• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, March 13, 2013

Netflix users in the U.S. can finally share what movies and TV shows their watching with their friends on Facebook. The Web video service today announced subscribers can now login in using their Facebook account, allowing friends a window into their view habits.

“By default, sharing will only happen on Netflix. You'll see what titles your friends have watched in a new 'Watched by your friends’ row and what they have rated four or five stars in a new 'Friends’ Favorites’ row. Your friends will also be able to see what you watch and rate highly,” wrote Cameron Johnson, director of product innovation at Netflix, in a blog post today.

People can also choose not to share a specific title by clicking on a “Don’t Share This” button in the player. They can choose to turn on additional sharing to Facebook or turn off sharing altogether through within the account settings on Netflix.com.

The Facebook integration follows a two-year lobbying effort by Netflix to amend the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988, which bars movie rental companies from sharing information about movies watched by customers without their written consent. President Obama signed the bill updating the legislation in January.