Oneupweb : Facebook Goes Mobile
I finally did it. I ordered an iPhone 4. As I eagerly await Apple to ship my new smartphone (7-10 business days), I’m busy scouring the web in search of reviews of all the lastest and greatest apps. This is my first smartphone, having had a razor for a number of years. So the excitement of having email, internet access and all those wonderful apps has me almost giddy with excitement.
One of the first apps that I will undoubtedly download will be for Facebook. I was a user back when it was still called “The Facebook” and you had to have a college email to even setup a profile. Over the years I’ve used it to stay connected with college friends across the nation, stalk ex-boyfriends (only a little), view pictures of my family to help me feel close to them even though they live hundreds of miles away (really, who moves to Alaksa?!), and a lot more. And now, with my new iPhone, it can be my trusty companion whenever I so choose.
It’s really perfect timing. Just this week, Facebook announced that all of their privacy controls are now available “from any browser-enabled mobile device”. Phew! According to Facebook, I can use the social network on my phone and still:
– Select who can see the content I post by setting the simple control for sharing on Facebook to friends, friends of friends or everyone,
– Fully customize my granular settings, if I want, and have them take effect instantly, and
– Read through Facebook’s comprehensive privacy guide, formatted for mobile devices.
I think the first bullet point is the most important. Say I want to spread the news that the Traverse City Toxic Cherries roller derby team will be in a bout in November. I can simply type the message on my phone, and choose to send the news to everyone. But say I want to confess to Yoko Oh-no-you-didn’t and the rest of my friends that last night’s derby training session has resulted in a distinct muscle pain in my thighs—yet, it’s probably not news I want to broadcast to our opposing teams. I just have to choose to send it to friends only.
Having unlimited access to Facebook privacy controls is important to me, no matter which device I’m using to access the internet. What do you think about Facebook’s new privacy controls for smartphones?
