Facebook restructures ahead of IPO

Facebook has undertaken a major organizational restructure ahead of its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the first half of next year. After several organizational shakeups early in its gestation, the company has been relatively stable for some time. The latest changes are the next steps in the company’s attempt to address key product areas including privacy and communication.

Facebook, which has been subject to claims that it has abused user privacy, came under formal government scrutiny in October last year. In particular, a House Bipartisan Privacy Caucus wrote to CEO Mark Zuckerberg with serious concerns about the way third-party apps gathered and transmitted personally identifiable information about users.

In November this year, Facebook finalized an agreement with the FTC over the way it changed user privacy settings by continually changing its terms of privacy. As part of the deal, Zuckerberg created two new corporate officer roles to directly address privacy issues.

The company’s restructure, which was outlined in a memo to staff, is reportedly aimed at making the company more nimble and responsive to a rapidly changing competitive environment. The new structure is said to integrate design, product and engineering teams in a way that helps to put privacy and communication at the heart of what the company does moving forward. [via All Things D]

By Electronista Staff