After changes to Facebook’s terms of service proved controversial, the popular social networking site has opted to revert back to its former policy.

While some in the Facebook community met the changes with a fiery response, others weren’t as offended by the site’s new fine print.

“It’s not that big of a problem,” freshman music major Joanne Chang said. “I just use it to connect with college friends. Everything on the Web circulates anyway.”

The change, which allowed Facebook to keep user uploaded content and licenses even after the user’s account was deleted, generated an enormous amount of negative publicity. Users accused Facebook of potentially being able to sell their personal information to outside companies without their consent.

After this week’s announcement, millions of users joined Facebook groups protesting against the new terms. Twenty-six consumer interest groups, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, planned to file complaints against Facebook with the Federal Trade Commission.

Facing a public relations nightmare, the site dropped its new terms of services agreement late Tuesday night.

In a blog post to all members, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the Web site was returning to its old terms of services agreement effective Wednesday. Zuckerberg said the new terms’ language was “overly formal and protective of the rights we need to provide this service to you.”

“As misunderstanding became the main theme, we became very concerned and wanted to communicate very clearly to everyone our intentions by rolling back to the old terms of services,” Facebook’s chief privacy officer Chris Kelly said Wednesday in a statement to the media.

The Web site has created a group called the “Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities” where Facebook users can offer their opinions on any upcoming changes that the Web site proposes to make.

Facebook is still in the process of creating new terms of service. Zuckerberg, however, assured users that the next attempt at creating the new terms will have their input.

Despite the interest that the change garnered within the Facebook universe, Kent State students seemed to not be as outraged.

“If it’s on the Internet, anyone can see it,” freshman fashion design major Emily Ohlrich said. “If you already have information up (on Facebook), you run the risk of anyone seeing it already.”

Freshman nursing major Hannah Yurkovich said she plans to keep her account despite the controversy.

“Maybe I’d change things (if Facebook kept the new terms of services agreement),” Yurkovich said. “But I’d keep it anyway. I’m really hooked on it.”

Contact student life reporter Ryne Diperna at [email protected].