Facebook changes privacy policy

Facebook has agreed to make worldwide changes to its privacy policy as a result of negotiations with Canada\'s privacy commissioner, according to a report on www.bbc.co.uk.



Last month the social network was found to breach Canadian law by holding on to users\' personal data indefinitely.



Facebook has now agreed to make changes to the way it collects and handles this information.



It will also make it clear to users that they have the option of either deactivating or deleting their account.



\"These changes mean that the privacy of 200 million Facebook users in Canada and around the world will be far better protected,\" said Canadian privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddart.



As well as updating the privacy policy, Facebook has said it will make changes that will give users more control over the data they provide to third-party developers of applications, such as games and quizzes.



Specifically, the changes will require applications to state which information they wish to access and obtain consent from the user before it is used or shared.



The social network has said work on the changes will begin immediately but they would take around 12 months to implement.



The regulator first started its investigation as a result of complaints by the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa.



Canada has around 12 million Facebook users, more than one in three of the population.