Facebook is introducing new improved privacy controls that give users increased control over who sees the data on their profile changes.

The new controls, which will be introduced in the early hours of Wednesday, will make distinctions between family, friends and co-workers.

As a result users can choose who can see personal details and photos on their profile pages.

Up until the change any user accepted as a friend had unrestricted access; however there have been continued warnings not to post personal details on social networking sites.

Naomi Gleit, Facebook product manager, told IDG: "We've introduced a standardized privacy interface that users will see when they're editing their privacy setting anywhere."

Facebook revealed in a statement that only 25 per cent of existing users have taken control of privacy using the current setting.

Privacy has been an issue for Facebook since last year when users could turn off a controversial feature called Beacon.

This monitored which web sites users visited, and an estimated 50,000 users petitioned Facebook in protest at the Beacon feature, according to Reuters.