Chief Privacy Officer Chris Kelly said Wednesday that Facebook will begin a series of tests to simplify choices. "With the test we're announcing today, we'll move toward simplifying these settings and putting them all on the same page," Kelly said.

Facebook users will soon begin to see the move to new settings. During the process, Facebook will ask offer a Transition Tool so users can select their level of sharing.

The settings will be tested by 40,000 U.S. Facebook users in week one, using one of the six versions of the Transition Tool. Tests in week two will include 80,000 users worldwide.

In week three, Facebook will slowly begin rolling out the final product to all users.

Easing Confusion

"I think that Facebook very much needed to revamp its user interface, the many mechanisms that deal with privacy controls," said Ray Valdes, a Gartner analyst. "This had become complex due to a steady accumulation of features over the years that needed to be put back in order toward a more cohesive user experience."

The slew of updates and changes to the social-networking site included the "everyone" option in March, which allowed users to share all information, including photos and posts. Last week, Facebook launched a beta version of the Publisher Privacy Control, which allows users to decide who can see their published content on a per-post basis.

Combined, those features enable users to allow some posts to be seen by everyone and other posts to be seen only by select friends.

"You will have the choice of being as open or limited in the sharing of this information as you want," Kelly promised in a blog post.

Other Motives

Facebook's motive for the changes is being questioned by observers.

"I think Facebook is taking advantage of these changes to further its own business goals of getting a broader footprint on the open Internet, in terms of making some of its vast repository of user information visible on the public Web," Valdes said. "The revised controls make it easier, perhaps too easy, for users to publish certain basic information on the open Web."

"Facebook danced around this issue, but it is something that the company needs to do to better meet the challenge of Twitter," Valdes added. "It is not necessarily something users are asking for, or in their short-term interest, but if it improves Facebook's financial and competitive position, then this also aligns with users' long-term needs."

"These changes are solely for the purpose of giving users even more control over what they share and with whom, and making privacy on Facebook more simple," said Meredith Chin, a Facebook spokesperson.

Others believe the move is a way for Facebook to bring in additional advertising revenue, which Facebook denies.

"None of the improvements we will be testing changes the information Facebook provides to advertisers," Chin said. "Facebook does not share personal information with advertisers except under the direction and control of a user. These new tools do not alter that policy or practice."