Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's vision of a completely open
society controlled by the wisdom of the crowd can be admired for its
purity, yet the social network's blasé attitude to privacy has left it
wide open to exploitation from scam artists, identity thieves, stalkers
and bullies.
Prompted by a complaint by Austrian pressure group Europe v Facebook,
the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) will, over the
coming week, start an audit from the company's international base of
operations in Dublin. What the DPC will uncover, if nothing else, will
be some insight into how Facebook views its users and data protection
legislation. The fear is the former are considered marketing
opportunities and the latter an inconvenient barrier.
One of the central questions the DPC will be looking at is how data
are stored. Where, say, Google says it treats personal data like a
stuffed suitcase (yours to take wherever you like), Facebook sees it
more like a bedroom: lots of fun stuff on the walls, but immovable and
owned by someone else. So how worried should we already be? Here are a
few common myths about what Facebook has on its users explored:
Myth: Your friends can post your location
True or false: False
Despite
being the raison d'être of popular casual gaming network FourSquare,
location sharing on its own never took off with Facebook Places.
According to internal stats, only 6% of users bothered with it in its
first two months, and it failed to kick on from there. The service is
still available on mobile devices and you can tag status updates with
your location, but the idea of arbitrarily 'checking into' places
(airports and hotels being popular choices) is no longer with us.
To
double check go into Privacy settings> How tags work> edit
settings> and set 'friends can check you into places' to 'off'.
Myth: Facebook holds on to your data, even if you delete your account
True or false: False
Facebook is obliged to delete all your personal data when you get rid
of your account, but there are two ways to close your account:
deactivating, which is temporary and easily done; and deleting, which is
permanent and not as easy to do.
Deactivating an account is done by clicking the link on your account
settings (accessed on the top right of your screen under the Home
arrow). This closes your account but does not remove it from Facebook's
servers, making it a simple matter of reactivating your profile should
you decide to come back, instead of having to start rebuilding your
network over.
To delete a profile permanently you have to go to the website's help centre (www.facebook.com/help/search/?q=deleting+profile) and submit a request. It's not a huge process, so long as you know where to look.
We're marking this myth 'false' subject to the DPC audit not finding something more sinister.
Myth: Facebook has to provide you with a disc with all the data they have on you
True or false: False
Under Irish law, Facebook is obliged to give you a copy of all your
personal data, but it does not have to be in a physical form. This comes
as a bit of a disappointment to Europe v Facebook, which was hoping to
cost the company hundreds of thousands of euro in pressing, posting and
packaging discs.
According to section four of the Data Protection Act, individuals
have a right to receive a copy of "any type of information such as
written details about you held electronically or on paper, photographs
and CCTV images. You are also entitled to know where the information was
obtained, how it has been used and if it has been passed on to anyone
else." Only a written request is needed.
Right now, Facebook provides a function for you to download a basic
archive consisting of photos, wall posts, messages, chat conversations
attached to your profile and your friends' contact details.
Under this
function, you don't have access to friends' pictures and updates,
personal information and comments you've left on other people's walls.
Just click the link on your account settings page.
Myth: Facial recognition technology is tagging pictures of you without permission
True or false: False
Automatic face recognition was launched in June 2011 to instant
outcry from privacy activists. The software automatically scans and tags
pictures, but the tool was slammed as a way of collecting biometric
data without consent. Legal action was threatened in Germany that could
have seen a €300,000 fine imposed lest some sort of opt-out be provided.
To deactivate the feature go to Privacy settings> How tags
work> edit settings> set 'tag suggestions' to 'off'. While you're
there you should also make sure the option to approve tags is enabled
(it should be). This will give you additional control over what pictures
you get to be seen in.
Myth: Third party software developers know who you are
True or false: True
Under Facebook's developer platform policies, third parties have
access to your 'basic information' once you install their application.
This means your name, e-mail, gender, birthday, current city and
profile picture up for grabs. So yes, developers do know who is on their
books, but you have to give them permission to get hold of your details
first. So make sure you really want that movie/music/TV quiz before you
give it permission.
Be on the lookout for fake apps. These typically appear unprompted,
asking you to take part in surveys or are required to see a
scandalous/exclusive video clip.
Niall Kitson is editor of TechCentral.ie www.techcentral.ie
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Steve Jobs Dies at 56 on Oct 5th 2011
Steve Jobs, billionaire co-founder of Apple and the mastermind behind an empire of products that revolutionised computing, telephony and the music industry, has died in California at the age of 56.
Jobs stepped down in August as chief executive of the company he helped set up in 1976, citing illness. He had been battling an unusual form of pancreatic cancer, and had received a liver transplant in 2009.
Jobs wrote in his letter of resignation: "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."
Apple released a statement paying tribute: "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives … The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."
Bill Gates, the former chief executive of Microsoft, said in a statement that he was "truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs's death". He added: "The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.
"For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honour. I will miss Steve immensely."
He is survived by his wife, Laurene, and four children. In a statement his family said Jobs "died peacefully today surrounded by his family … We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief".
Jobs was one of the pioneers of Silicon Valley and helped establish the region's claim as the global centre of technology. He founded Apple with his childhood friend Steve Wozniak, and the two marketed what was considered the world's first personal computer, the Apple II.
He was ousted in a bitter boardroom battle in 1985, a move that he later claimed was the best thing that could have happened to him. Jobs went on to buy Pixar, the company behind some of the biggest animated hits in cinema history including Toy Story, Cars and Finding Nemo.
He returned to Apple 11 years later when it was being written off by rivals. What followed was one of the most remarkable comebacks in business history.
Apple was briefly the most valuable company in the world earlier this year, knocking oil giant Exxon Mobil off the top spot. The company produces $65.2bn a year in revenue compared with $7.1bn in its business year ending September 1997.
Starting with his brightly coloured iMacs, Jobs went on to launch hit after hit transformed personal computing.
Then came the success of the iPod, which revolutionised the music industry, leading to a collapse in CD sales and making Jobs one of the most powerful voices in an industry he loved.
His firm was named in homage to the Beatles' record label, Apple. But the borrowing was permitted on the basis that the computing firm would stay out of music. After the success of the iPod the two Apples became engaged in a lengthy legal battle which finally ended last year when the Beatles allowed iTunes to start selling their back catalogue.
Jobs's remarkable capacity to spot what people wanted next came without the aid of market research or focus groups.
"For something this complicated, it's really hard to design products by focus groups," he once said. "A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."
Jobs initially hid his illness but his startling weight loss started to unnerve his investors. He took a six-month medical leave of absence in 2009, during which he received a liver transplant, and another medical leave of absence in mid-January before stepping down as chief executive in August.
Jobs leaves an estimated $8.3bn, but he often dismissed others' interest in his wealth. "Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful … that's what matters to me."
Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/06/steve-jobs-apple-cofounder-dies
Jobs stepped down in August as chief executive of the company he helped set up in 1976, citing illness. He had been battling an unusual form of pancreatic cancer, and had received a liver transplant in 2009.
Jobs wrote in his letter of resignation: "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."
Apple released a statement paying tribute: "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives … The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."
Bill Gates, the former chief executive of Microsoft, said in a statement that he was "truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs's death". He added: "The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.
"For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honour. I will miss Steve immensely."
He is survived by his wife, Laurene, and four children. In a statement his family said Jobs "died peacefully today surrounded by his family … We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief".
Jobs was one of the pioneers of Silicon Valley and helped establish the region's claim as the global centre of technology. He founded Apple with his childhood friend Steve Wozniak, and the two marketed what was considered the world's first personal computer, the Apple II.
He was ousted in a bitter boardroom battle in 1985, a move that he later claimed was the best thing that could have happened to him. Jobs went on to buy Pixar, the company behind some of the biggest animated hits in cinema history including Toy Story, Cars and Finding Nemo.
He returned to Apple 11 years later when it was being written off by rivals. What followed was one of the most remarkable comebacks in business history.
Apple was briefly the most valuable company in the world earlier this year, knocking oil giant Exxon Mobil off the top spot. The company produces $65.2bn a year in revenue compared with $7.1bn in its business year ending September 1997.
Starting with his brightly coloured iMacs, Jobs went on to launch hit after hit transformed personal computing.
Then came the success of the iPod, which revolutionised the music industry, leading to a collapse in CD sales and making Jobs one of the most powerful voices in an industry he loved.
His firm was named in homage to the Beatles' record label, Apple. But the borrowing was permitted on the basis that the computing firm would stay out of music. After the success of the iPod the two Apples became engaged in a lengthy legal battle which finally ended last year when the Beatles allowed iTunes to start selling their back catalogue.
Jobs's remarkable capacity to spot what people wanted next came without the aid of market research or focus groups.
"For something this complicated, it's really hard to design products by focus groups," he once said. "A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."
Jobs initially hid his illness but his startling weight loss started to unnerve his investors. He took a six-month medical leave of absence in 2009, during which he received a liver transplant, and another medical leave of absence in mid-January before stepping down as chief executive in August.
Jobs leaves an estimated $8.3bn, but he often dismissed others' interest in his wealth. "Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful … that's what matters to me."
Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/06/steve-jobs-apple-cofounder-dies
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