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Tag Archive: privacy

Opinion: Will You Compromise Your Privacy For “Ice Cream”?

Posted September 3, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb15 Opinion: Will You Compromise Your Privacy For “Ice Cream”?

If only cartoons could bring about positive changes from companies, especially in connection to those nagging privacy issues. On Thursday the New York Times Square ran a cartoon of Google chief in an ice cream truck spying on children. Well that got almost an immediate response from Google; a simplified and update privacy policy.

I am not buying this in any way for any reason. But I will come to it towards the end of the post and in the meantime lets focus on what Google had to say. Mike Yang, Google’s Associate general counsel mentioned the simplification of the privacy policy and that simplification only comes to the wordings. He stated:

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Advice: Why Your Facebook Profile Must Be Private

Posted August 20, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

Everyone knows that your employer to be is bound to check your Facebook profile. If you happen to be a hotshot with things that would tilt the employer’s decision against you, just make sure your Facebook Profile is set to Private.

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Compiling Public Data Isn’t Hacking: Facebook’s Strategy Exposes Public Information of 100 Million Users

Posted July 29, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb55 Compiling Public Data Isn’t Hacking: Facebook’s Strategy Exposes Public Information of 100 Million Users

I was up talking to a friend a couple of days on how writing about Facebook was the biggest pain in life and the adverse psychological problems it got me into. But you can’t help not talking about it, given that the third of everyone online is on the social network. Plus Facebook has more to do with simply connecting people, its more to do with their lifestyles and their privacy, which is the biggest concern.

I had been reading about the latest turn of events on Facebook about Ron Bowes making user data publically available. That data was of over 100 million users who are a part of the social network. But before I proceed let me state that Ron Bowes is not a hacker in my opinion. Why? Well

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People Do Matter To Facebook: Social Network Launches Official Privacy Settings Page

Posted June 3, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb11 People Do Matter To Facebook: Social Network Launches Official Privacy Settings Page

Seeing the discontented reaction of the people with its ever confusing privacy settings and that they were actually searching Google on how to delete or deactivate their accounts Facebook gave it’s privacy settings a makeover and simplified those. How many of you found them simplified enough? Well that’s another story, but just a tip, the social network now has an official Facebook and Privacy Page. Like it or not.

Users were left surprised and shocked out of their wits when news broke forth that Facebook, MySpace and other social networks were leaking user data to advertising networks. That surprise was fueled by anger when a few instant messaged from Zuckerberg revealed that he thought users were stupid for trusting him and the network with their information. It has taken a lot of time for the management, especially its CEO and founder to realize and admit the privacy flaws. To cut the long tale short, Facebook is gearing up  to portray a more user friendly image of itself for its valued users and now providing them a central page to communicate in connection to privacy settings.

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Privacy Privacy.. Quite Contrary

Posted May 26, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb79 Privacy Privacy.. Quite Contrary

I want my privacy back and therefore I am rallying in my followers to come to my support! How am I doing this? By going online, blogging about it, emailing, using Twitter to tweet, and social media sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc for the purpose. For that I am creating or have already created accounts on numerous places across the Web and leaving footprints everywhere.

I am using my real name for accounts for I know no one in the world is going to pay any heed to an anonymous idiot chanting a slogan of take back the tech or return me my privacy. I am even sharing my location, pictures to give my Virtual form a more real meaning. Why? I want people to trust me by believing that I am real. I have amassed quite a large following and everyone else is crying over privacy just as I am. All good and everyone is ready to pull the plug out on their profiles by removing their accounts or deactivating them. A sigh of relief and the campaign has managed to get a few thousand people wave goodbye to social networks. Hurray!

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Mark Zuckerberg: Alright I Admit Facebook’s Privacy Policy Is Wacky

Posted May 24, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb68 Mark Zuckerberg: Alright I Admit Facebook’s Privacy Policy Is Wacky

Am I reading it right? While I have definitely been out of touch with Facebook ever since the ban on the social network in Pakistan, but this news is worth sharing. Mark Zuckerberg sent Robert Scoble an email admitting that there is something wrong with privacy and Facebook; the two just don’t go together.

It really takes guts for a company’s CEO to stand up and admit the faults in his firm and Zuckerberg is definitely not one of those who would admit the faults. No matter how much truth there is in allegations, he just wont budge. From the email:

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Try As You May, Your Data Keeps Dripping Off Social Networks: User Data On Facebook, MySpace Leaked To Google And Yahoo

Posted May 22, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb65 Try As You May, Your Data Keeps Dripping Off Social Networks: User Data On Facebook, MySpace Leaked To Google And Yahoo

I guess no one should be surprised enough hearing this that social networks are leaking user information to a agencies. The news caught my eye earlier today that social networking sites, Facebook, MySpace have been caught leaking user data to ad networks like Yahoo’s Right Media and DoubleClick of Google. Weren’t these social networks vowing that they will never share user data with third parties, especially ad networks? I guess someone hacked into the social networking and sold data..

Putting the joke aside [if it passes as a joke], the social networks have released usernames and IDs to the ad platforms. Now if that is true by any means, these ad networks have more than just your username; access can be as deep as your employment history, location, etc. Upon being informed Facebook was prompt at taking action and altering the software to prevent such leaks and so are other networks which include MySpace, Digg, etc.

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Orkut Out Facebook In, Facebook Out [If..] Diaspora In.. Wonder If Addressing Privacy Really Help Grow Phenomenal?

Posted May 16, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb50 Orkut Out Facebook In, Facebook Out [If..] Diaspora In.. Wonder If Addressing Privacy Really Help Grow Phenomenal?

Such is the extent of people’s angst against Facebook and its attitude to juggle around with user privacy that people have actually started to Google tutorials on how to delete their accounts. And while that wasn’t enough, the people are actually willing to spend cash on Facebook breakaways. How? Ask the four NYU students who have decided to bring in a new Social Network that won’t trade user privacy with every Tom, Dick and Harry in business.

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Facebook Search: A New Site That Puts All Public Statuses At One Place

Posted May 14, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb49 Facebook Search: A New Site That Puts All Public Statuses At One Place

Threats, privacy, people taking a bite off you being naive enough to not learn how to hide away your information from the public is pretty common when it comes to Facebook. I mean we all should be very well used to it by now. Just in case you aren’t, visit Facebook Search and see for yourself how someone has exploited users’ public statuses and put them up on one site. Honestly those statuses are embarrassing and might very well injure people’s reputation at work.

Why is this happening? Should one be really worried or simply take Mark Zuckerberg’s statement and accept that we are Dumb F**ks? I have no clue what to state here except the fact that there is no escape at all, you are stuck irrespective if it is for your good or bad. Does Facebook care? Absolutely not and to satisfy users it just releases a few features to make users believe that your privacy is of ‘utmost importance’ to the social network. Am I angry? Definitely! Am I leaving Facebook? No, not yet. Why? I have no idea, just that I am being cautious enough to protect myself in a few ways and that if my information is being shared across the Web, it is because I am willing to share so.

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Facebook Introduces Safety Features : “Hey We Are Trying To Make Facebook More Secure” [#Update]

Posted May 13, 2010 by Sardar Mohkim Khan

image thumb44 Facebook Introduces Safety Features : “Hey We Are Trying To Make Facebook More Secure” [#Update]

With Privacy being the most gnawing issue when it comes to Facebook, so much that users are actually using Google on How to Delete their Accounts the social network has released new features for security. The new feature might just be the beginning of a lot more to follow. I can bet that Facebook wouldn’t have done much had the governments not taken the issue very seriously as well, one reason why it also hired Tim Muris, the former FTC chairman.

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