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Facebook revives 'View As Public' profile feature

The company axed the tool after a 2018 data breach.

Today, Facebook announced two changes that could make it easier to manage your publicly visible info. First, Facebook is bringing back the "View As Public" feature that allows users to preview their profiles as they appear to the general public. The company is also adding an "Edit Public Details" button directly on profiles.

The "View As Public" feature was initially removed after hackers used its code to execute a massive hack that exposed 50 million users. While that vulnerability was patched quickly, it's taken more than six months for the feature to return. The ability to quickly check and edit what info is publicly available could also help in the event of other glitches -- like the time a bug set 14 million users' profiles to public. The changes also align with Facebook's recent emphasis on its "the future is private" mantra.