Facebook Retroactively Makes More User Data Public

mjn writes "In yet another backtrack from their privacy policy, Facebook has decided to retroactively move more information into the public, indexable part of profiles. The new profile parts made public are: a list of things users have become 'fans' of (now renamed to 'likes'), their education and work histories, and what they list under 'interests.' Apparently there is neither any opt-out nor even notice to users, despite the fact that some of this information was entered by users at a time when Facebook's privacy policy explicitly promised that it wouldn't be part of the public profile."

Comments

There is a notice in the fine print if you edit...

[Culture20]

Confirm the Pages that will be on your profile
Uncheck any Page you don't want to link to. Linking to education and work Pages may also create additional Pages, such as for your major or job title. If you don't link to any Pages, these sections on your profile will be empty. By linking your profile to Pages, you will be making these connections public. [emphasis mine]

You are about to remove this information
If you don't link to any Pages, the following sections on your profile will be empty:

• Work and Education
• Current City
• Hometown
• Likes and Interests

So your options are all or nothing.

Why

[mukund]

You still use Facebook? Call me a troll, but think. Are you being intelligent if you still use Facebook after all this?

After my last Slashdot comment, I deleted my profile. One of the sub-comments explains how to delete it instead of just disabling it.