1 in 4 Facebook users said to be ignoring security controls

A recent user survey is suggesting that almost a quarter of Facebook users aren't protecting their data.

A study conducted by Consumer Reports found that 23 per cent of users were either unaware of the privacy protections offered by the site or had chosen to disable the protections.

In addition to not using the security tools offered by Facebook, the study also found that users were engaging in behaviour that could further leave their personal data visable to others.

Overall 42 per cent of the users surveyed admitted to leaving their full date of birth visible to other users, while 26 per cent of adult users had posted photos and descriptions with the full names of their children.

The survey also found that seven per cent of users had posted their full street address and three per cent had disclosed when they were away from home.

The Consumer Reports study comes as Facebook once again finds itself the target of criticism from privacy advocates. A United States Senator recently called for the company to change its policies on sharing user information with third parties and better educate users on securing their profiles.