Facebook privacy tools launched. Now the backlash begins.

Is Facebook really handing over control of privacy to its users? That’s the social network’s stance with the launch of new tools.

Users welcomed their new lease of empowerment with open arms but some quarters are verging on the side of caution claiming the move simply allows Google to wipe their hands of future problems.

“Let’s get one thing straight: Facebook is forcing users to choose their new privacy options to promote the Everyone update, and to clear itself of any potential wrongdoing going forward,” said Jason Kincaid on TechCrunch.

“If there is significant backlash against the social network, it can claim that users willingly made the choice to share their information with everyone.”

He adds, “That’s why there are all of these notifications informing users about what these privacy features do. And it’s why there’s now a Privacy Center.

“The vast majority of users will ignore this information the same way 80% of them have ignored privacy settings in the first place. But Facebook will still be able to claim that it did its best to get their informed consent.”

Kincaid’s claims have been backed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

“These new “privacy” changes are clearly intended to push Facebook users to publicly share even more information than before. Even worse, the changes will actually reduce the amount of control that users have over some of their personal data.,” said the Foundation.

Kincaid went on to predict future problems with prospective employers stumbling over Facebook users’ potentially sensitive information.

He added that problems would be compounded when Facebook starts sharing status updates with the search engines and other third parties.

“Bing will be getting access to Facebook ‘Everyone’ status updates in early 2010. Google will only have access to Fan Pages at first, but don’t be surprised if they cough up the cash for access to the status updates too,” he wrote.

“In other words, if users do wind up sharing far more than they intended to, Facebook can’t do much to repair the damage.”

The bottom line. Will usage of the site diminish? Kincaid doesn’t predict this will happen.

But the private nature of the site – which made it popular in the first place – has now gone.