In an attempt to match the 'simplicity and ease of use' of the fast-growing microblogging site Twitter, Facebook has streamlined its privacy settings, thereby bringing about notable changes in the direction of simplification.

The somewhat massive simplification move undertaken by Facebook comprises the squeezing of its six privacy pages and 40 privacy settings into one, single privacy page; while sticking to standardized options for each privacy setting so as to maintain uniformity of the policies.

At a media conference call, Elliot Schrage - Facebook's VP of communications and public policy - said that, via the changes announced Wednesday, the company was trying to find a middle path between privacy and openness.

The changes in privacy settings essentially aim at giving users greater control over the information they share. The introduction of a new 'Transition Tool' would enable users to select their own privacy levels for all content they publish on the Facebook site -and, as such, control the accessibility of others, to their posted content.

Talking about the Transition Tool on the company blog, Chris Kelly, Facebook's chief privacy officer, said: "This tool will enable you to make available those parts of your profile that you feel comfortable sharing in order to facilitate better connection. You will have the choice of being as open or as limited in the sharing of this information as you want."