Category: Facebook

The final numbers aren’t in yet.  But at first glance, it seems the “Quit Facebook” campaign is … well… a big bust.  Torontonians Joseph Dee and Matthew Milan came up with the idea a couple of weeks ago in response to the privacy concerns plaguing the social networking site.  They dreamed of a world where millions would simply walk away.  One of the funniest comments I saw about this whole thing was a tweet that asked  “Should I quit Facebook?  Decisions, decisions… I think I’ll have to update my Facebook status and see what my friends think.”  The irony here is inescapable.  In the end, it looks like only about 30,000 users actually may have quit.  Why is that cause for concern?  Let’s talk. (More…) Continue reading “Did you “quit” Facebook???”

“I can’t believe the power of social media!”  Those are the words of Jenn Marsh of Thamesville, Ontario, Canada.  Why can’t she believe it?  Because she turned to Facebook for baby name ideas for her sixth child, and within a day and a half had 500 suggestions.  F-i-v-e   H-u-n-d-r-e-d.  “I know people say Facebook is negative and invasive,” the veteran mom adds, “but I used it in a positive and good way.”  Okay gang, let’s put our thinking caps on here… Hop in, and we’ll go for a social media spin around the block… (More…) Continue reading “A Little Help from My Facebook Friends”

You know what I’m talking about.  Sure you do.  You’ve probably had the experience yourself.  Someone says “Gee, if you’re upset by what I did, then I’m sorry”.  It’s a pseudo apology… an apology wannabe.  And that’s what Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivered to his 400 million-plus FB users this week in the Washington Post.  The column came in the wake of huge controversy over the confusing privacy controls on the social networking site, and over the way FB is now making your data available to third parties.  So what’s the latest?  Let me explain… (More…)  Continue reading “Zuckerberg says “I’m Sorry” – Sort of…”

From the “what were they thinking?” file today… And let me warn you, Baby Boomers, you’re not going to believe this one.   A 22 year old waitress in North Carolina has been fired from her job at a pizzeria.  Not because she showed up late for her shift one too many times.  Not because she just couldn’t keep her orders straight.  But because she publicly criticized a customer on Facebook — all thanks to what she considered an insulting tip they left her after a meal.   Are you kidding me?  No really.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  That’s the mainstream media equivalent of buying time on a radio station to slander someone for 30 seconds, and then not expect there to be some fallout. (More…) Continue reading “Waitress Fired over Facebook”

Heard the news?  Next month, the execs at Facebook expect to announce their 500 millionth registered user.  That’s right.  Half a BILLION people will be using the world’s most popular social networking site by then.  The question to ask yourself is, “How many of those people should I actually trust?”  The answer of course is, “Only the ones I actually KNOW in REAL life.”  Case in point… Police in Australia are warning teenagers to beware of online predators after an 18 year old woman was lured to her death by a man she met on Facebook. (More…) Continue reading “500 Million Users on Facebook – How Many of them Can you Trust?”

You knew it was coming.  Last week, some very high profile tech experts around the world – Leo Laporte for one – publicly announced they were deleting their Facebook accounts over privacy issues.  This is one very nasty piece of public relations trouble for the folks at FB.  Now comes word of a new website called “FacebookSearch” which publicly exposes embarrassing and potentially job-threatening FB messages posted by users who likely don’t realize their privacy settings are turned off.  Yes, it’s for real. (More…) Continue reading “FacebookSearch”

It’s kind of like watching a car wreck on the highway.  You know that it’s wrong, but something won’t let you look away.  Drama.  Lots of drama.  Well, you don’t have to be on the highway this week to find drama.   Consider the folks at Facebook.  According to the website “All Facebook – the Unofficial Facebook Resource”, execs at FB have called a meeting at head office this afternoon to talk about the company’s “overall privacy strategy”.  Some are calling it a “crisis” meeting.  The move comes amid increasing controversy over changes FB has recently made to privacy controls – changes many believe are eroding our privacy in a nasty way. (More…) Continue reading “Facebook Drama”

You’ve done it before.  Sure you have.  You’re talking to your kids and you launch into a story about “the good old days”… the days before banking machines and cell phones and satellite TV when life was simpler and people knew their neighbours.  Years from now, you’ll be telling your grandchildren about the days before Facebook... the days when people actually picked up the phone to find out what their friends were up to instead of reading a post online.  With 400 million users, Facebook is one influential social networking site.  It also has the potential to be dangerous.  And millions of parents still don’t fully understand those dangers.   (More…) Continue reading “Parenthood 2010: Facebook Safety”

There’s a national hamburger chain in Canada that found a formula for success many years ago:  give the people what they want.  How do they do that?  They personalize your burger.  All the fixings are right there in front of the customer, and you tell the teenager behind the counter in the wacky hat exactly what you want.  Onions, pickles and mustard?  No problem.  Tomatoes, relish and lettuce?  Coming right up.  Well now, Facebook is about to personalize the internet for you.  And it’s got a LOT of people talking.  Want to know why?  Grab your burger and come with me… (More…) Continue reading “Personalize Me!!!”

Ever feel like you need to hit the “Panic Button”?  It usually happens to me when a “friend” has talked me into getting on a ride at an amusement park.  You know, one of those truly scary rides with eight tentacles that catapult you into the clouds.  As soon as I’m up in the air, my stomach starts screaming for my Mommy.  I’d love to hit a panic button.  But there isn’t one.  Face it…You’re stuck there, dangling in space, wishing you could be anywhere else but where you are.  Well the same thing can happen in cyberspace… especially if you’re a kid. You can be stuck and scared and desperately wanting your Mommy.  Now comes word police in Great Britain are supporting the call for a panic button on Facebook. (More…) Continue reading “Facebook and the Panic Button”