Experiments in social media - what people are doing

Given that many social media sites use databases on the backend and APIs, there are a lot of interesting 3rd party apps and experiments culling through data and repurposing.One such experiment is WeKnowWhatYoureDoing.com - the Atlantic gives a good overview of how this works:
Let me give you this hypothetical about privacy. You and a friend walk into a public subway station having a conversation about how much you hate your boss.

Facebook privacy settlement & an overview of some of the privacy breaks

Article about some of the egregious breaks in privacy at Facebook as well as the conditions of the proposed settlement against Facebook (-- still the WORLD wide web, though!)----------------Facebook has agreed to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s eight-count complaint in which the FTC charged that the social networking service, which is widely used by libraries, had deceived consumers by promising to keep their information private and then repeatedly making it public.......Under the proposed settlement, Facebook is:    barred from making misrepresentations about the privacy or security of

New workshop on Privacy & online security

UGAers ~ New & free class for you!  If you're a Facebook user and don't know about security settings, this is a class for you. If you travel and use public wifi, this is a class for you!Privacy & YOU:Focusing on best practices and practical tips for maintaining your privacy using skills that can be applied to any website from Facebook to Google+. We will explore basics of online security: tips for using public Wifi safely, how to create a more secure password, and how to use social media sites more securely. November 9, 2-4PM UGA Training & Development

Peekyou, search across the web, social media & more

peerindex (a reputation management/metrics site) has launched a new search engine called peekyou (http://www.peekyou.com). It searches across facebook, linkedin, twitter, friendster, myspace, several people search engines (intellius, spokeo, etc.) and even wikipedia.

Big changes to Facebook privacy (an overview)

So Facebook is rolling out new changes to your news feed (you may have it already). On the plus side for privacy: You can control who sees stuff that is posted about you (like tagged photos) which finally closes one huge privacy leak (changes will not affect older photos but you can retrospectively change them - tomorrow's blog topic!).

Google tip of the day (privacy settings)

If you're a Google user (any of their products) don't forget that you can review and change your settings for all services you use via the Dashboard. I always forget just how handy the Dashboard is for updating settings across the Googlesphere.https://www.google.com/dashboard/..and don't forget you can turn of search history which directly ties your account to your searching.

Facebook & privacy (viva le revolution)

First off, one big caveat: It is simply impossible to have the old Facebook experience with the old level of privacy. If you want the old level of privacy, you're going to have to give up some functionality; if you want all the old functionality, you're going to have to give up some privacy.
http://gawker.com/5522433/how-to-restore-your-privacy-on-facebookThere you go, from the horse's mouth (and also tips about how to tighten down privacy).

the tell all generation, privacy & cultivating a digital identity

Very interesting article about privacy concerns, digital identity, especially as relates to social media:
In a new study to be released this month, the Pew Internet Project has found that people in their 20s exert more control over their digital reputations than older adults, more vigorously deleting unwanted posts and limiting information about themselves. “Social networking requires vigilance, not only in what you post, but what your friends post about you,” said Mary Madden, a senior research specialist who oversaw the study by Pew, which examines online behavior.
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