" this article makes my head hurt, probably because privacy settings can just get complicated." [emphasis mine]
I think the point is that if the privacy settings are so complicated that even computer literate people have difficulty understanding them, then fb is duplicitous in the sense that this just isn't (and shouldn't!) be so complicated and they are exploiting users' misunderstanding to their own benefit. Assuming, of course, that fb having more information to share and target ads against is to their benefit, which I think is true.
If fb wanted to make this right, they could start by giving you a simple set of settings, including one which reverted to the privacy settings of 2 or 3 years ago.
I don't think there was much to be confused about there. He wanted something to show up unexpectedly, so he made it happen by interpreting everything wrong.
I think the point is that if the privacy settings are so complicated that even computer literate people have difficulty understanding them, then fb is duplicitous in the sense that this just isn't (and shouldn't!) be so complicated and they are exploiting users' misunderstanding to their own benefit. Assuming, of course, that fb having more information to share and target ads against is to their benefit, which I think is true.
If fb wanted to make this right, they could start by giving you a simple set of settings, including one which reverted to the privacy settings of 2 or 3 years ago.