Kathleen Kalk
Facebook Aims to Simplify Privacy Settings
This from the nytimes bits blog. Facebook is attempting to clarify their privacy settings. Now when you post something, you’ll have the option to choose who sees each particular post – the public, friends, or custom made (spherical-shaped) groups. The changes are supposed to roll out on Thursday. In other news, nothing much else has […]
Pseudonymity in Social Networks
Lately, many people have been writing about the naming policies of social networks. This is because Google+ requires its users to use their real names in their profiles. Facebook does too. Online, our names are tightly and persistently coupled with our actions. Pseudonyms put a measure of distance between our identity online and our real […]
Infographic: How companies are using social media to hire and fire
An interesting infographic in The Atlantic describes what employers find objectionable about a potential hire’s use of social media: Content about using drugs or drinking alcohol. Bad-mouthing previous employers or co-workers. Evidence of poor communication skills. Along with aspects employers liked to see: Offers a good feel for the candidate’s personality. Shows evidence of creativity. […]
Book Review: Therese Fowler’s “Exposure”
Therese Fowler’s third novel Exposure blends a Romeo and Juliet inspired love story with a modern day high school drama, complete with Facebook and sexting. The well-written, fast-paced novel tells the story of two high school teenagers, Anthony and Amelia. Both attend an expensive private school in North Carolina. Both are madly in love with […]
Missouri Outlaws student-teacher Facebook Friendship
A law in Missouri was recently passed that makes it illegal for teachers to be “friends” with students on any social networking site that allows private communication. Here’s the complete story from NPR news. The larger bill was passed with great support because it was designed to protect children from predatory teachers. But as one […]
Start-up scours web for dirt on job candidates
Apparently, it’s not Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace that get most job candidates in trouble. According to Max Drucker, CEO of Social Intelligence, only about one-third of the incriminating web content comes from those platforms. Drucker’s company contracts with employers to scope out job candidates online and reports back any positive or negative info the company […]
Social Networking Sites and Human Behaviour
Last month, Pew Research Center released a report titled Social Networking Sites and Our Lives. How do social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter affect our relationships? Do they isolate us? Or are there benefits associated with being connected to others online through social networks? These are the questions the study sought to […]
Google Lauches “Me on the Web”
If you’ve ever Googled yourself, searched pipl.com or scoped out MIT’s Personas than it’s likely you’ve come across some interesting results – Since when is my MySpace profile from high school the only proof of my existence online? Who’s this B-list celebrity with my same name and an arrest record? Where’s the blog that I […]
Google+ : Facebook :: ____ : ____
Exploring Google+, the just released social networking service from Google is like walking through an unfinished house. The frame is there but it’s missing the people and pictures on the walls that make it a home. As the invites roll out and more people sign up though, that’s sure to change. Still, even just the […]
UBC to change email providers
This summer UBC IT services will be switching student email away from NetInfo/Interchange email. Instead, UBC will offer two new optional services – an alias email address and a mailbox service hosted by an external provider. Which provider UBC will work with is not known at this point. The change comes at a time when […]
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