Facebook new privacy policy

Facebook's expansion as the number one social networking site has met severe criticism as always, particularly its privacy policy for users, child security, advertising scripts usage, data mining and user’s inability to delete their content before closing their accounts. The social site, which has more than 300 million active users worldwide, often criticized for promoting controversial topics through the content of user's pages, groups and forums. Further, the site has various issues with its censorship policies and it has been fruitfully prosecuted several times for stealing Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).

Facebook Principles
In its privacy policies, the company insisted on two core principles, which suggest that users should have control over their personal information and have access to the information others want to share. In February this year, Facebook had announced that it can “do anything they want with users' content. Forever!” This means that if an user deletes his content from the website, the company may retain archived copies of the content, which is according to the company’s license agreement that was accepted by you while using the site.

It was the most controversial section of the privacy policy of the social networking site. After rigorous pull-n-push with angry users, Facebook has now agreed to let them vote on site governance issues.

Why there is demand for new Policy?
Earlier this year, Facebook was forced to change its Terms of Services and privacy policies and the company also wanted to stay away from controversies and users’ haggle. Further, various countries were also asked to change the privacy policies to comply national interests. Now, the company is seeking to close the episode with a sort of new Privacy Policy on which users can comment and vote.

New Privacy Policy
According to Mr. Elliot Schrage, Vice President of Facebook's global communications and public affairs, the company has penned down new privacy policies in simple format and also incorporated various examples to illustrate the points.

In the new terms and conditions, the website has incorporated sections, which explain further about the privacy setting of users. However, the major difference between the prior policies is about deactivating and deleting your account and its content. Also, it talks about how the website will treat a "memorializing" account, which leaves the profile intact to current friends but hides potentially sensitive information.

Facebook also details about the process for "deactivation" of users’ account. Now, user can delete the whole content, which hides it but keeps information stored for potential reactivation for about 90 days. However, the company has added that even after you remove information from your profile or delete your account, the copies of that information may remain observable somewhere else. The content could be copied or stored by other users as it was surely shared by you. However, the company assures that your name will no longer be associated with that information on Facebook.

Now, various Facebook users can comment on the draft, which is present on the Facebook Site Governance page and after that, Facebook will take the necessary steps.