Palo Alto, Calif. - Responding to user feedback and criticism from public policy groups including MoveOn.org, the Facebook online social network late on Thursday announced changes to its Beacon service, which will now require users to click "OK" before news of their recent purchases from partner retailers are announced to their friends on the service.

The Beacon feature still does not offer a broad "opt-out" option, which remains a sticking point for critics like MoveOn.org.

"We're kind of going to wait and see exactly what it looks like when they implement tonight's policy," MoveOn spokesman Adam Green told CNET News.com.

Over 45,000 Facebook members signed a petition started by MoveOn, asking Facebook to make changes to Beacon.

Some said the feature is an invasion of privacy, while others reported that their online holiday gift purchases had been unwittingly revealed to their intended recipients as a result of Beacon.

Related Links:
http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=11174

http://www.news.com/8301-13577_3-9826664-36.html

http://www.facebook.com/beacon/faq.php