Facebook brings in new feature to let users lock profiles from non-friends

Facebook on Thursday launched a new feature in India that will allow users to lock their profile, in which non-friends will not be able to view the user’s full size profile picture and see any of their posts.

The feature is designed for people in India, especially women, who want more control over their Facebook experience, the firm said.

Locking a profile would enable users to apply multiple existing privacy settings and several new features to their Facebook profiles.

With a locked profile, non-friends will not be able to zoom into, share or download the user’s full-size profile picture and cover photos. 

A locked profile would also disallow non-friends from seeing photos and posts on the person’s timeline.

“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,” said Ankhi Das, Public Policy Director, Facebook India.

If the user chooses the lock profile setting, a tag saying their profile is locked will appear on their profile page.

The feature will begin rolling out from Thursday and be available to all users within the next week and a half.