Software developers are responding to concerns about Facebook's recent changes to privacy settings by releasing free applications to help users reclaim control of their personal information.
SaveFace, which was launched this week by network software company Untangle, aims to offer Facebook users easy control of their privacy settings.
The bookmark utility automatically changes Facebook settings so only friends can see information such as your profile, photo groups and wall - items which are currently made public by default.
"We wanted to help our community get back to the Facebook of old, when privacy was more respected and Facebook was a trusted place to share things with friends and family," Untangle chief executive Bob Walters said.
"So we took it upon ourselves to provide folks with a one-click fix for 'locking down' Facebook privacy settings."
Facebook recently revised its privacy policy. It required users to opt out if they wanted to keep information private, and made most information public by default. Some personal data is now being shared with third-party web sites, too.
Privacy groups, US government officials and its own users have complained the new policy is bewildering and say the opt-out settings are too time-consuming to figure out and use.
The New York Times reported last week that people wanting to manage their privacy on Facebook now needed to navigate through 50 settings with more than 170 options.
Another developer has created ReclaimPrivacy to scan privacy settings in Facebook accounts.
"Our mission is to promote privacy awareness on Facebook and elsewhere," a message on the website says. "Spread awareness to your friends on Facebook by sharing this website with them."
Meanwhile, Facebook appears to be paying attention to criticism of its privacy policy.
"Now we've heard from our users that we have gotten a little bit complex," public policy chief Tim Sparapani said in a radio interview.
"We're going to be offering options for users who want simplistic bands of priavacy that they can choose from, and I think we will see that in the next couple of weeks."
