From the monthly archives:

February 2010

Students Suspended Over Facebook Bullying

February 25, 2010

Students from two Brisbane schools have been suspended over separate highly offensive Facebook pages in the past week, with police investigating at least one of the students.

Twenty students from Springwood State High School, Brisbane have been suspended for bullying a school staff on Facebook.

Southeast regional director Glen Hoppner calls on parents to help schools crack down on inappropriate post on social networking sites.

“Schools work closely with parents to address these issues when they arise, and to help ensure the schools’ messages about inappropriate internet content are reinforced at home,” said Mr. Hoppner according to Sydney Morning Herald.

A year 12 student of Marist College Ashgrove was also suspended last week for setting up a Facebook group titled “If 1,000,000 people join, I’ll give back Daniel Morcombe.”

He is now said to being assisting in efforts to remove the site which apparently have no administrator.

Daniel Morcombe, was abducted from the Sunshine Coast in December 7, 2003. He was 13 when he was abducted and is still missing.

There are also many legit Facebook pages/groups dedicated to finding Daniel Morcombe, one of which called “1 000 000 people in the search for Daniel Morcombe” has around 43,000 members.

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Facebook Coming With a Killer App Soon

February 25, 2010

News have been flying around a lot recently revolving Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, and Google with tie-ups, integrations, applications updates and launches, acquisitions and what not.

From what i have read, Facebook has a trump card up its sleeves. Yes!! And that happens to be a new Facebook application reportedly code named as ‘myf’, according to NY Breaking News.

“This is huge! A new facebook application is ready that will literally kill other social networking platforms like Twitter and the recently launched Google Buzz. The news is definitely going to scare the hell out of Google and Twitter . The application is ready in the beta version and is being tested with very positive results from users.

The said facebook application, code named as ‘myf’ has very intuitive user interface with drag and drop features , very quick search and connect options with very good privacy settings so facebook privacy will be foolproof. Communication and updates are quicker with multiple media support. It will take mobile applications to the next level,” reports the source.

They say this Facebook application developer is very sure of its success and popularity and those who have tried it just can’t stop keep their mouth shut.

According to the source, One goes on to say, “No one will even want to ever look at any other networking site once the application is launched. This will be the ultimate Facebook application.” Another one says, “Facebook has simply no competition from Twitter, Google Buzz or any other networking site out there, once this application is launched.”

Wow! Did i read it right? This is really huge – intuitive user interface with drag and drop features, very quick search and connect options along with foolproof privacy. It’s hard to digest it all, while many users are still trying to get along with the recent updates and changes and brooding over the old Facebook.

Anyway, I have to admit that this news didn’t make me go, “oh no, not another one!” but have gotten the curious human mind of mine and all i have to say is, “Give it to me now Facebook! Least i get too comfortable with what i got now and hate a change.”

Well, until any further news on this one, all i have to do is, i guess – keep on guessing why code named as ‘myf’? Anyone wanna give a try? icon smile Facebook Coming With a Killer App Soon

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Facebook Insult: Indonesian Student Prosecuted

February 25, 2010

Mohammad Wahyu Muharam, a university law student, was prosecuted over Facebook insult.

He apparently insulted his marching band mentor by referring his mentor as a “scoundrel” and “very greedy” on his Facebook page in August, last year.

“We ask for a suspended six-month jail for the defendant as he had insulted his marching band mentor on social networking website Facebook,” said prosecutor Lusiana according to reports.

The prosecutors reportedly reduce their recommended sentence after the defendant expressed regret.

The law student told reporters that he hoped his experience would be a lesson to other Facebook users and advised Facebookers to be more cautious in their postings.

Last week, another Indonesian teenager received a suspended jail sentence for posting insulting remarks to her romantic rival on the site.

The country is also said to be considering proposals to block internet sites that are deemed to violate “public decency” and privacy. According to the source, Facebook users or Facebook itself could be blocked under certain provisions of the draft regulations.

Around 8000 people is said to have joined a Facebook group to oppose the planned Internet restrictions.

Indonesia’s tough criminal defamation law has been criticized as one the world’s strictest.

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Facebook Expected To Join Mobile Location Service With Loopt

February 25, 2010

Facebook is said to be doing due diligence on the a potential deal with Loopt, a mobile social location service, according to Techcrunch.

Both the parties have not confirmed on this. Loopt is said to have refused to comment on this subject, while Facebook spokesperson is reported to have said: “As a practical matter, we don’t comment on rumor and speculation.”

It is evident that the potential deal is in its early stages, but we can bet that Facebook is at the least very interested in acquiring Loopt, or perhaps a location-based service like it.

Till date Facebook have sat on the sidelines and ignored location features and the ever-increasing popularity of checking-in at locations via mobile devices. This hesitation maybe due to the privacy concerns around disclosing location information.

Location-aware services are immensely popular and has become a social trend almost in parallel to the popularity of social networking. So far, startups like Loopt, Foursquare, Gowalla, aka-aki and hundreds of little-known players are dominating this field. Recently launched Google Buzz also allows check-ins of locations via a mobile device.

With mobile location-based services expected to generate almost $13 billion by 2014, according to Juniper Research, and the pace at which its popularity is rising and Facebook, with a user base of over 100 million mobile users, must should definitely want their share of the pie. Once can also suggest the move as a catch-up game with Google.

However, Facebook’s presence in this area will have a huge impact on the social location service space and on it’s users privacy concerns.

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British Teacher Found Dead After Nude Photos Were Posted on Facebook

February 24, 2010

Emma Jones, a 24-year-old British teacher working in the an international school in Abu Dhabi died after drinking corrosive cleaning fluid.

Coroner Thomas Atherton said she might have accidentally drunk cleaning fluid from an unlabeled container, mistaking it for water.

The victim, according to her mother Louise Rowlands, was apparently living in fear and distress because her ex-boyfriend had posted ‘indecent’ pictures on her on Facebook and was accused of prostitution by a man working at the school.

She was apparently distress and afraid that a man called George working in the school’s IT department, who had seen the pictures, would report it to the authorities and she would be jailed in the strict Muslim country.

Suicide had been ruled out. She was about to return to Britain. Her clothes were out, ready to be packed and her passport was in her pocket when she was found dead by her roommate.

No proof of the photos was given to the inquest and Jamie Brayley, Emma’s ex-boyfriend, denied posting any indecent images of her.

Mr Brayley is said to have described Mrs. Rowlands claims as ‘complete fantasy.’

[Source: Daily Mail]

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Teacher Hailed As Hero After Colorado School Shooting

February 24, 2010

Maths teacher David Benke is being held as a hero after he brought down a deranged man accused of opening fire at Deer Creek Middle School in Jefferson county, Colorado.

Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood, 32, a man with a history of mental problems opened  fire with a hunting rifle injuring two students, one critically.

Mr. Benke, a 6.5 ft former college basketball player, is said to have rushed to the shooter and wrestled him to the ground.

Mr Benke’s acts of heroism is being widely praised, and a Facebook fan page called “Dr. David Benke Is A Hero!!!!” has  attracted more than 26,000 fans so far.

One fan wrote: ” There’s no telling how many lives you have impacted. Teachers Do make a positive difference.”

“You saved lives of innocent children, and as a parent, I say thank you. And way to go!” wrote another.

“Thank-you, it is right that you should have this praise. All of us hope someone like you will be there for our loved ones, and for yours,” writes yet another.

I am sure, parents all around are grateful to Dr. Benke for his act of bravery, which without mentioning, will remain as a source of inspiration, security and hope to many.

Way to go, Mr Benke!!!

[Source: Denver Post]

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Stancl: Facebook Sex Scammer Gets 15 Years

February 24, 2010

Anthony Stancl, 19, who used Facebook to blackmail fellow New Berlin Eisenhower High School students into sexual acts with him in 2008, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and another 13 years of extended supervision Wednesday, according to the Journal Sentinel Online.

Judge J. Mac Davis, Waukesha County Circuit,  imposed the sentence saying Stancl had proven that he was manipulative, excessively self-centered and could still be dangerous.

“I am afraid of what he can and might do,” said Davis.

Stancl posed as a female on Facebook and persuaded at least 31 boys to send him naked pictures of themselves. He then used those pictures to threaten and blackmail at least seven boys, ages 15 to 17, into performing sex acts.

Stancl pleaded no contest in December to two felonies, including repeated sexual assault of a child. He is said to have apologized to the victims and their families, and his own family before the judgment was passed.

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Trinity Accused Listed In Parents Friends List

February 24, 2010

Trinity Bates 300x225 Trinity Accused Listed In Parents Friends List

8-year-old Trinity Bates

The teenager accused of murdering 8-year-old schoolgirl Trinity Bates is said to be in the friend list of both her parents on Facebook.

19-year-old Allyn John Slater, the accused, briefly faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court on a murder Charge Wednesday morning sitting barefoot and handcuffed behind glass.

The 8-year-old was allegedly abducted from her bed overnight last Sunday. Her pyjama-clad body was found in an open drain close to her home less than an hour after her father reported her missing about 5:45 am on Monday.

”She was a beautiful, happy, loved and loving little girl,” said Kerry Hanlon, Trinity’s grandmother.

Locals anger over the killing of Trinity is said to be escalating and police have reportedly urged Bundaberg residents to show restraint.

A number of tribute pages were set up on Facebook to honor Trinity, one of which has attracted more than 22,000 members by Monday. Facebook has also reportedly shut down one of the memorial sites which was defaced with pornographic and other offensive posts. Four person are under investigation on this matter.

According to the source, there will be a candlelight vigil held for Trinity in the center of Bundaberg tonight.

[Source: The Australian]

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Facebook Adds More Talent With Octazen Solutions

February 24, 2010

Facebook’s latest acquisition is a company called Octazen Solutions, which i believe is one most people have not heard about.

Ocatazen Solutions, a small Malaysian startup, are maker of a contact importer that the social network had already been using to grow its number of users by encouraging them to invite their email contacts.

The word around the web is that Octazen is an incredibly successful data-scraping operation, grabbing users’ social graphs from one service and porting them to another.

Spokesperson for Facebook  says: “We’ve admired the engineering team’s efforts for some time now and this is part of our ongoing effort to add experienced, accomplished technical talent,” and refers to the purchase as a “small talent acquisition.”

The real intention of Facebook on the acquisition is not clear as users can already find new Facebook buddies via major services like AIM and Gmail.

With more than 400 million users now Facebook has kept fairly quiet on the acquisition front, focusing primarily on talent buys rather than products. In the last one year Facebook has bought Parakey and Friendfeed.

Could the acquisition be an answer to Google Buzz, or just to a push to consolidate it’s presence on the web. We’ll have to wait and watch.

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Outlook 2010 to Connect Users to Facebook

February 23, 2010

Integrating business and leisure into one? This can soon be possible through Microsoft’s upcoming Outlook social connector, the Outlook 2010, which will be released as a part of the Microsoft Office 2010’s beta program later this year. Outlook is known as an email client and personal organizer. However, its upcoming features can change all that.

Microsoft Outlook Outlook 2010 to Connect Users to Facebook

Microsoft has recently announced the integration of Outlook 2010 with social networking sites. This new Outlook version will give users access to Facebook by drawing updates from the user’ Facebook account and placing that information in the Outlook inbox while he or she is doing office work. Latest friends’ profile updates, pictures, messages, and other online activities from the site can be readily viewed without even opening a new window. The users will also be able to get the same updates from other social networking sites like MySpace, LinkedIn, Windows Live, and SharePoint. Through this big move, Microsoft is hoping to win back its throne from social networking sites in terms of connecting with people online.

However, Microsoft’s announcement about the social integration feature is in hot water. This is because aside from giving its users access to information in their Facebook account, the add-on tab in the program can make it look like the user is working. This new tool can be used if users do not want their bosses and co-workers to know what they are really doing. So, many are speculating that as soon as this will be released, it will pose as a threat to employees’ performance in the office. Others consider it as a convenient tool to help people stay updated.

Views and speculations will soon be answered when the Outlook 2010 beta is released. As of the moment, we will just have to wait and see.

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