Once Again, Facebook Is Not Your Friend
The adage “all publicity is good publicity” is failing Facebook right now, because pretty much all the news about them is yet another story about them being shady.
Social Networking
Dear Facebook, I’m Just Not That Into You
I stopped visiting Facebook about 2 weeks ago. It wasn’t a conscious declaration, it was just that I felt like Facebook was becoming a crutch to distract me, and it wasn’t something I enjoyed. I probably would have drifted back sooner, but Facebook has been inundating me with emails like a needy ex, and it’s starting to creep me out enough to not want to return.
10 Tips to Reclaim Your Online Privacy
In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook users have become more concerned about their privacy than ever before. The #deletefacebook hashtag has been trending for days, and many users see the latest misuse of Facebook user data as the “last straw” in ending their trust with the social media giant.
Is It Time to Unfriend Facebook? And What to Do If You’re Not Ready
CNBC is reporting that ANOTHER data firm has been suspended for profiting off data they collected from your Facebook accounts. This is likely only the tip of the iceberg. Is it time to consider unfriending Facebook?
Find out If You Are Arguing with a Bot on Twitter with Make Adverbs Great Again
Russian Bots are working hard to shape American dissent and opinion; the indictments last week spell out their role in the 2016 election quite clearly. Just after the shooting in Parkland Florida, they went into high gear again. But how can we know who we are engaging or arguing with on Twitter? Make Adverbs Great Again is one way!
Is Facebook Spying on You? Probably. Maybe?
Recently, Reply All, a podcast from Gimlet Media about the Internet, published a podcast centered around Facebook and its notoriously shady data collection practices, titled “Is Facebook Spying on You?” Users noticing strange coincidences regarding Facebook’s targeted ads are left wondering whether Facebook has been listening to their conversations through their smartphone’s microphone without their knowledge.
HIPAA-Compliant Text Messaging Closes Communication Gaps in Health Care
Messaging apps like Slack revolutionized long-distance and group communication by making text messaging possible over the Internet. Now we can text and video chat with people anywhere in the world without having to pay exorbitant fees to a phone company. Messaging technology has dramatically improved communications for businesses and entrepreneurs in nearly every industry except one: health care.
Order Dominos Through Facebook Ahead of the Super Bowl This Sunday
Chances are, you are inviting your friends to come over and watch the Super Bowl with you this Sunday, and Dominos wants to make sure that you don’t go searching for leftovers in your fridge to give to them.
Facebook’s Walled Garden Is About to Affect Instagram Users on Flipboard
If you use the Flipboard app, then along with your other social feeds you’ve probably added your Instagram account to the service. I like seeing my Instagram posts in my daily Flipboard feed, but that access and access from other apps to Instagram ends on May 31st.
Facebook Messenger Offering Links and Codes to Make It Simpler to Communicate
If you use Snapchat, you’re probably familiar with the scannable yellow code that lets you quickly connect with another user. According to a Facebook post, a similar code is making its way to Facebook Messenger.
Digg Begins Issuing User Names
What’s Digg? Digg is an online news aggregator with a curated front page featuring unique posts selected for their high-tech audience. In its heyday, Digg attracted some 200+ million monthly viewers. The service became popular because its users could vote up (digg) stories or vote them down (bury them).
Facebook Messenger Groups Introduce Valentine Picture Presents
Everyone loves a present, right? So how about a nice photo wrapped in a bow and red heart paper? You can send your Facebook friends just a present if you are in a Facebook Messenger Group with them. To send the wrapped image, simply click the heart/arrow icon in the lower right corner of your chat display window. Then select an image and send.
Facebook Kills Your Other Inbox
Facebook have announced the elimination of your “other” inbox. This was the place where messages sent by those you weren’t connected to would sit and languish. If you look into your messages and click the “other” tab you probably will find half a dozen spam messages – as well as one or two valid messages.
Ello Is Available for iPhone…But Does Anyone Care?
Late in 2014 the social media site Ello launched as a sort of ‘anti-Facebook’; no ads, no tracking, no user mining, just user-centric social interaction! The launch generated hype and interest, which quickly dwindled once people started using it! The features continue to grow, and now Ello has launched an iPhone app! Will you try it again?
Google to Again Feature Twitter Live Feed in Some Searches
Don’t look now but frenemies Google and Twitter just said that starting today “U.S. users searching in English will see relevant Tweets in their search results within the Google app (iOS and Android) and mobile web“. First announced back in February 2015, this deal appears to finally be getting underway. Look for results on mobile right away then desktop.
Facebook’s “Wedding” Stickers Have Some Odd Connotations
My coworker is in the process of planning her wedding. Recently she went to message someone on Facebook about it, and she thought it would be cute to include a Facebook sticker/emoji for weddings. To her surprise, Facebook Messenger had removed the boy/girl pairing, and instead added some very odd same-sex and inter-animal choices instead.
Tweetdeck for Mac Receives a HUGE Update
TweetDeck‘s Mac app received a much needed update today that includes the ability to share access to your account with others, Direct Messages to groups, support for GIFS and videos, and other various updates.
Celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th! #MakeItHappen
For more than a century International Women’s Day has been held on March 8th. And it is amazing to think of the things that have happened in our country and world for women since that time. The date is derived from the women of Petrograd, Russia holding a “bread and peace” strike in 1917, but the message is timeless.
RIPCemetery Wants to Make Saying Goodbye a Little Easier
Already this year I’ve lost several friends, mentors, and coworkers from my past. Each one had a different online obituary site, and most had some Facebook presence, but the ability to fully communicate felt limited. A new IndieGoGo project called RIPCemetary seeks to allow loved ones to “create a space to honor a person and keep the memories alive forever.”
WhatsApp Web Arrives – Sans Group Message Capabilities
WhatsApp have just introduced the ability to connect your phone to a web browser and both receive and send WhatsApp messages via your browser. The first step is to update your WhatsApp messaging application on your phone. Then on the web use a Chrome Browser to navigate to https://web.whatsapp.com.
How Does Your Social Media Usage Compare to ‘The Norm’? How about a Teen?
Every year in recent memory, we have gotten information about the trends of social media sites and apps amongst different age groups. This year we learned about how Facebook isn’t really growing in numbers but is deepening engagement. At the same time a post on Medium called “A Teenager’s View on Social Media” went viral. How do you compare?
