Proposed redesign for Facebook privacy settings

Facebook Privacy Settings

Proposed Redesign

Prepared for JP Mangalindan of Fortune.com – May 2010

Catriona Cornett

User Experience Strategist at The Archer Group

Blogger for inspireUX.com

[email protected]

www.inspireUX.com

www.catrionacornett.com

Users have a hard time managing who sees what within their

social network. In our real lives, we disclose different things

to different groups of people. On Facebook, by default,

everyone is grouped together. It requires a significant

amount of work to manage your friends list and monitor your

activity to make sure that information is exposed to the right

people. Because of this difficulty, personal information is

frequently exposed to unintended audiences.

· Make it easier to see who can see what within your network

· Reduce the amount of work needed to manage friend

groupings, or lists, in order to control information access

· Provide visual feedback while posting information that

indicates who can see your activity

· Provide contextual assistance to guide users to make smart

choices in restricting information to part of their network

Outside of friend interactions, there is a layer of third party

and public visibility to your profile information and activity.

There is a level of fear, mistrust, and confusion over what

information is shared publically. By default, this information is

difficult to find and users must often opt-out to public

disclosure of information.

· Default to opt-in to any personal information disclosure that

will be seen outside of your friends

· Provide a prominent visual indicator of the level of public

information currently being disclosed

· Visually indicate changes to public information disclosure

and one-click settings to turn it on/off

· Encourage and contextually incorporate reasons why a

user should opt-in to disclosing more information and

clearly communicate its benefits as opposed to making this

decision on the user's behalf

Difficult management of social networks

There are two primary types of privacy issues prevalent on Facebook today:

Unwanted public disclosure of information

Summary

Changes that need to be made

Changes that need to be made

Proposed design solutions

Proposed design solutions

· Visible privacy gauge

· Ability to switch public privacy settings on/off in a

centralized location

· Privacy toolbar with contextual messages explaining

privacy settings and encouraging users to disclose more

information when appropriate

· Privacy toolbar that provides immediate feedback upon user

activity, allowing you to quickly see who can and can’t see

your information

· Contextual help within the privacy toolbar to prevent

accidental information disclosure

· Improved friend list that allows filtering based on information

access

· Smart lists that create automatic friend lists based on friend

profile information – reducing work to create custom lists

Catriona Cornett // [email protected] // www.inspireUX.com // May 2010

“Privacy Toolbar”§ Keeps privacy visible, yet unobtrusive, no matter where you are on the site. Removes the sense that

privacy controls are “hidden.”

§ Provides quick access to all privacy controls.

§ Gives users piece of mind by making it clear who can and can’t see their information.

§ Becomes “active” upon user activity that impacts privacy.

§ Provides instant feedback upon user activity (status updates, comments, photo uploads, etc. that

submit information to the site) that tell the user how many people will be able to see their activity.

§ Upon clicking the privacy bar, the user has the ability to get visual feedback as to who can see their

latest activity and immediately correct any unexpected or forgotten privacy controls.

§ Contextual feedback can be flexible, perhaps giving messages such as “You seem to be writing about

your job. Check privacy settings for coworkers” that would be useful to the end user.

§ Contextual feedback could also help elevate Facebook’s goals to open up information as much as

possible, with messages such as “By making your photos visible to more people, you will be able to

interact with more of your friends.”

§ Privacy toolbar messaging can also represent recent activity outside of Facebook in order to better

educate users about what happens when they disclose profile information to the public.





“Manage Friends”§ Combine friend privacy settings with the “all friends” view to increase visibility and allow better friend

management.

§ Allow easy filtering and sorting of friends based on various criteria:

- Find people who currently have access to specific profile information.

- Institute “smart lists” that create automatic friend groupings based on friend profile information to

reduce the work needed to group together friends for privacy settings.

- Continue the ability to create custom lists for when smart lists don’t provide sufficient customization.

§ Provide immediate feedback as to who can see specific profile information as opposed to focusing more

on those who can’t. This makes it easier to see if anyone is currently viewing information that the user

is uncomfortable having access.

§ Provide the ability to quickly select friends and alter privacy permissions in one centralized location.





Appendix: Wireframes


Privacy Toolbar

Facebook Logo Search Home Profile Account

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My Friends

Find Friends

Invite Friends

Phonebook

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Recently Updated

Privacy Tools


My Friends

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

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NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

All 350 Friends:

With selected:

Select All Select None Edit access to

my information

Remove

as friend

Edit

List(s)

Send

message

Invite to

event

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Filter friends

Privacy Toolbar


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My Friends

Find Friends

Invite Friends

Phonebook

Recently Added

Recently Updated

Privacy Tools


My Friends

Show:Access to My Profile

Information

Smart Lists

Custom Lists

Show:

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

120 people see my:

x Religious views x Political views

About Me

Contact Info

Interests/Likes

Posts

Photos/Video

Friends

Sex

Birthday

Parents

Siblings

Relationship Status

Interested In

Looking For

Current City

Hometown

Political Views

Religious Views

Biography

Quotations

can

Children

Select All Select None

With selected:


Everyone

Edit access to

my information

Remove

as friend

Edit

List(s)

Send

message

Invite to

event

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Privacy Toolbar


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Advertisement

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My Friends

Find Friends

Invite Friends

Phonebook

Recently Added

Recently Updated

Privacy Tools


My Friends


Information

Smart Lists

Custom Lists

Show:

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

120 people see my:

x Religious views x Political views

About Me

Contact Info

Interests/Likes

Posts

Photos/Video

Friends

Sex

Birthday

Parents

Siblings

Relationship Status

Interested In

Looking For

Current City

Hometown

Political Views

Religious Views

Biography

Quotations

can

Children


With selected:


Everyone

Edit access to

my information

Remove

as friend

Edit

List(s)

Send

message

Invite to

event

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Privacy Toolbar


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Advertisement

Advertisement


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adipisicing

My Friends

Find Friends

Invite Friends

Phonebook

Recently Added

Recently Updated

Privacy Tools


My Friends


Information

Smart Lists

Custom Lists

Show:

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

120 people see my:

x Religious views x Political views x Status updates

About Me

Contact Info

Interests/Likes

Posts

Photos/Video

Friends

Sex

Birthday

Parents

Siblings

Relationship Status

Interested In

Looking For

Current City

Hometown

Political Views

Religious Views

Biography

Quotations

can

Children


With selected:


Everyone

Edit access to

my information

Remove

as friend

Edit

List(s)

Send

message

Invite to

event

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Profile

Picture

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Edit Access to My Profile for:

About Me

Contact Info

Interests/Likes

Posts

Photos/Video

Friends

Sex

Birthday

Parents

Siblings

Relationship Status

Interested In

Looking For

Current City

Hometown

Political Views

Religious Views

Biography

Quotations

Children


Profile

Picture

Name

Profile

Picture

Name

Profile

Picture

Name

Checked: Visible to friends Unchecked: Not visible to friends

CancelSave

Privacy Toolbar


Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


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My Friends

Find Friends

Invite Friends

Phonebook

Recently Added

Recently Updated

Privacy Tools


My Friends


Information

Smart Lists

Custom Lists

Show:

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

7 people are in this smart list:

x Current coworkers

Current coworkers

Past coworkers

Family

Similar interests

Highschool friends


With selected:


Everyone

Create New

Different religious views

From my current city

Different interested in

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Edit access to

my information

Remove

as friend

Edit

List(s)

Send

message

Invite to

event

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

NameList 1, List 2,

List 3

Friends are automatically added to smart lists based on their profile information

Next 1 2

Add Friends to This List

1

2

3

Before an activity,

the privacy bar is in

its neutral state

with quick access

to privacy tools

After recent

activity, the privacy

bar is activated and

a status message

provides feedback

about how many

people can see the

user’s submitted

information

Upon clicking the

privacy bar, a

drawer opens up to

specifically reveal

who can (and can’t)

see the user’s

submitted

information.

Changes can be

made immediately

to correct any

accidental privacy

settings


Privacy Toolbar


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News Feed

Messages

Events

Photos

Friends

Applications

Games

Groups

Profile

Picture

My Name

Edit my profile

Requests

10 friend requests

1 event invitation

Events

What are you planning?

Name’s birthday today

Name’s birthday Sunday


Get Connected

Who’s on Facebook?

Who’s not on Facebook?

Who’s here because of you?

Connect on the go

Privacy Tools


News Feed Top News Most Recent

Attach: Share

Profile

Picture

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Profile

Picture

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Profile

Picture

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Profile

Picture



Privacy

Privacy Toolbar


Advertisement


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adipisicing

News Feed

Messages

Events

Photos

Friends

Applications

Games

Groups

Profile

Picture

My Name

Edit my profile

Requests

10 friend requests

1 event invitation

Events





Get Connected




Connect on the go

Privacy Tools



What’s on your mind?

Attach: Share

Profile

Picture



Profile

Picture


Profile

Picture



Profile

Picture

Name



Profile

Picture


Privacy

Profile

Picture

Your name lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetaur adipisicing eli

Privacy Toolbar Your status update is now viewable to 325 friends Privacy Tools

Privacy Toolbar


Advertisement


amet, consectetaur

adipisicing

News Feed

Messages

Events

Photos

Friends

Applications

Games

Groups

Profile

Picture

My Name

Edit my profile

Requests

10 friend requests

1 event invitation

Events





Get Connected




Connect on the go

Privacy Tools



What’s on your mind?

Attach: Share

Profile

Picture



Profile

Picture


Profile

Picture



Profile

Picture

Name



Profile

Picture


Privacy

Profile

Picture

Your name lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetaur adipisicing eli

Privacy Toolbar Your status update is now viewable to 325 friends

Who see this update?can Change

All Friends (325)

Smart Lists (3 of 12)

Custom Lists (1 of 3)

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Name

Name

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Name

Name

Name

Name

Name

Name

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Name

Name

Profile

Picture

Profile

Picture

Name

Name

Current coworkers

Past coworkers

Family

Quick find

Privacy Tools

Design

Proposed redesign for Facebook privacy settings