Is Facebook Listening?

New Security Features

Facebook has been getting blasted for their recent privacy lapses including new “features” that opt-in users automatically and bugs that have exposed users’ confidential information. Many users are declaring revolt on the social networking giant, saying they are going to delete their account altogether. In fact, a formal Quit Facebook Day is planned for May 31.

Facebook apparently is listening and is rolling out new security features, including ‘roadblocks’ that are triggered based on unusual activity. When Facebook detects account access from different geographic locations you might be shown a photo containing your friends before you are allowed in, you must correctly identify the people in the photograph. Facebook users will also be able to check where there account was last accessed (finally!) a feature that Google has offered for quite some time in their Gmail service.

Additionally, you can now choose to be notified via email/txt when your account logs in from a device you haven’t used before so you can be alerted if there is unexpected account activity.

Fed up with Facebook’s privacy issues, we are seeing many users deleting their accounts in protest and new services are starting to emerge that target privacy as one of their key features.

Diaspora, a new social networking site, aims to give users their privacy back and allows users to encrypt their photos, videos and other content, maintaining ownership and complete control over how their content is accessed.

Once the ‘golden child’ of social networking, lately Facebook has been on the receiving end of a firestorm of criticism, and must make some dramatic changes if they want to prevent a mass exodus when the ‘next big thing’ comes along.

$18,000 Phone Bill?

FCC to Curb Bill Shock

One of the reasons that Apple’s iTunes & App Stores have been as successful as they are is that it doesn’t feel like you’re spending money when you make a purchase. Simply enter your password and you’ve got a new album or application to play with.

Cell phone companies have also relied on this dynamic to increase their profits – overage charges for cell phone minutes, text messages, roaming fees, and now data can add up to some serious monthly charges! Now, unless you’re on a fixed-cost, unlimited plan, you could be in for some Bill-Shock.

In a rather publicized case, one Massachusetts family was billed $18,000 for excess data downloads.

The FCC is moving to eliminate ‘Bill-Shock’ by implementing practices already used in Europe. In the EU, carriers are required to notify users when they are racking up roaming charges or getting close to their monthly quota for data downloads. Not surprisingly, the cell phone providers are pushing back, saying they already give users access to this information, which is true, but you need to know where to look for it.

If you’ve been shocked by unexpected overages on your cell phone bill, consider switching to a unlimited plan, or if you have the desire (and discipline!) to monitor your monthly usage, here are some tips you should know about.

Use these codes to check up on your monthly usage for minutes, text messages, and data:

*MIN, #MIN, or *MIN# to check your minutes
*BAL, #BAL, or *BAL# to check your overall account balance
*DATA, #DATA, or *DATA# to check your data minutes
*TEXT or *2 to check your text message balance

Social Networking Trips?

Gowalla Launches ‘Trips’

One of the most interesting aspects of location-aware devices and applications is that you can connect the real world to the mountains of information available on the Interwebs. This allows you to not only see what’s going on in the world, you can see where things are happening.

Location-based social network Gowalla is partnering with some big names to offer walking tours of destinations worldwide. National Geographic is offering walking tours of destinations such as Seine in Paris, the Aveunue of the Arts in Philadelphia, and San Diego’s Balboa Park.

The Washington Post is helping travelers explore the nation’s capital including descriptions, maps, photographs, and commentary for monuments and attractions in DC. In addition to seeing the information from National Geographic and the Washington Post, users can contribute comments, which are then permanently associated with the locations. Pretty cool!

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