Last month, Facebook was found to be in violation of Canadian law. The problem stemmed from Facebook’s policy of holding on to its user’s personal information indefinitely. Now, after negotiations with Canada’s privacy commissioner, Facebook has promised to change its ways. The repercussions could be significant. Facebook has agreed to change the way it handles information, updating its privacy policy and giving users more control over the information provided to third-party application developers. Most importantly, the changes will require application developers to obtain consent from users before their information is used or shared. “These changes mean that the privacy of 200 million Facebook users in Canada and around the world will be far better protected,” said Canadian privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddart. Adds Elliot Schrage, vice president of global communications and public policy at Facebook, the new policies set “a new standard for the industry.”