A much-needed clutter-free privacy policy showcasing was required for Meta, which has updated its Privacy Policy, formerly known as the Data Policy. In other words, users will be able understand the policies around its latest products. The text may look different but Meta says it is not “collecting, using or sharing your data in new ways based on this policy update and we still do not sell your information”.

The Privacy Centre is a “single-point entry from which you can access a series of information sources or resources and controls that you can use to learn about how Meta uses your personal information and then configure your experience on Meta products using a variety of controls that exist”. The design philosophy speaks directly to users, keeping descriptions short and direct, connections are made about specific controls.

The major change comes with how the Privacy Policy is put forward. Usually, it’s wordy and dense, making it difficult for users to understand. As part of the update the company has “tried to reduce the accessible reading levels needed for the policies. Instead of college-level reading, the privacy policies can be understood by high-school students”. There is also more transparency and added details around sharing of data, within the Meta ecosystem and also with partners and third parties. During a briefing with a small group of journalists, the company insisted that “there are no changes to what data is being collected from users, to what purposes or usages this data is subjected to” and no changes have been made to sharing practices within the Meta ecosystem or outside.

There is more safety when it comes to how your posts are shown on Facebook, like “everyone”, “friends” and so on. You have more control over settings that we don’t often think about. “Now, when someone selects a default audience, that audience selection will apply to new posts created in Facebook that they share to their timeline unless they select a different audience for a particular post. Previously, your default audience for posts matched whichever audience you chose most recently. So if you had just made a post that was available to the public, your subsequent posts would be as well. This new setting will help make sure you’re sharing with the right people in your community.”