They also handle the interaction differently.  You are able to send and receive email just as messages would appear.  This ability open them to communication outside of the walled garden of Facebook itself. There are steps you can take to limit the communication of this new email ability through privacy controls.  We have a screencast and podcast (both from our sister sites TheSocialNetworker and TheSocialGeeks) does a quick walkthrough of the setup procedures and links to important help files.

The new privacy settings interested me more after reading them twice.  You are able to set the level of who can email you based on everyone, friends of friends and just friends.  that part fits the other models Facebook has implemented.  However, friends are able to email you from any email address they register with Facebook.  So this is a reverse privacy issue.

When you established your account with Facebook you provided a single email address.  Most people only have one.  Now Facebook is asking you to enter all of your possible email addresses so you could email in to any friend from any of them.  This gives Facebook even more information on you as a person by associating email names, domains and possibly company names (if you use your company email) with your profile.  People have not given this portion that much thought.

I would suggest you head out and quickly claim your name on Facebook, even if you do not use the email functions, ever.   An example is my network page on Facebook.  The URL would be http://www.facebook.com/IdoNotesNetwork (if you feel like becoming part, it is where I funnel all of my information on Facebook).  So read the linked help files in the sister postings, watch the short screencast and get your Facebook Messages under control early.

You can see the entire screencast in HD on YouTube or embedded below.

• Mashable – Facebook and Privacy : It’s Time to Move On
• Mashable – Facebook’s Changes in Zuckerberg’s Words
• ReadWriteWeb – Facebook Privacy Briefing
• or just search for even more…

Be just as careful when loading these tools and applications to make sure they are legitimate.  The screencasts will wlk you through what they do, how they access the data and if they provide a service for you.

As you can see in the embedded video, I was able to zoom all the way down to actually see the bag someone was carrying and then move to look into apartments.  While some say this is everyday life, no one can naturally scroll and scan across an entire city while zooming in and out of windows.  Your naked eye can only do so much, it is the enhancements in technology taking this to the next level.

What does this say about privacy? It is slowly moving towards transparency, even in a higher floor of an apartment building.   I still believe in having my window shades open almost all the time, as a home is just a shelter.  Yet, we all have reasonable expectations and morals say we would not sit and stare into others windows (some of us at least).  Does the advent of technology force us into protecting our privacy more?  Or does it question why we hold so many things so private?

You should be aware that their attempt is to make more of the information you have uploaded and continue to upload more public.  Meaning such things as pictures, profile information and wall posts available to the public stream.  You do have the ability to restrict this and should take the time to make the effort.

If you have been concerned with how much information is available about yourself online, this should raise that to new heights.  For Facebook to take the stance that they can make sweeping changes to publicize what was personal has many people deleting their accounts.

I could have seen Facebook implementing a feature request where you have to log in and select what items you wish to be public, and I mean area by area.  Not in large category scale.  Some would claim that would be a time consuming process and overhead they did not want to absorb.  I counter with the fact that you have already established security guidelines and expectations that apparently can be changed on a whim based on what advertisers wish and your expected growth.

Facebook is trying to become the phone book of the Internet.  Are you unlisted?

This should be important to parents as they could be their child’s “friend” on Facebook, but still not see all the information the child is posting.  The best measure to to sit down and have your child log in and review their content with them for appropriateness.

You can see the video in it’s entirety right here.