Facebook’s newest feature, Instant Personalization, is making matters worse on the topic of privacy concern among the site users. Google search now automatically suggests ‘How do I delete my Facebook account?’ due to a large number of queries. It is also reported that Facebook new registered users number has seen a 25% drop, at best.

Instant Personalization has a lot of consequences to the user. Facebook partners (currently limited to Docs.com, Pandora and Yelp) can dig into your data on Facebook and design a unique just-for-you landing page when you visit their sites. In line with Facebook outlook, all users can choose to opt-out if they don’t want their information available to third parties.

Opting out, however, does not stop your Facebook friends from sharing your information. In order to completely keep your information safe, you will have to visit each of the partnering site and block them. Imagine the amount of work you need to go through once the feature takes off and Facebook partners with more sites.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg argued that people are more comfortable sharing information online now.

“People have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people. That social norm is just something that has evolved over time.”

But what is upsetting to people blogging and commenting about Facebook’s latest feature is the fact that they have no idea that they are sharing such information until others tell them what is going on. None the least of which Facebook itself, which has no history of being forthcoming with what it is doing with users data.

And what happens during the time we are not yet aware of providing third parties with our data? (name, friends’ names, profile pictures, gender, user IDs, as well as content shared) This is in reference to data retention policies, where your data is stored by third parties for as long they wanted, even after you undid authorization?

Bloggers and commentators are split between two important choices?
Should I go about deleting Facebook altogether?
or Should I just be more prudish while sharing?

And Which choice will you make?