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Shock of all shockers Facebook is changing their privacy and sharing options again. Normally this is the time for a collective groan. However, this time is different. I’m actually looking forward to some of the updates. The predicted changes could actually make you more secure, while being easier to use. Here’s how.

For starters, you have to actively approve tagged photos of yourself. The fun part is that your coworker (who may not be a Facebook friend) can tag photos of you from the company picnic, but you still have to approve that tagging before it goes live. And if it is a very, ahem, unflattering photo you can send a note directly through the system to request that the photo be taken down altogether.

Another cool feature seems like it was inspired by Google+. Sharing things on your Wall with certain will now be simpler with “public,” “friends, and “other” sections. It is similar to Google’s Circles concept where you can categorize contacts to your heart’s desire and then share information to those circles as you see fit. Google still comes out ahead on the ease of setting up these circles/groups/cliques/whatever, but it’s nice to see this option simplified.

Similar to being able to assign a Wall post to a particular group is being able to edit every piece of your profile right there on your profile page. Right on your page, without having to traipse through a number of confusing menus, you’ll be given the option to make each section viewable to a large or select crowd.

These aren’t the only features I like, but they are at the top of the list. What I can say is that nothing on the list of changes made me cringe. While some things I will use more than others, they are all changes for the better.

So if you’re a grandmother who only logs into Facebook to see photos of her grandbabies or if your life is a wide open book and you don’t care who sees anything you say then many of these changes will not be significant for you. But if you fall somewhere in the middle like me then there are some definite improvements here. These changes are beginning to roll out as of today, so if you see it check it out and let me know what you think!

Check out these additional resources for excellent information, screen shots and analysis on the changes:

• Facebook blog: Making It Easier to Share With Who You Want
• Mashable: Facebook Makes Massive Privacy & Tagging Changes [PICS]
• WSJ: What Facebook’s New Privacy Settings Mean For You

Image credit: lawtonchiles via Flickr