Facebook begins rolling out updated home page

Computerworld - Facebook confirmed this afternoon that it has begun rolling out a redesign of its homepage.

The highly popular social networking site is looking to simplify the user experience and give people easier access to different site features, according to Kathleen Loughlin, a spokewoman for Facebook.

She added that Facebook will offer more details on the redesign later today.

Facebook earlier took it on the chin for other redesigns.

Last October, just three days after Facebook gave is homepage a makeover, hundreds of thousands of frustrated users voiced their objections to it. Earlier Facebook redesigns also prompted user outbursts.

Last fall's makeover included offering two views of the News Feed -- a summary view of highlights of the past day, along with a real-time view. That change prompted some 500,000 members, at one point, to join a Facebook page called PLEASE GIVE US OUR OLD NEWS FEED BACK!. The user posts on the page largely called for Facebook's executives to drop the changes and make the site look and feel like it before that latest redesign.

Sharon Gaudin covers the Internet and Web 2.0, emerging technologies, and desktop and laptop chips for Computerworld. Follow Sharon on Twitter at @sgaudin, send e-mail to sgaudin@computerworld.com or subscribe to Sharon's RSS feed .

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