New York - Online social network Facebook may alter its controversial new "Beacon" service, which alerts members' friends when they make purchases at certain partner sites, Businessweek.com reports. Since the feature was introduced earlier this month, some users have complained that Beacon is an invasion of privacy, and in some instances has unwittingly alerted members to holiday gift purchases from family or friends.

The service operates on an opt-out basis, meaning that users must expressly choose not to have their purchase information divulged to friends on Facebook.

The public policy group MoveOn.org organized an online petition asking Facebook to turn Beacon into an opt-in feature, which to date has attracted over 45,000 signatures.

The Electronic Privacy Information center also plans to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

However, Facebook executives were reportedly in talks yesterday on making changes to Beacon, which could be announced as early as today, a source familiar with the matter told Businessweek.com.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/1udyp (Business Week)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/29/facebook_beacon_ditch

http://www.facebook.com/business/?beacon