A lot of information has been flying around the web for the last few weeks regarding Facebook’s privacy policy and Open Graph.  My goal for this blog is to provide you with some sites that will help you bypass the volumes of information and get straight to the facts that concern the average Facebook user.

The main question is: Should you we worry about our own privacy?  I mean, is our information safe in Facebook’s hands?  I think it’s valid to question Facebook’s privacy changes, especially in relation to its new Open Graph API.

The New York Times posted an article criticizing Facebook for the complexity and length of their privacy policy.  Accompanying the article is a map of all the Privacy Options in Facebook, which appear every bit as complex as The New York Times claims.

I’ll admit; it looks bad.  But here’s the thing: there are so many privacy options because Facebook wants to allow the users to choose what they share.  Facebook has offered a highly customizable user interface, so that we can select our own levels of privacy.

Facebook has implemented a really interesting program, the Open Graph API, which has the potential to enhance our online experiences.  It can provide relevant information to marketers, who can in turn provide you with advertisements that are actually relevant to you, rather than random things you aren’t interested in.  It can save you time by pulling information from your Facebook page to customize other web sites when you browse.  Mashable provides an excellent summary of what Open Graph actually is.

One benefit I’ve seen is from the music-streaming website Pandora, as reported by Wired.  With Open Graph enabled, Pandora can pull your music preferences from your Facebook page and create customized playlists based on your taste.  You can then share music and recommendations with your Facebook friends.

The main thing I disagree with regarding Open Graph is the default setting that Facebook chose.  Privacy settings are set to automatically share user information via Open Graph since Facebook put the new program into operation.  Had Open Graph been implemented as an “opt in” system, I believe the media backlash would have been much less.

Inside Facebook posted a great review of the current issues surrounding Facebook, Open Graph and privacy.  It’s pretty long, but if personal privacy on the internet is important to you, it’s well worth the read.

The bottom line is that as far as internet privacy is concerned, we all need to be aware of what information we’re sharing.  It is each individual’s responsibility to know what he or she posts online.  That being said, there is no need to close your social networking accounts immediately or to start using an alias.  Just be responsible and cognizant of your online identity.  Choose what content you want to share and customize your Facebook privacy settings.  Use (or don’t use) Open Graph to create the web experience that you want.