Facebook's new security tools are simple and smart

Facebook is rolling out three small, yet pretty significant, security features that should help alleviate some of the privacy vulnerabilities that users - not Facebook - cause.

Temporary passwords, remote logouts and account recovery updates are all intended to give users more ways to protect themselves.

Temporary passwords allow users to send a text message from a Facebook-verified mobile phone and send a temporary one-time-only password, via text, that will expire after 20 minutes. This is a smart idea, considering how many people log in over public WiFi hotspots or use Internet cafes. If there's a trace left behind, there's not much anyone could really do with it.

The remote logout feature allows users to see where else they're logged in - mobile phone, office PC, iPad and so on. Because we can access Facebook from so many places, it's easy to forget where you've logged in or if you remembered to log out.

Finally, the company said it will regularly prompt users to update their account information, such as a phone number, extra e-mail address or the security question and answer so that the information remains fresh for the user.

Here's a thought about these updates:

Users are very quick to cry foul when they feel their security or privacy has been compromised but also want to maintain control of their own experience on sites, not just Facebook.

But how many are diligent about taking steps to do their part to protect themselves? We can often be very casual with our information, privacy settings and even passwords. Facebook made the right call by creating the temporary passwords and remote logout features as tools for the user - if they choose to use them.

I'll vow to be more careful with my personal online security. How many of you will join me in that pledge?