[ubuntu-hardened] Home directory access

[Leroy Tennison]

I noticed that, on Ubuntu 16.04 (and 14.04) that home directory permissions are 755 meaning that anyone can read the contents of any file which is not restricted further, is there a reason for this? I can possibly understand this on an individual's system but, with current security consciousness, why can anyone read unrestricted files in others home directories? 
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