Facebook.com, the number-two social networking site in the United States behind MySpace.com, plans to add a new privacy option to its webpages that will enable people to control what information is made available to other users via new features added to the site on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reports.The changes involved the addition of a “news feed” and a “mini feed,” which made it simpler for Facebook users to find information about other users’ relationship status and political preferences. The modifications were met with the protests of hundreds of thousands of unhappy users who weren’t pleased that their personal information was more readily available on the site. By Wednesday night, some half a million Facebook users signed a petition requesting the removal of the news feed feature, which also notifies users any time a friend modifies their page.Palo Alto, Calif.-based Facebook will add the new privacy option in response to the massive wave of negative user feedback it received, according to the Journal, and it will allow Facebook users to decide which personal information is made available via the new feeds. Users will now be able to edit out any information about their relationship status, but if they elect to keep their political preferences available, other users will still be able to access that information, the Journal reports. The site also wants to soon allow its users to block all personal information from being displayed via the recently added feeds, according to the Journal. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe Facebook spokeswoman Melanie Deitch said the modifications sparked the largest quantity of negative feedback the site has ever received in response to features being added, and the incident taught the firm to vet new additions with users before going live on the entire site, the Journal reports. “This was a big shock for people,” Deitch said, according to the Journal. “It’s like waking up in the morning and realizing there’s a big change to how your e-mail works.”Facebook currently boasts roughly 9.5 million users, many of whom are—or were recently—college students, due to the fact that until this year it allowed only people with “.edu” e-mail addresses to register for membership. Related Link: Facebook Modifications Spark Privacy ProtestsCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content feature 10 digital transformation questions every CIO must answer Impactful DX requires a business-centric approach supported by the right skills, culture, and strategy. Here’s how to assess whether your digital journey is on the path to success. By Mary K. Pratt Sep 25, 2023 12 mins Digital Transformation Digital Transformation Digital Transformation feature Rockwell Automation makes shift to ‘as-a-service’ model Facing increasing competition from cloud hypervisors that see manufacturing as prime for disruption, the industrial automation giant has undertaken a major transformation to add subscription software services to its core business. By Paula Rooney Sep 25, 2023 6 mins Manufacturing Industry Digital Transformation IT Strategy brandpost Fireside Chat between Tata Communications and Tata Realty: 5 ways how Technology bridges the CX perception gap By Tata Communications Sep 24, 2023 9 mins Emerging Technology feature Mastercard preps for the post-quantum cybersecurity threat A cryptographically relevant quantum computer will put everyday online transactions at risk. Mastercard is preparing for such an eventuality — today. By Poornima Apte Sep 22, 2023 6 mins CIO 100 Quantum Computing Data and Information Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe