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Facebook to unveil new privacy controls

SAN FRANCISCO - Facebook has called a Wednesday press conference to discuss “enhanced, simpler” privacy controls designed to appease concerns about safeguarding information at the social-networking service.

Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and other senior executives are slated to take part in the briefing, which will be at the firm’s headquarters in the city of Palo Alto, California.

Zuckerberg said Monday that the social network “missed the mark” with its privacy controls and changes are imminent.

“Sometimes we move too fast — and after listening to recent concerns, we’re responding,” he wrote in a column published on the op-ed page of The Washington Post.

Facebook last month sparked criticism from US privacy and consumer groups, US lawmakers and the European Union by adding the ability for partner websites to incorporate data regarding members of the social-networking service.

“The biggest message we have heard recently is that people want easier control over their information,” Zuckerberg said. “Simply put, many of you thought our controls were too complex.

“Our intention was to give you lots of granular controls; but that may not have been what many of you wanted,” the 26-year-old Facebook chief executive said. “We just missed the mark.”

He stressed that Facebook does “not share your personal information with people or services you don’t want” and does “not give advertisers access to your personal information.”

“We do not and never will sell any of your information to anyone,” Zuckerberg said, adding that Facebook will always remain a free service.