Washington: Facebook users are unwittingly sharing more personal information online than ever, according to a study.
The seven-year study from Carnegie Mellon University found people were more likely to share additional private information with friends and a group the researchers call the "silent listeners", which include Facebook, third-party app developers and advertisers, reports ABC News. The researchers used data from 5,076 Facebook users in the university`s network to study how privacy and disclosure evolved from 2005 until 2011.

From 2005 to 2009, users decreased the amount of information they shared publicly, according to the study. There was, however, a turnaround in December 2009 when Facebook changed its default settings, the study said.
Researchers said the 2009 up tick was likely caused by people being confused as to how to navigate the new settings. Commenting on the study, Jules Polonetsky, director and co-chair of the Future of Privacy Forum , said that it reflects Facebook`s shift from being a public place to one that is increasingly private, where users can carefully choose their audience.
ANI