Facebook Privacy Changes a Good First Step

Facebook's unveiling of changes to give users more control over privacy (details from Mark Zuckerberg here) is getting a decent reception on the tech blogs. Here's a sample:

• Kevin Bankston, Electronic Frontier Foundation: They reverse "some of the worst of Facebook's privacy missteps," but "we still have some fundamental concerns about the amount of user information being shared with third-party Facebook applications and web sites. So we hope that this is only Facebook's first step in a more privacy-conscious direction, rather than its last."

• Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica: "As a veteran Facebook user, I can say that the new settings seem simplified while at the same time allowing granular (more detailed) control if I want it. ... The one- (or two-) click process for most profile settings will be a very welcome change for many users."
• Jolie O'Dell, Mashable: "With controls this simple, it’s hard to imagine users being confused or pundits throwing fits; yet we’re sure not everyone will be totally pleased with these changes."

(More Facebook stories.)