Facebook turns its data policy into something a human can actually read

Facebook updated its terms of service and its data and cookie policies this morning so those of us who didn’t spend half a decade studying legal jargon can actually read them.

Facebook’s new data policy is now 70 percent shorter and is cleanly divided into separate chapters. Meanwhile, the company’s terms of service, reportedly 11,195 words long back in 2012, is now approximately 79 percent shorter — but still incredibly dense.

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Key to Facebook’s changes are new policies to support the company’s interest in gathering location information and making “purchases more convenient” with its experimental buy button:

Discover what’s going on around you: We’re updating our policies to explain how we get location information depending on the features you decide to use. Millions of people check into their favorite places and use optional features like Nearby Friends. We’re working on ways to show you the most relevant information based on where you are and what your friends are up to. For example, in the future, if you decide to share where you are, you might see menus from restaurants nearby or updates from friends in the area.

Make purchases more convenient: In some regions, we’re testing a Buy button that helps people discover and purchase products without leaving Facebook. We’re also working on new ways to make transactions even more convenient and secure.

Facebook wisely calls these new policies “proposals” and is soliciting feedback from users until November 20.