie says she's not a slapper anymore but Dave says Derek doesn't like her so I have to be careful and I'm like yes but no but yes but no and stop giving me the evils" etc..
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
Railroader
Banned
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Indy.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 01:35 PM
 
This is how I access Facebook: Facebook Lite—A Faster, Simpler Facebook
     
Person Man
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Northwest Ohio
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 01:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
"...and I'm like yes but no but yes but no and stop giving me the evils" etc..
Doofy Pollard.

Couldn't resist.
     
downinflames68
Baninated
Join Date: Jun 2009
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 01:52 PM
 
Originally Posted by ort888 View Post
Yeah, I mean, I'm not stupid. I get what's going on... it's just that, there is so much bloat and visual clutter. It just kind of overwhelms you.

I was trying to figure out a way to keep someone as a friend but not have their endless inane posts show up in my news feed or whatever... and I had to dig through like 20 different sets of options for this that and everything... before someone finally told me how to do it.

This stuff should be easy. I'm a web-savvy guy who has been around the block a few times and it's all just confusing to me. There are like a 10 ways to do everything. It's very Windows like.

Then again, it looks 100 times better then MySpace, which is the ugliest site on the internet.
For people who take stupid polls, when they show up on your wall just click "ignore" that person.
     
Andy8
Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 02:04 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
I'm not on Facebook.
Ditto.
     
hayesk
Guest
Status:
Reply With Quote
Dec 11, 2009, 05:05 PM
 
My only beef is that now anyone who searches for you can now see your entire friend list. I don't want strangers to see my friend list.

The only option is to hide yourself from searches altogether. I want some people to find me, but I don't want them to see my friend list until I accept them as a friend.
     
The Godfather
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Tampa, Florida
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 12, 2009, 02:02 AM
 
I feel like Facebook was designed by PC users, and pretty soon, people will be taking their PCs to CompUSA just to organize the photo albums and configure properly secure settings.

But at least it is not Google wave.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:20 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,