In social media, the only constant is change. Remember those commentaries about how social networking was "trivializing" friendship by throwing all levels of acquaintanceship under the big digital umbrella labeled "friends"? Well, I always felt the commentators were taking what they saw in social sites a bit too literally and failing to understand how much "real life" socializing rules its online … [Read more...] about What Facebook’s ‘Subscribe’ signifies
FB & Google+ videochat + kids: Should we worry?
Based on old fears around online chat and Webcams, should all the news about videochat in Facebook and the new very social Google+ concern parents (when the latter goes public)? Not really. Not the sort of engaged parents who tend to be concerned, and definitely not those who approach these things from the kid out instead of from the technology or the headlines in (see this). In other words, it … [Read more...] about FB & Google+ videochat + kids: Should we worry?
The new, social Google+
Google Plus aims to be the online version of your existing social circles (such as personal and professional ones and allowing them to stay separate), offering a lot of the same features as Facebook (as in Groups), but organized into "Circles" right up front. To them, it brings "Hangouts" (video chat), "Huddles" (group chat), and "Sparks" (as in conversation starters and talking points, a little … [Read more...] about The new, social Google+
Google’s new reputation-checking tool
So many online reputation experts say the most basic tool is to Google yourself that it seems only natural Google would come out with its own rep-management tool. "The tool, 'Me on the Web,' is now included on the Google dashboard in between account information and analytics," reports a USATODAY blog. Google's explanation is something that needs to become intuitive to every Web user: "Your online … [Read more...] about Google’s new reputation-checking tool
FTC’s strong message to social media providers
Via its proposed settlement with Google over its Buzz product's privacy flaws, the Federal Trade Commission just sent the social-media industry a message. Bake user privacy protection into your product development. The Commission's critique of Buzz's launch was detailed, reported Rob Pegoraro at the Washington Post: "If you read through its eight-page complaint, you’ll see a focus on the finer … [Read more...] about FTC’s strong message to social media providers