TORONTO - Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced changes to the site's privacy settings to simplify control over personal information.
With a single click, users will be able to control how their information is shared, either with just friends, friends of friends, or everyone.
Users can access advanced settings to further customize exactly what is shared and how widely.
The settings will work retroactively with previous posts.
Some users may already see the new settings online, although it may take a few days or a week for others to see the changes.
Zuckerberg says there will also be a link on the homepage of Facebook users' profiles to more information on how to control their privacy settings.
"We really need to simplify the controls and make it easier to control what you're sharing," Zuckerberg said in a conference call with journalists Wednesday as he announced the changes.
He conceded that previous changes to privacy settings may have become too confusing and cumbersome.
"The main thing we did was listen to user feedback," he said.
New changes also allow users to easily opt out of applications they're connected to, preventing personal information from being passed along.
And by default, less private information is now visible on users' profiles.
Zuckerberg said it still makes sense for some profile information to be visible by everyone -- such as a user's name, profile picture, gender and networks -- so they can be found by friends and family in searches.
Facebook says it has more than 400 million users worldwide, including a large base of Canadians.
Canada's privacy commissioner has repeatedly expressed concerns about Facebook's policies and in January announced another investigation into the website's practices.
