New to Facebook? Then these new privacy settings are for you

Did you know that everything you've ever posted to Facebook with the default sharing options has been public for the whole internet to see?

It's also been just as easy to change your broadcasting choice to "friends only" with a few clicks, but now Facebook is changing the default share settings to friends only for new users.

In a blog post, the social network wrote the change is being implemented for all new users going forward. Additionally, Facebook will prompt first-time posters with a message to make sure they know who their activity is being shared with.

Even if users somehow accidentally make their posts public repeatedly, Facebook will send a reminder to confirm they are sharing their activity with the audience they want.

Facebook veterans

Older users aren't being left out of Facebook's new privacy-conscientious measures. For people already on Facebook, the firm will roll out a new and expanded privacy check-up tool over the next few weeks.

Like the prompt new users receive, the feature will take users through a review process of their privacy settings. This includes how private user updates are, which apps they use, and who can see their profile information.

Over on mobile devices, status updates will be clearly marked with audience selectors above where users type to make sure they know who will see their posts.

A change of heart?

After a long sting of questionable user privacy practices it seems Facebook is trying to turn a new leaf in the privacy realm.

Facebook's developer conference last month, the company introduced anonymous app login along with a redesigned app control panel to easily tweak privacy permissions.

• Anonymity on the web can be a good thing