Facebook opens access to users’ details

Facebook, the hugely popular social networking site, risks provoking anger from its users by opening up details of individuals to the web at large.

A new public search feature will soon mean that basic Facebook user profiles - carrying names and photographs of the site’s members - are accessible through search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

The move appears to be designed to drive more users to the privately owned site in an effort to boost advertising revenues, but has sparked privacy concerns.

Facebook attracted more than 30 million visitors last month, and is expected to make a profit of $30 million (£15 million) this year on revenues of $150 million. But analysts suggest that it is far from realising its earnings potential.