Facebook’s New ‘Clear History’ Privacy Tool: A Response to Data Privacy Concerns

Facebook, the leading global social media platform, has been at the center of a universal digital culture for over a decade. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder, known for his defiance of conventional authority, initiated this social media revolution in response to Harvard’s reluctance to launch an online platform.

Recently, Facebook has dominated headlines due to its controversial data privacy scandal involving Cambridge Analytica. Privacy has always been a contentious issue for Facebook users who have consistently voiced concerns about inadequate protection (Kirkpatrick, 2010).

In response to these concerns, Facebook is set to launch its latest privacy tool named ‘Clear History’. Inspired by a basic feature in web browsers that allows users to clear cookies and history, ‘Clear History’ will enable Facebook users to view and delete information about the apps and websites they have interacted with.

Since the start of the year, Facebook has experienced a significant dip in its shares, with a 17% drop recorded in mid-March. Despite this setback, the company has shown resilience with a quick recovery (-3.37% YTD, as of 30.04.2018 in EUR). By addressing its privacy policy issues, Facebook hopes to regain the trust of its users and shareholders.