Facebook Tests Privacy Settings With Zuckersaurus

In an attempt to make the social network that is all about living publicly, a little more private, Facebook is testing a few new settings aimed at better alerting users about who they are sharing their posts with.

First up is the introduction of a cute little blue dinosaur, or Zuckersaurus, as we like to call him. Users who adjust their privacy settings accordingly will see a pop-up message featuring the prehistoric cartoon character warning them to pay attention to who they are sharing with. The message then asks for confirmation of whom the post is intended to be shared with, i.e., friends only, or everyone. Here is an example:

In a further change, when sharing a post on Facebook’s Web version, users are currently able to choose a specified audience from a drop-down menu including “public,” “friends,” and “friends except acquaintances.” The drop-down menu will now look different for some users and will include short definitions that give a better explanation of what each group actually entails. For example, “friends” includes everyone that you are friends with on Facebook, whereas “public” means anyone on or off Facebook.

The new privacy measures should be a welcomed addition for marketers, enabling them to share posts with specific targeted audiences. It is also a step further in helping manage settings to avoid any possible reputation blunders (as referenced in last week’s keynote by Andy Beal at ClickZ Live New York). Lastly, it is a move in the right direction toward regaining users’ trust, in a world where online privacy seems less private every day.