This is extremely good news - and, despite being forced so to do, Facebook have made the right decision. I cannot help feeling that it should be a fundamental principle of data privacy that "opt-in" rather than "opt-out" systems should be the default - except in very exceptional circumstances. Now if only our 'lords and masters' could get their heads round this little bit of techno common-sense, wouldn't the world be a better place?
One other thought. It is often assumed/maintained that the IT generation has little interest in precepts of personal privacy/confidentiality (as per this sort of stuff). I have never accepted that view and have tended to feel that, in the rush to be techno-savvy and have all the latest gizmos to play with, people have ignored such considerations and laid them to one side. But, as they have become more aware of the potential implications/repercussions of their online activity, so such concerns have surfaced with more solidity in their minds - no doubt the HMRC fiasco has fine-tuned them in spades! The campaign that led to Facebook's having to climb down over this would seem to confirm this view.
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