Google has been under fire for stating “complete privacy doesn’t exist” but as always saying they “take privacy very seriously”.

Unfortunately they are toeing the line between providing useful services and protecting everyone’s privacy.

It seems a lot of online providers experience growing pains of user privacy including high profile reporting of websites like Facebook providing personal details that could be used by the unscrupulous.

It’s not a simple solution. I do believe that new services should expand our horizons but they must take a forward thinking attitude to privacy from the offset. In many cases providing the controls for users to be able to protect their own data as they see fit seems to be the best route to take.

Some people think applications in Facebook are great - I’m of the opinion that in the majority of cases they are a complete waste of my time. I welcomed the opportunity to block a particular application forever with open arms - no more do I have Funwall requests 50 times a day!

Since then it’s now even possible to block application requests from a particular friend - it’s always the same people. You know who you are!

However there are some useful applications out there and I do wonder if I’m sometimes missing out. This leads me to occasionally accept a request just to see what the application does. Quite a lot of the time it seems for an application to work I’ve got invite all my friends to use the application first. So application spam on Facebook has become very common.

Of course this is just application developers being inpatient about spreading their applications - good apps will always float to the top it just takes time so stop using spammy techniques!

However Facebook are now to provide a ranking system for applications - basically marking good apps as “Great apps”. Excellent saves my time - I won’t be trying anything out without this seal of approval from now on.

This also covers various other issues such as the use of personal details so hopefully this will roll out as quickly as possible - developers can have their applications vetted from September.

Facebook have talked for a while about a whole new layout and it’s finally available to the masses. Currently it’s still not the default layout for facebook.com but if you go to the direct URL for the new one you can give it a go.

Apart from the new 1024 pixel wide design which of course is the new standard online it really tries to separate those pesky applications! At last!

I’ll be giving it a good going over tonight - what are your thoughts on this new layout?

I read a post today about the new ability to add comments to the Facebook mini-feed items. This happened on the 25th apparently.

Who noticed? I certainly didn’t!

All very good adding new functions into Facebook but what use if they are so subtle they aren’t noticed and you don’t highlight it anywhere how are people supposed to use them?

Perhaps something in the notification area Facebook?