Facebook on Wednesday started rolling out a new system for applications that require developers to be more transparent about the information they collect from members.

From now on, if a user opts to add an app to their profile, the permission screen must clearly state what type of information the app is collecting. Developers have access to public information by default, but if the app taps into any private information, it must ask for permission to do so.

The app for interactive greeting card Web site JibJab (below), for example, needs access to a user's photos as well as friends' birthdays and photos, so the new screen will say: "JibJab is requesting permission to do the following: Access my basic information, access my photos and videos, and access my friends' information." If you agree, click "Allow." If you don't, click "Don't Allow."

"In order for these applications and Web sites to provide social and customized experiences, they need to know a little bit about you. We understand, however, that it's important you also have control over what you're sharing," Bret Taylor, Facebook's chief technology officer, said in a statement. "With this new authorization process, when you log into an application with your Facebook account, the application will only be able to access the public parts of your profile by default. To access the private parts of your profile, the application has to explicitly ask for your permission."

Work on this new permissions screen dates back to August 2009, when Facebook announced a deal with the Canadian privacy commission to beef up its privacy notifications and embark on a year-long overhaul of its developer platform. More details were then unveiled at Facebook's F8 developer conference.

Concerns about privacy on Facebook prompted the company to roll out a simpler privacy policy in May. That overhaul included the option to turn off Platform apps and Web sites so no information – not even public data – is shared with apps.