What are some of the government’s approaches to protecting online privacy?
Beyond SOPA: Obama’s Privacy Bill of Rights
The White House has made up a blueprint detailing clear protections for consumers and greater certainty for companies when dealing with online privacy. The 62-page framework for protecting consumer data online was unveiled. Read what all they have included.
Privacy regulators: US and EU will take different approaches
Both the US and EU governments are pushing for new online privacy standards. The main difference is that the U.S. is focusing on enforcement of the privacy promises that companies make while the E.U. will enforce privacy rights even when companies make no promises. Who do you think will take a stronger role in privacy enforcement?
Social Media Role In Police Cases Growing
With more people flaunting their actions and thoughts in the open, social media networks have become a definite go-to for police departments and federal agencies. Roughly 88% of law enforcement agencies claim to have used social media sites with Facebook being the number one used. Does law enforcement have the right to shut down people’s Facebook pages?
Google Promises to Cooperate with Safari-Related Privacy Probes
Last month Google admitted to bypassing the default privacy settings of Apple’s Safari web browser. Google has pledged to cooperate with all probes into their actions that seek to find out if they were in violation of a consent decree they signed with the FTC last year.
Just how concerned are we with online privacy?
Search Engine Users Worry About Privacy Invasion
A new study shows a large increase in the number of people using search engines. 73% of
Americans use search engines as opposed to 52% in 2002. Other statistics in recent studies
show current trends and how they relate to the increased public privacy awareness.
Loosening the Privacy Reigns Isn’t So Bad, But Where’s is the Payoff?
A less critical look at the online privacy discussion. What do we gain by being tracked? Are
targeted ads even effective? Writer Matt Asay talks about why he doesn’t have a problem with
large ad networks monitoring his online behavior.
Australians Concerned For Online Privacy
Many people are finding it difficult to consent to any use of personal information online because
it isn’t clear on exactly how it will be used. Australians are now more than ever in favor of a legal
right to online privacy especially after the recent world phone hacking scandals.
Online Privacy Not a Key Concern Yet: Ericsson Survey
Even though the awareness of online companies using consumer data for commercial purposes
is growing, there is little change in behaviour when it comes to sharing information online. The
survey shows that people are least likely to share information on medical records and their
financial situation but don’t really have an issue sharing music playlists, religious beliefs, or
current mood. The survey also notes that there is an increased awareness in privacy issues but
no immediate sense of urgency.
Online Privacy Changes Change the Way 
Consumers and Businesses Behave.
Online Advertising Isn’t Creepy Enough
Are marketers’ online attempts to track our every move an invasion of privacy or a luxury we should appreciate? Arguments are made that if they were a little more creepy people may be more willing to give up their privacy for a little more personal gain.
Data Security and Privacy Concerns Impacting What People Buy, Where They Do Business
With recent high profile data breaches consumers are being more cautious about which companies they do business with. A majority of people around the world feel that their personal information is not completely secure in the hands of companies. A recent study indicated that people are hesitant to do any sort of businesses with any company they perceive incapable of protecting their data.
Google’s Privacy Policy Affects Mobile Users
Google’s poorly received revamped privacy policy is not restricted to just computers. Mobile users are going to see these changes as well.
Privacy Alert! Employers & Colleges Demand Facebook Passwords
What would you do if while in an interview you were asked for your passwords to your social media accounts? A new trend emerging is just this. Many are crying foul to these practices and that such practices are in violation of First Amendment rights.
Online reputations becoming more important than resumes and great Reputation Management tips!
Image © OutStyle - Fotolia.com
Repairing Your Online Reputation
How do you protect your online reputation? Sue Newberry who owns a Rollarama Skate Rink says she definitely takes her applicants online reputation into consideration when hiring. She notes that if companies like hers that employs roughly 30 people are looking into online reputations you better believe the big companies are doing the same.
http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2509735.shtml?cat=300
Your Reputation Is Your Resume
Do you have an online presence? Our online activity is now replacing resumes on showing off who you really are. Online resources are paving the way for people to build reputations and demonstrating their skills.
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/39785/
3 Online Reputation Management Don’ts for 2012
Great tips for managing your online reputation. Topics include being proactive about negativity, using social media, and how to respond to negative reviews.
http://www.business2community.com/online-marketing/3-online-reputation-management-donts-for-2012-0138740
When Employees Use Social Media, Protect Your Brand
Employees have the potential to do a lot of damage to a brand’s reputation from how they choose to use social media. These are six practical tips that will help keep employees from making a brand guilty by association.
http://www.pamil-visions.net/protect-your-brand/233208/
Workplace Social-Media policies, companies shifting towards social-media customer care, increased privacy trends for FB users, and basic online privacy protection tips.
For Unhappy Consumers Social-Media Are the Mighty Sword.
In a recent study of social media users by Nielsen and NM Incite, most said they give online reviews to give companies recognition, but 58 percent said they give negative feedback to protect others from bad experiences. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, 42 percent expect customer support within 12 hours of such a complaint.”This is a fundamental shift in the way businesses operate,” said Kary Delaria, whose company, Kane Consulting in Minneapolis, advises companies on online reputation management. “We’re becoming a society of consumers that want businesses to act like a person. And businesses haven’t done this before.”
Staying aware of the current state of online privacy and where your personal information is being stored and potentially used.
What The Internet Knows About You And How To Protect Yourself
Sarah Downey, a Legal Marketing Associate at Abine Inc, explains how sites like BeenVerified.com store and share detailed information on people. Sarah states “The old public records laws were meant to deal with pre-Internet world. They don’t protect our online generation. ‘Public Record’ has now become SUPER public with the advent of the Internet and records are far more accessible and visible than they’ve ever been.” Sarah is advocating a reexamination of the word “public record” and some consumer control over their digital profile.
Compute: You Can’t Count on Online Privacy
Scripps Howard News Source reminds us that our cyber-privacy is constantly being chipped away by our Internet providers, cell phone carriers, and lawmakers. They recap the implications laws such as SOPA could have had, cell phone, and social-media websites’ new privacy policies that track our personal information.
Looking for Love? Don’t Trust Online Dating Sites:
In light of last week being Valentine’s Day we thought we would remind people who use online dating sites that their information does not necessarily stay there. Informationweek Security tells us about the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s warning that numerous dating sites which are for-profit businesses sell their customers data to third parties like Google and Facebook. Even though the data is “anomyized” it is said that it’s truly hard to actually achieve true anonymity before being sold. Read to find out what kind of information is shared and what to look for when using online dating sites.
The Piracy of Online Privacy
Paul Smalera claims that online privacy doesn’t exist and that it was lost years ago and we have already gotten used to it. Paul highlights some new outrages from privacy advocates such as the recent Google privacy changes. He also goes into detail on how we made a privacy trade off long ago as we decided to utilize free social networking with the expectations that it would remain free.
Facebook Timeline Tips & Tricks, Privacy Policy Best Practices & More!
The Facebook Timeline Button That Hides Your Past From Strangers’ Prying Eyes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/03/the-facebook-timeline-button-to-hide-your-past-from-strangers-prying-eyes/
- Kashmir Hill offers an important tip for all Facebook users looking to hide past photos and posts as the new Timeline feature is rolled out across all accounts: Enable the privacy feature, “Limit the Audience for Old Posts on Your Timeline.”
From Google to Facebook, online privacy concerns aren’t going away (infographic)
No, you’re not reading The Onion. This actually happened!
Massachusetts dentist Dr. Michael Clair is facing one year in jail, after being caught using paper clips instead of steel posts when performing root canals. Clair has pleaded guilty to “assault and battery, defrauding Medicaid of $130,000, illegally prescribing medications and witness intimidation.”
In order to save money and cut corners, Clair allegedly claimed the steel posts as an expense and submitted claims under the guise of other dentists.
Patients experienced intense pain and infections as a result of Clair’s malpractice. According to Brenda Almeida, “her teenage son’s tooth turned black and had to be removed after Clair performed a root canal on him in 2005.” Continue Reading…
Just in time for Data Privacy Day, Microsoft released a new survey (and infographic) that polled online users both nationally and internationally about their online behaviors. Among the most compelling findings were, 56 percent of survey respondents said they don’t actually think about the repercussions of their online behavior on their reputation, and as many as 62 percent claimed they don’t focus on how those activities may impact other people.
Based on the survey findings, Microsoft has issued several recommendations for how online users can better manage and protect their online image—as well as the image of others. For example, the company offered tips like conducting your own searches for your name and personal information (e.g. email addresses).
Additionally, the software company suggested people should take matters into their own hands if their friends or family are posting reputation-damaging content involving them to online sites, and have an open conversation about what they are and aren’t comfortable with sharing. According to the study, “14% of adults surveyed say they have experienced negative consequences due to online activities by others.” Continue Reading…
Facebook’s IPO & What It Means for User Data, Google’s Changing Privacy Policies & More!
Google Privacy Policy Changes Defended In Letter To Congress
- In response to scrutiny from lawmakers over their changing privacy policies, Google has issued a statement claiming that users will still maintain control over how their data is collected and shared once these updates are rolled out.
Personal Data’s Value? Facebook Is Set to Find Out
- With Facebook’s IPO looming, there are two top-of-mind questions that emerge: Is personal data something that Facebook can make sustainably profitable, and will Facebook be able to harness this data in a way that doesn’t conflict with user and government privacy concerns.
Continue Reading…
