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Starting today, Facebook will begin notifying members they have a choice over whether to keep their listings private or to allow Facebook to make their name and profile picture available when outsiders search the site. Unlike most sites on the web, Facebook has previously denied search services acces to information on its site.

However, if members now don't actively change their privacy settings, their listing will automatically be made public. "Since your search privacy settings are set to 'Everyone,' you now have a public search listing," a message sent to members states. "This means that friends who aren't yet on Facebook will be able to search for you by name from our Welcome

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page. Public Search Listings may only include names and profile pictures."

After notifying users over the next 30 days of its plans to open up basic profile listings of its members, Facebook plans to begin allowing sites such as Google, Yahoo or others to "crawl," or index, its public member profiles.

Early next month, non-members of Facebook will be able to type the names of friends or acquaintances into a search box on Facebook's home page to see if they have public profiles on Facebook in order to contact them.

The move could prove controversial among some members who prize the privacy protections Facebook offers in comparison to more open sites. Many members have criticised Facebook policy changes.

A year ago, Facebook weathered a privacy storm among students disturbed by changes that exposed users' postings to their friends. More recent changes that drew in more adults have also provoked concern among the site's core student base that parents and authority figures can monitor their activity.

However, by publicising member profiles, Facebook could also attract a new wave of users. The California-based site has grown to 39 million members, up 62.5% from 24 million in late May.