Nov. 13--Facebook has simplified and shortened its privacy policy by more than two thirds in hopes of getting its 1.35 billion users to read and understand how it targets advertisements to them.
The world's largest social network previously had a 9,000-word privacy policy, which overwhelmed many users and led to confusion about what kinds of user data the company collected and how these data were used. The revamped privacy policy, which comes in at 2,700 words, uses a set of animated and interactive interfaces to guide users through the privacy policy and show users how they can control what they share on the site. Users also have access to a set of color-coded and interactive tips and tools that answer questions like, "How do I delete something I post on Facebook?" and "What do people who aren't my friends see when they search for me?"
Users will have until Nov. 20 to comment on the new policy. A final version will go into effect soon after that.
