Facebook User Tracking Raises Privacy Concerns

November 21, 2007 12:14 p.m. EST

Palo Alto, CA (AHN) - Following a storm of protest by users and privacy advocates, Facebook Wednesday said they'll allow people to opt-out of an advertising tracking feature.

The social-networking site now allows users to turn off updates sent by third-party applications informing friends of their shopping habits. However, the opt-out ability is done application-by-application, rather than completely turning off the recently-introduced "Facebook Beacon" program, reported the Wall Street Journal.

According to reports, almost 2,000 Facebook users had added a MoveOn.org group petitioning the site to "stop invading my privacy." Beacon tracks Facebook users off-site actions, posting reports to friends, including shopping habits and items purchased.

Facebook's privacy head, Chris Kelly told the newspaper's online edition that users are informed each time information is sent to the popular online hangout. The tracking information can be turned off, Kelly said, however by default, applications are allowed to transmit the data, Wired reported.