Facebook’s introduction of clear and easy-to-use controls to activate and manage
privacy settings is a positive development for Facebook and shows the social networking
site is fulfilling some obligations to the user. However, the social networking site continues
to develop new features and services at an astonishing rate and, based on its history of
fast-paced developments coupled with lapses in privacy (Fletcher, 2010), concerns and
problems are likely to remain. While retaliation against Facebook’s unethical activities
concerning privacy have remained largely minimal to date (Debatin et al., 2009) and
Brustein (2010) suggests Facebook is increasingly becoming a ‘social utility’, problems will
persist should Facebook fail to demonstrate it is consistently taking sufficient measures
and providing adequate and easy-to-use controls to its customers, to ensure their information
is protected and not exploited. Unless Facebook acknowledges the concerns expressed
by Facebook users and meets their privacy needs consumer upset is likely to continue and
may eventually damage Facebook’s strong membership base or stall online activity. Facebook
users may keep a Facebook profile but inactivity may increase in response to privacy
anxieties. A slowdown in online activity on the social networking site will upset the core
concept of Facebook: openness and sharing of information.