Announcements by Google and Facebook Raise Privacy Concerns

Personal data gathered about you via Google+ (Google’s version of Facebook) and YouTube (owned by Google) will soon be merged with data from Google's search, e-mail (gmail) and other services to create a unified online identity for you online. Google has presented the move as a simple housekeeping measure, but some privacy experts say it could significantly increase the company's ability to track and monetize its users. It also seems like it will narrow what you get back in your search results, giving you only what it thinks you want, based on past searches, rather than giving you say, the full political spectrum on a political issue, or products in a variety of price ranges, rather than the range you have spent in the past. Facebook has also made Timeline, its new user interface, mandatory. This new feature chronologically assembles, automatically displays and makes more globally accessible the preferences, acquaintances and activities of each of Facebook’s 800 million members, creating its own version of a unified identity. Perhaps Big Brother’s new name will be Google? Or is it Facebook ?

If you have more questions about Google’s new policy, take a look at this FAQ. Wondering how to choose what you share with Google?  Find out how to get an overview of all the data Google associates with your account and what Google thinks it knows about you for ad purposes. Fed up with it all? Here’s how to close your Google account.

Google Plus Open to Teens

Google+ has reduced its age limit to allow anyone 13 or older to join. The network previously had been off-limits to those younger than 18. This policy matches rivals such as Facebook and MySpace, but it comes after Google’s controversial recent move to merge data from Google's search, e-mail (gmail) and other services to create a unified online identity for users online. New safety enhancements, meanwhile, will help control who can contact teens online and put restrictions on group video chats. Some privacy advocates commended Google for these safety features directed at teens and for the clarity in explaining to users how to safely set up privacy controls. But, some expressed concerns that youths may not grasp Google’s new privacy policy. Consumer Reports has reported than an estimated 7 million U.S. users on Facebook are younger than 13 and in violation of the user agreement.

Google Privacy Ads Appear

Google recently launched a multi week print ad campaign called “Good To Know” that addresses some of the basics of online privacy and security along with a website with more information. Initial topics to be covered include the steps that can be taken to protect online account passwords and the use of computer coding to locate and identify Web surfers. Google will also try to explain why its widely used search engine can produce more helpful results if it knows more about the past interests of the person making the request. While Google views the campaign as a public service, to many critics the ads came across as disingenuous because of the vast amount of personal information Google collects about its users and past gaffes in protecting that sensitive data.

Tips for Keeping Your Facebook Account From Being Hacked

As Facebook continues to roll out changes faster than most of us want to keep up with them (i.e. Timeline)- having other problems of modern life to deal with – it is great to find a straightforward list of tips to keep some blackhat from hacking your account. Some big items on the list? Make sure you turn on Secure Browsing in Facebook, turn on login notifications (which will let you know if someone other than you logs into your account), and change your password early and often.

So Why Do People Use Facebook?

A new Boston University study entitled "Why do people use Facebook?" proposes that the social network meets two primary human needs: (1) the need to belong and (2) the need for self-presentation. It is a pretty academic analysis, but several interesting observations include the review of a study that found that people with a high level of narcissism and people with low levels of self-esteem spent more than an hour per day on Facebook and that it can help self-esteem. For a contrast, see this teen study of Facebook that cites one of the reasons teens use it is fear – fear of not keeping up and fear that somehow they are going to ridiculed or exposed in some way and they need to be online to make sure they can stem the tide before it becomes a flood. Of course the issue of not keeping up may be exacerbated, or become even more dire, as Facebook just added 60 new apps meant to help users share even more about their daily activities. Actually, as a long time observer, I find it rather funny that tech watchers are calling it “frictionless sharing” as someone indubitably will find a way soon to make it into something less benign.

Technology Solutions for Teen Driver Phone Distractions

USA Today recently ran an article on how parents are using a variety of technology solutions to keep teens from texting and talking while behind the wheel. Many of the solutions involve software or devices that detect when the vehicle is moving and then put a solution in place including jamming or shutting a device off.

Supreme Court Passes on Student Internet Free Speech Cases

The Supreme Court is passing, for now, on major appeals involving free speech on the Internet. Two of the cases that were up for review involved social networking page parodies of school officials done off campus and were upheld by a lower court as no violation of the administrators rights. Another case, where a social networking page by a student created off campus suggested that another female student had herpes, which resulted in the creator being suspended, was upheld in the administrator’s favor. It is concerning because there is very little jurisprudence to guide both the courts and school administrators on what to do about the increase in questionable, and often harmful, student expression online. The only precedent is a 1969 Supreme Court ruling holding that student expression may not be suppressed unless school officials reasonably conclude that it would “materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school.” In that landmark case, the Supreme Court said students had a First Amendment right to wear black armbands on campus to protest the Vietnam War.

Message to your kids: The law still can go either way if you are involved in such a parody or “hate” case. Don’t expect the First Amendment to protect you.

Password Sharing Seen as An Act of Love

A recent New York Times article cites a new digital era custom – the expression of affection between young people by the sharing of passwords to email, Facebook, and other digital accounts. Those who were interviewed for the article expressed that they do know such digital alliances are risky, since some information could be used against them, but that this risk factor is “part of what makes the symbolism of the shared password so powerful.” The article likens the pressure to share passwords to that of having sex as a teen. While there is no indication of just how many teens seem to be doing this (likely only a tiny minority), experts say that it is the kind of symbolism that is almost sure to go awry. Bottom line: While telling some kids not to share their passwords will only make them want to do it even more, don’t give up. There are plenty of examples you can give them of why this may result in very painful consequences and is not just some old Mom-“ism.” Such a discussion can also give kids an excuse not to make the exchange. The old “My Mom would have cow” line is a great “out” for not giving into the pressure.

Parenting in the Digital World – Some Facts and Figures

Digital communication is no fad and despite the fact that some institutions, including some schools, would like it to go away, it is a trend that is here to stay. Intel says that today, there are over 1.5 billion people connected to the Internet. It is projecting three billion by the end of 2015 and hopes the world gets to four billion by the end of 2020. Intel has a selfish reason for this prediction; it makes the chips for the billions of devices that will support this connectivity. ComScore says that as of November, total U.S. iPhone users grew to 26 million and total Android users grew to 42.9 million. That number is trending upward at a fierce pace. Although it’s hard to find one definitive source, the general consensus is that, worldwide, there are approximately five billion feature phones, 500 million smart phones and 60 million tablets and e-readers. And, of course, these numbers are trending up, also. So what does this mean? Maybe this year, your school will get the message that discussions of digital literacy, citizenship, and skills need to be part of the school curriculum. And yes, those same discussions need to be part of your parenting with technology agenda as well.

Facebook For When You Die

OK – as Facebook continues its relentless quest to take over your life (or that of your kids), now comes a Facebook application called "If I Die" that lets users create posthumous videos and messages to their loved ones. How does it work? Users designate "trustees" who can confirm their death. Once confirmation is received, the app posts the prerecorded or prewritten messages. Does the idea that you will have an account that keeps on posting appeal to you?

Speaking of handling digital life after death, there are some estimates that there more than 5 million accounts on Facebook that are still around but inactive due to death. Thinking about that does give a whole new meaning to the idea of digital permanence. If you are interested in the question of how to manage your digital life after death take a look at this list of seven resources that can help.