Facebook has launched a new feature in India that’s aimed at those who really don’t want non-friends to see anything on their profile. It’s a new Lock Profile option that allows users to protect their personal information on the platform from being seen by anyone who isn’t in their ‘friends’ list. Facebook has designed this feature for “people in India, especially women.”
When enabled, the Lock Profile option prevents any non-friend from enlarging or zooming in on your profile picture. It also prevents them from sharing or downloading it. The same also applies to your cover photo. Moreover, old and new posts will also not be visible to non-friends when Lock Profile is on.
This feature appears to be an extension of the Profile Picture Guard that was launched a few years ago by Facebook. It was aimed at avoiding misuse of your profile photos, as it prevents people from downloading and sharing them when it’s turned on. It’s one more feature that Facebook had introduced after feedback received from Indian women.
Regarding the new launch, Facebook India’s public policy director, Ankhi Das, said in a statement, “We are committed to providing a safe platform for people to express themselves. We are deeply aware of the concerns people in India, particularly women, have about protecting their online profile. Today, we are announcing a new feature which, in one easy step, will give people a lot more control, ensure their privacy and keep them safe and secure online.”
You can find the new Lock Profile option in the More section under your name. It’s being rolled out by Facebook gradually, so be patient if you can’t seem to find it on your profile yet.
