Facebook tracking and security

From a fellow 202er:

Sorry about last night's loss, well somewhat. You have to admit it was a pretty intense game the whole way through. Anyways, yesterday at the end of lecture I mentioned a few New York Times articles about Facebook, and Facebook security.

The first article I just noticed today is discussing how Facebook has somehow managed to track "Gross National Happiness" and is all dependent upon words used in user's statuses. What will they think of next?
http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2009/10/05/05readwriteweb-facebook-now-tracking-gross-national-happin-27977.html

The other article is 5 easy steps to stay safe on Facebook. This reiterates what we discussed in our lab section about safe-proofing our Facebooks. I thought you might be interested!
http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2009/09/16/16readwriteweb-5-easy-steps-to-stay-safe-and-private-on-fac-6393.html?em

False identities in cyberspace

Had a fascinating chat with a 202 lab this week on social networking identities and journalism ethics. We dove into the tough question of "how accurately does your Facebook profile portray you?" If something happened to you today, would your profile adequately cover your life for purposes of a news story or obituary? Mine wouldn't.
Are social networking profiles real? Or are they more of a "performance space," where you try to be things you're not? Do we only put part of ourselves online?
And what happens when they're purposely manipulated? A new libel case arose this month in Illinois, where four high school students are accused of creating a fake and defamatory Facebook profile for a student athlete. Read the complaint. Harmless kid prank or ruinous to reputation?
Social networking hoaxes are not new. Recall the MySpace hoax linked to a teen suicide.

Facebook firing

Blog post from a 202er:

Hey Katy,

As a resident of Philadelphia, I found this article to be particularly interesting. Not only does it relate to my beloved Eagles, but it relates to our class and the right to privacy vs. the workplace. I thought this would be a great blog article because it raises the ethical question of whether the employee should be fired for what he did outside of the workplace. Here is the article from ESPN.com:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3965039

And the blog from ESPN.com
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfceast/0-8-229/The-Eagles-release-another--part-time--employee.html

Let me know what you think.

I know what I think. What do you think?

Social Networks and Tragedy

The issue we've been discussing has hit close to home. I rec'd this message from a former student:

Hey Katy-

I don't know if you still run the blog for 202 anymore, but if so I thought you might find this situation interesting. Channel 3000 posted a link to Brittany Zimmerman's MySpace page next to her picture and the story of her homicide. I, for one, find this to be completely rude and unethical. Thought it might spark some conversation for your class.

What do you think? Connect this to the earlier post on Facebook at UMass.

Facebook and Tragedy

Check out this blog post at the University of Massachusetts. Be sure to read the comments below it. We've covered this terrain in 202 before, and I wrote a column about it for the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
I'm curious what you think of the practice of reporters and editors going into MySpace and Facebook profiles of people after they've died or been injured. Is it ethical? Necessary?

Heckling at Home

Excellent blog addition from a 202er:

1. read this CapTimes story about an alleged crime in the dorms
2. read this response to it on the Critical Badger blog
3. digest the debate in the blog comments
4. weigh in through our comments

The poster sent this as an accompaniment to the Discussion Arena reading on digital heckling. What do you think of the response here?

Twitter?

OK, Do you Twitter?
I'm intrigued by the service but not convinced. It's like having my IM status messages available to the world (but Twitter's bug that won't allow AIM update submissions right now is thoroughly ticking me off). Does this mean I have to sound more coherent?
I can see it being uber-handy if I were still a breaking news reporter, but I'm not.
How can this tool be useful to me or will it become yet one more Facebook-esque time-suck that gives me the illusion that my busy-ness is somehow worthwhile?

Facebook and Ads

Hi Katy-

This is one of two articles discussing the new advertising angle that Facebook is taking with its trademarked "SocialAds." Apparently, they have a new way of looking at market research and targeting. I thought this might promote an interesting discussion on the class blog. That's my two cents.

Facebook Set to Introduce Major Ad Play
Social Network Could Unveil 'SocialAds' at NYC Event Next Month
October 23, 2007
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=121440

Facebook and Reporting

I have column out in the new edition of The American Editor from the American Society of Newspaper Editors, discussing the ethics of using Facebook to find information about crime and accident victims who have been killed.
I've discussed this with a bunch of you, many of whom have told me wrenching stories about losing young friends and seeing it play out on FB.
What do you think of this? Is it fair game for reporters? Does it weird you out? Feel voyeuristic? I'd love to read your comments.