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You might think those embarrassing Facebook posts from the past are long gone, but a new feature could soon see them making an unwelcome return.

Facebook is reportedly testing a feature on its mobile app that allows users to search through old posts from friends using keywords about people or events.

The move could make it easier for people to find content otherwise thought to be buried in the deep, recesses of your Facebook feed.

Facebook is testing a feature on its mobile app that allows users to search through old posts using keywords about the event. The move could make it easier for people to find content from years ago

The tool, currently only available to a selected few, lets mobile users see any content that was previously available to them through friends or pages they followed.

This means if they want to find photos from a birthday party years ago, users only have to search for a few keywords used to tag up those images.

Facebook told Bloomberg the service is 'an improvement to search on mobile' and pictures will not be available if the user has not allowed them to be shown on their privacy settings.

The Menlo Park, California-based company has faced criticism over privacy concerns in the past, after several features were rolled out this year.

There remain concerns about the Facebook Messenger's permissions, which gives the social media site access to send texts and make calls on the user's device. However, Facebook has denied it will use these permissions in the way that has been expressed on Google Play

For instance, the new graph search tool lets users find friends' likes, connections and images with simple queries such as 'photos of Vicky from 2008.'

In response, Facebook is giving users more control over their settings and has this year allowed users to find out why they see certain adverts.

There remain concerns about the Facebook Messenger's permissions, which gives the social media site access to send texts and make calls on the user's device.

According to Google Play, the app has access to find accounts on the device, read contacts, access the user's, as well as edit, read and receive text messages.

Other permissions give Facebook the ability to directly call phone numbers, modify or delete files on USB storage, take pictures and videos, record audio, download files without notification, control vibration and change network connectivity.

Facebook recently responded with a blog post explaining why it needs certain permissions.

It said: 'Almost all apps need certain permissions to run on Android, and we use these permissions to run features in the app.

'Keep in mind that Android controls the way the permissions are named, and the way they're named doesn't necessarily reflect the way the Messenger app and other apps use them.'

The latest change is one in a series of new features being rolled out by the company.

The group also recently launched a 'satire' tag feature, intended to stop user's inadvertently falling victim to satirical websites.

If a user clicks through a piece on a satire website, and then goes back to Facebook, the related stories will feature a tag marked 'satire.'

Some experts have warned Facebook's automatic satire tag feature could miscategorise fake-news sites, potentially giving them more credibility than they would otherwise receive.

Other permissions give Facebook the ability to call phone numbers, modify or delete files on USB storage, take pictures and videos, record audio, download files, control vibration and change network connectivity. The site blamed the wording of these permissions on Android