Meta to Stop Users From Sharing Private Residential Information

Meta is planning to end the exception to existing rules that allow users to post personal residence information to the platform when it is "publicly available" elsewhere.

Meta agreed to remove the exception from its policy, reacting to a decision by Facebook Oversight Board. The policy change will be implemented by the end of 2022.

The company has said that removing the exception for publicly available private residential information may limit the availability of the residential information on Facebook and Instagram when it is still available publicly everywhere else. It also said that the company aims at strengthening its privacy policy protections on its platforms with this move.

Meta's planned policy changes were aimed at helping victims of "doxxing" harassing individuals by exposing their personal information online. The social media giant called on regulators to help form the rule last June, saying the policy was "significant and difficult."

According to reports, the board followed up with 17 recommendations for the company in February, which Meta has now weighed in on.