Ireland's data protection commissioner has recommended widespread changes aimed at greater protection of privacy on the social network Facebook.
They include making its terms and conditions clearer and offering users greater control over how their data is used on the site.
The findings are particularly significant, the BBC reports, because Facebook Ireland was given responsibility for all non-US and Canadian data in September 2010.
Facebook has six months to implement the changes and the commissioner, Billy Hawkes, will review its progress in July.
Commenting on the report, he says: "This was a challenging engagement both for my office and for Facebook Ireland. The audit has found a positive approach and commitment on the part of FB-I [Facebook Ireland] to respecting the privacy rights of its users."
The review was conducted partly in response to complaints about Facebook's data and partly as a routine assessment.
Facebook welcomes review
Facebook has welcomed the review, saying: "We are pleased that the report demonstrates how Facebook adheres to European data protection principles and complies with Irish law.
"Of course, the report highlights some areas where we can improve and reach best practice."
One of the first changes users will notice in the new year will be prominent notices informing them about the facial recognition tag that suggests names for labelling photos. Users will be offered the chance to disable it.
The report recognises that Facebook is entitled to use customer data for advertising purposes, but requests that the control allowing people to decide whether advertising is linked to profile information be made more prominent.
