In the spirit of Halloween...

The other day while killing time on Facebook, my roommate sent me a chat message that contained no words, but rather a single URL link. I responded back asking what the link was, but when I didn't get a reply I figured I would check it out for myself. The link read "takethislollipop.com," which I found to be a rather curious name, and when I clicked it I was brought to a webpage that had no pictures or words other than a big, blue lollipop in the middle of the page with the words "I DARE YOU" written across it. When I clicked the lollipop, a new browser popped up asking my persmission to access my Facebook information. Though this would normally raise a red flag, my roommate and the website reassured me that none of my information would be saved for any reason. I proceeded to click "accept," and a new browser containing a fullscreen video showed up on my screen. What happened next was absolutely horrifying.

No, this wasn't the kind of video that tries to scare you by playing loud music as a scary image pops up on screen. Nor was it the kind that superimposes ghosts and monsters onto real video footage to lead you to believe that they exist. It was far more terrifying than that. This video was my own personal horror story which began in a dimly lit hallway, the kind that would be seen in a scary movie. As the video plays on, you are introduced to a very creepy, dirty (literally) older man sitting at his computer in a large, open room. With his face pressed up against the screen and his eyes frantically darting back and forth, he clicks the mouse a few times and suddenly his face lights up with delight. After a couple of seconds pass, the video finally reveals the reason for this disturbing man's excitement; he is looking at none other than a picture of... ME.

I do not want to spoil the rest of the video for anyone willing to try it out (which I highly encourage). As said before, the website WILL NOT keep any of your information, but if you still do not feel comfortable allowing access to your Facebook (though I think it makes the story depicted in the video more realistic), here is the video using someone else's information:


Though I'm assuming that this video was created more for entertainment purposes, I could honestly see it being a PSA type of video as well. The hypothetical cyber-stalker depicted in this video was creeping on my actual photos and wall posts, and as the video continues, he even looks up the city in which I currently reside. The scariest aspect about this video is that all of the information the video used was accessed directly from my Facebook. All of the information that was available to this gruesome, hypothetical creep is also available to anyone online, cyber-stalker or not. The scenes and images portrayed in this video would make anyone think twice about the information they put on their online profiles.

So, in the spirit of Halloween, try it out using your own information. I DARE YOU.

Sources:
http://www.takethislollipop.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w96xcOtniys&feature=related

Even if you don't have a Facebook, you have a Facebook

While surfing the Internet, I came across an article titled "Facebook Building 'Shadow Profiles' of Non-Members, Experts Allege," found on foxnews.com. It centers on the claim made by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner that accuses Facebook of building "shadow profiles" of non-users who have not even signed up to join Facebook. Though Facebook denies this accusation, international privacy watchdogs claim that Facebook creates these profiles by taking the information of non-users from the profiles of actual users. Ciara O'Sullivan, a spokeswoman for Ireland's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, stated that this completely violates privacy laws in Europe, and that the commission plans to do a complete audit of Facebook.

In rebuttal to Ireland's accusation, Andrew Noyes, a spokesman for Facebook, claimed the "allegations are false" and that "the assertion that Facebook is doing some sort of nefarious profiling is simply wrong." But was this simply an "assertion" or was there viable evidence that supported Ireland's claim? According to the article, Facebook claims that no information received from its users is used for ads or sold to third parties, but Ireland believes they are doing just that. They claim to have evidence that Facebook is "gathering excessive amounts of information about data subjects without notice or consent by the data subject" and the subject matter "might also constitute sensitive data such as political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation and so forth." This possible privacy violation could mean a big penalty towards Facebook, since it potentially violates Europe's strict privacy laws.

Though the claim of Facebook's "shadow profiles" has yet to be proven, this is just one of many accusations against the privacy policies of Facebook and other social networking sites. Kelly Kubasta, who heads the Dallas law firm Klemchuk Kubasta’s social media division, stated that "regardless of what Facebook is doing, many websites collect and propagate personally identifiable information about individuals who have not entered into any agreement with the website." If proven true, these "shadow profiles" could stir up a lot of controversy over privacy violation. Until then, Kubasta agrees that Facebook, and other social networking sites alike, could do a lot more to effectively protect personal data.

Sources:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/10/21/facebook-building-shadow-profiles-non-members-experts-allege/

Remembering Phoebe Prince

Two summers ago, I worked full time at a title company as a recording clerk, getting paid $10 an hour to basically sit at a desk and play on the computer for eight hours a day, partaking in various activities including online shopping and Facebooking friends (tough life, I know). Part of my daily, morning routine (aside from getting a tall cup of coffee to help alleviate the tiredness I felt from starting the day at 8 A.M.) included killing some time exploring MSN.com for various articles featured on the homepage. Most of the time, the articles talked about the top 10 best cars of the summer, or covered the progress of the BP oil spill clean up. However, I came across a story one day that immediately consumed my interest and tore at my heart. The story was about a 15-year-old girl named Phoebe Prince, a high school student who recently moved to America from Ireland, who was a victim of intense cyberbullying that ultimately led her to commit suicide.

According to an article from mydailynews.com, Phoebe had been pushed over the edge when nine girls from her high school viciously harassed her online through Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. The girls, who soon became known as the "Mean Girls," left comments and posted statuses on Facebook calling Phoebe an "Irish slut" and a "whore" for all of the cyber world to see. The hostility between Phoebe and the "Mean Girls" started when Phoebe started dating a senior boy on the football team, sparking jealousy among the other girls. Soon, the cyber abuse escalated into offline torture. The "Mean Girls" began threatening Phoebe during school, and even threw a Red Bull can at her as she was walking by. The following video from abcnews.com provides more information about Phoebe's story and the charges faced by the nine teens who harassed her.


Phoebe's story, though hard to read and sickening to think about, is one of thousands. As seen in her story, cyberbullying is not something to be taken lightly and can have detrimental effects on the person being bullied. Social networking sites like Facebook, allow users to post whatever they want, which creates a perfect environment for cyberbullying. Without the Internet and social networking sites like Facebook, it may have been harder for the "Mean Girls" to attack Phoebe like they did. Stories like Phoebe's spark concern for the safety of Internet users, especially younger, more vulnerable users. Since her daughter's death, Phoebe's mother has been fighting to increase safety not only in schools, but in the online world as well. Hopefully through her efforts combined with the efforts of others, cyberbullying can be eliminated and people can feel safer and more secure while online.

Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/phoebe-princes-mother-speaks-daughters-bullies/story?id=13528312
http://www.truecrimereport.com/2010/01/phoebe_prince_15_commits_suici.php

Advertisement companies using personal information is bad...or no big deal?

Today, I will be comparing two blogs. The first is a blog titled "Kim Cameron's Identity Weblog" that talks specifically about identity on the Internet, though sometimes brushes the topic of privacy. The second is a blog post written by Paul Goodhead found on the site bit-tech.net.

Both blogs do a good job appealing to ethos in their choice of words, but they differ greatly on their viewpoints. Kim Cameron's latest blog post talks about the website Linked In, and how it leaks the information of its users to third party advertising companies in order to match the user with appropriate advertisements. The author has a strong viewpoint against this activity, accusing it of virtually stripping the privacy and identity of it's users. The author conveys her viewpoint through the use of a sarcastic tone, mixed in with short, strong, and opinionated statements. She concludes her post by saying, "as a community of professionals...we need a network that respects the rights of the people in it." The fact that she refers to herself and her audience as "professionals" may mean that the author is a businesswoman who knows what she's talking about, and thus contributes to logos.

The blog post on bit-tech takes a different standpoint on the same subject. The author of this blog uses a somewhat sarcastic tone throughout the post, almost mocking the concerns that many people have about Internet privacy and advertising companies stealing personal information. He refers to anyone with this viewpoint as "alarmist and arguably ignorant...of how the Internet works." The author claims that uploading drunken pictures of yourself is no different from an advertising company using one of your listed interests as a key word for advertisements. Obviously this author has strong opinions on the subject, and makes it clear through strong word choice and one-sided commentary.

Though the opinions and viewpoints of these bloggers differ greatly, their overall tone and blog appearance were very similar. Both blogs had visuals that not only conveyed the subject matter of their blogs, but also contributed greatly to logos. The blogs also used a similar sarcastic tone when writing about their topics, which was successful in engaging the reader. If you are looking for different viewpoints on the subject of advertising companies and Internet privacy, I would recommend these blogs for good arguments from both sides.

Sources:
http://www.identityblog.com/
http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2011/03/22/on-privacy-in-facebook/