Facebook’s new business platform and updated terms & policies

Nov 26th, 2014

Facebook has announced a brand new business networking platform, which is set to launch at the opening of 2015. The popular social network has also announced changes to its privacy policy and terms and conditions. Here’s the lowdown…


Facebook’s new professional platform: Facebook at Work

Facebook is set to expand into the realms of professional networking with a new online platform dubbed  ‘Facebook at Work’, the Financial Times reported on Monday. When it rolls out, Facebook at Work will be in direct competition with brands such as Google Docs and LinkedIn.

Facebook, which boasts over 1.23 billion monthly active visits, is set to launch the professional version of its popular social networking platform in January 2015 and will allow users to share information, communicate in real time and connect with other professionals. This is not too dissimilar to the functions provided by websites such as LinkedIn and Google Docs.

Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg hinted at further developments to the popular social networking platform shortly before the news was announced. “We are going to continue preparing for the future,” he commented “by investing aggressively, connecting everyone, understanding the world and building the next generation in computing platforms. We have a long journey ahead.”


Facebook updates terms & conditions to encompass new features

In other Facebook related news, the social network has announced a refresh of its terms and policies, which aim to improve the online experience of Facebook for users. The main changes are…

You can choose which, if any, of Facebook’s targeted ads you can see

In the past, Facebook has collected information about users’ interests as they browse  the internet and used this data to target users with ads based upon what they have engaged with on the web. For some, this got frustrating and while there was the option to opt out, this only worked for the ads that a user was shown on the device they opted out from – the same ads would still appear across other devices such as mobile and tablet. It’s now easier than ever before for users to stop participating companies from collecting information about their online journeys. In Europe, this can be achieved through selecting your preferences on the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance.

Facebook can make recommendations based on what you are doing

For example, if a user ‘checks in’ at the cinema, Facebook may display a menu for a nearby restaurant.

A ‘buy’ button

To make purchasing via Facebook easy, the social network’s upcoming ‘Buy’ button will allow users to discover and purchase items without leaving the Facebook interface.

Easier data policy

Facebook’s data policy has been streamlined, making it easier for users to understand their privacy options and settings. The revised policy can be found under ‘Privacy Basics’ on Facebook.

Connecting your information across the Facebook family of apps

For example, if you forget your password for Instagram, you can recover it using your Facebook account. Don’t worry though – Facebook also states: “Nothing in our updates changes the commitments that Instagram, WhatsApp and other companies have made to protect your information and your privacy.”

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