This study shows the majority of Facebook users have not read the privacy policy,
which is consistent with previous studies (Govani and Pashley, 2005; Jones and Soltren,
2005). Facebook users who have not read the privacy policy believe it is too long and uninteresting.
Bilton (2010) recognises the length of the privacy policy as a major barrier for
Facebook users understanding Facebook’s position on privacy. If Facebook creates a more
concise and straightforward privacy policy Facebook users might be more willing to read
the policy. However, Facebook users may simply have no interest in reading the privacy
policy and their attitudes to privacy may not be strong enough to warrant action. Despite
a high number of Facebook users voicing concerns and taking action to protect themselves
by adjusting their privacy settings, the vast majority of respondents still have not read the
policy. Unsurprisingly, Facebook users who have read the privacy policy are more aware
of activities relating to privacy than those users who have not read the policy. However, a
high proportion of those users who have not read the policy also demonstrate high levels
of privacy awareness. This finding suggests Facebook users who have not read the policy
are being informed about privacy activities on Facebook from other sources, which may
include other Facebook users, the media or privacy advocacy groups, and may imply the
controversy surrounding Facebook is being discussed and noticed by users. Overall, the
study shows Facebook users perceive it is more important to change privacy settings than
to read the privacy policy.