Facebook to users: Let’s walk through your privacy settings, just in case…

Well, folks, Facebook is finally admitting it: Users have no idea what they’ve set their privacy settings to, and they really need to have their hands held during the review process.

Starting now, Facebook will be rolling out a privacy check-up to its users, narrated by a cute blue dinosaur that walks them through every setting to make sure they know exactly who can see their embarrassing photos.

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Facebook product manager Paddy Underwood writes:

We know you come to Facebook to connect with friends, not with us. But we also know how important it is to be in control of what you share and who you share with.

You’ll see the option to take Privacy Checkup when you visit Facebook in the coming days. Click “Let’s Do It!” to do the Checkup; it should only take a minute or two.

The walkthrough, currently only on the Web version, will contain the following steps: checking who can see your posts; checking and editing permissions to Facebook-enabled apps; and checking who can see your info such as current city, employer, and so on. You can also go through the walkthrough at any point by clicking on “Privacy Checkup” in the privacy menu at the top right.

And of course, you can also opt out of this checkup altogether. After all, this is really the same privacy setting menu Facebook already had — it’s just giving you a blue dinosaur to guide you through the steps you already should have taken.

With that said, Facebook probably does need to do this, even if its nothing new in the way we manage our settings. Features such as Graph Search, threw some users for a privacy loop, because let’s face it: Many of you probably haven’t checked your settings since you created your account in 2000-something, before you mom got on Facebook and gave you a reason to hide those frat party pictures.

So in a way, Facebook is now putting the entire privacy ball in your court. It’s given you a cute character, a step-by-step guide, and basically a soft blankie while you take control of your own Facebook privacy destiny.