Facebook’s Answer to Circles?

Facebook rolled out some new privacy settings that closely resemble the functionality of Google Circles.  I believe it was Mark Zuckerberg who was so skeptical about this approach.  Zuckerberg thought that asymmetrical sharing was not something people would be interested in.  I think one thing he really overlooked was that our social lives, both online and in real life, are segmented.  Segmentation is key in personal relationships, allowing to choose the lists of people who I can share content with makes it easier for me to share relevant data.

Here is a breakdown of the latest privacy settings on Facebook:

Now when you click on ‘What’s on your mind?’ in the update status window, you are shown new options.

If you notice at the bottom you can edit who you are with, your location, and who you want to share this information with.  When you are tagging who you are with, the old method of using the ‘@’ in front of a ufriend’s name still functions. It is important to note that if you tag anyone in a photo or as ‘someone you are with’ they need to verify this information before it is published.

The most interesting change here is choosing who you want to see this information.  Though this process isn’t as seamless as Google+’s circles, it is a start. 

By default you share this information with your friends.  You can also choose to make this information public.  The custom feature is pretty cool.

You can choose who to share this information with with the drop down menu.  You can choose to share with friends, friends of friends, specific people or only me.  You can also choose to hide the post from specific people, you know like your boss.  I have never used list son Facebook so I am not sure how this functions with your current lists.

Privacy is something that is discussed a lot when it comes to social networks. Presently, I follow a hashtag on twitter #socialchat, and last night we discussed privacy settings.  #Socialchat is a great discussion that involves industry leaders discussing all things social.  Here were some of the topics discussed last night:

• When it comes to privacy, is it fair to blame the SoMe Networks only or should individuals take responsibly as well?
• Sites like Facebook, have ran into legal trouble with privacy officers around the world, why not in the US?
• Ppl love free apps & social networks, isn’t giving up a bit of privacy just part of the price we pay for it?
• If someone chooses to not partake in SoMe because of privacy concerns, what’s the big deal?

See how people answered these questions HERE

All in all it is nice to see Google+’s innovations making Facebook rethink some of its strategy.  Competition is always better for the consumer and to be frank, the proof is in the pudding.  I am interested to see how these two networks will cause further innovation!