Posts Tagged ‘ Facebook ’

How to Get Outed on Facebook: Be Seen Here

August 27th, 2012. By AbiK

How it hadn’t happened earlier is a mystery, but there’s a new website in town that’ll give even the snoopiest of insurance companies or HR departments a run for their money—heck, it might even be a new resource for them. The website is WeKnowWhatYoureDoing.com.

And know they do.

Want to be outed for hating your boss and wanting to be fired? Stop by.

Want to be outed for being way the hell too hungover to show up for work? Click on over.

How ’bout being outed for taking drugs? Gotcha covered.

Oh, and you’re also outed on WeKnowWhatYoureDoing.com if you’ve got a new phone number. Nice to know.

The key here is that YOU do not have to actually sign up for the pleasure of being outed on Facebook—you merely have to post something (something rather stupid I might mention) and not be too up on your Facebook privacy settings, and—Voila!—you may well show up on the site.

You may be sitting there saying, “Gosh, isn’t that like some sort of internet privacy issue? Aren’t they doing something illegal?”

Well, not exactly.

A little unkind, perhaps—but YOU’VE put the post about your prior night’s transgressions out there publicly for everyone to access, right? Not smart.

Here’s an excerpt on what WeKnowWhatYoureDoing.com has to say about things:

How does it Work? It simply queries Facebook’s Graph API and outputs the results. There is nothing on this website that cannot be accessed by anyone else.

Note also the site’s disclaimer (to see full disclaimer, visit the site):

Disclaimer: All data is pulled directly from Facebook, it is not censored, and it is publicly accessible via the Graph API. I cannot be held responsible for any persons actions as a result of using this experiment. Absolutely no information from any of the data providers includes, but not limited to Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Yahoo, or Google is being collected or stored.

Hmm. Now may be a good time to head over to Facebook and make sure your privacy settings aren’t set to “Public”.

Oh, and WeKnowWhatYoureDoing.com even tells you how to do that:

Just go to https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy and make sure Control Your Default Privacy is not set to “Public”. You can set it to “Friends” but for the best privacy it is recommended you choose “Custom” and go through each option to choose who can see what.

Tags: Facebook, Facebook Privacy, Internet Privacy, Online Privacy, WeKnowWhatYoureDoing.com
Posted in Emerging Issues, Internet/E-commerce | No Comments »

Got a Facebook Email you Don’t Want? Here’s How to Fix your FB Email…

June 26th, 2012. By AbiK

Facebook’s gotten an little cocky—inching up to those internet privacy boundaries. It seems to think I need—and WANT—an “@facebook” email domain (I do not). And, it’s worse than that—Mark Zuckerberg et al apparently think I want that “@facebook” email to be the one most folks see on my profile—even though I never access such an email account and don’t ever intend to.

Thanks, but no thanks, Facebook—I’ll choose whatever damn email I want.

If you’ve noticed that your email on your “About” section of your timeline has changed, unannounced, to something like this:

[your.name].10@facebook.com

and you’re not happy, here’s what to do to…

Fix Your Facebook Email Address

1. Go to your Profile page on Facebook. (That’s the one you get when you click your name and tiny thumbnail image in the upper right corner of your screen).

2. Go to the “About” section of your Profile page. (The “About” link should be just under your profile pic on the left, midway down your screen).

3. Go to the “Contact Info” section on that page, and click the “Edit” box. You’ll see 2 emails (at least)–the one you wanted, and the one Facebook wants you to have. Hover  your mouse over the drop down arrow that’s all the way over to the right. It’ll look like this:

 

4. Adjust the Email Setting to “Hidden from Timeline“, and adjust your real email to “Shown on Timeline”.

5. Optional, though not a bad idea, slightly to the left on the “Friends” drop down menu, select “Only Me” for the Facebook email address–that way you won’t risk anyone but yourself seeing that Facebook email address.

6. Click “Save” at the bottom of the edit screen.

Tags: Facebook, Facebook Email, Internet Privacy, Mark Zuckerberg
Posted in Internet/E-commerce | 2 Comments »

Would you Hand Over your Facebook Password on a Job Interview?

March 21st, 2012. By AbiK

You’ve made it to the interview stage—congratulations! Now fork over your Facebook login and password.

Would you do it?

If you really wanted the job, chances are you would. But is it right? Or is it an invasion of privacy? Many would say it’s cause for a Facebook privacy lawsuit.

Being asked for your Facebook password is becoming more commonplace as part of the job interview process. Apparently, for the recruiters, it’s the modern day version of a background check, work history and reference check all wrapped up in one. Unfortunately, even innocent posts—or those times you’ve been tagged in friends’ photos—are up for interpretation by the hiring manager or HR person. Beer in hand? Maybe you party too much. And let’s not even talk about those more ‘viewer discretion advised’ posts—or worse.

For job applicants, however, it’s sort of like finding bed bugs in your hotel bed—completely uninvited and unwanted, but you need the darn bed to get some sleep. What to do? Chances are, you ask for another room or find another hotel–but in this job market, other jobs aren’t as easy to come by as a new hotel room.

If ever there were a doubt that employment recruiters and HR professionals are trolling online for dirt on prospective hires, just listen to this:

A recent survey done by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 56 percent of HR pros admit to using social media sites for recruiting; 95 percent say they use LinkedIn; and 58 percent use Facebook.

And while most web-savvier folks correlate LinkedIn with “job search mecca”, many job seekers don’t even know LinkedIn exists. But they know Facebook does. And recruiters know this. So, particularly when targeting non-executive positions, Facebook becomes a go-to source for a wealth of information—supplemental information that otherwise may not bubble up in the interview or reference check process.

But, if a Facebook account is private, well, that little ol’ login and password are needed. And who better to ask for it than the person who created it? And, what better time to ask them for it than when they’re sitting anxiously across the desk from you during their job interview?

In any other setting, most people would withhold such information; after all, isn’t Facebook for connecting with ‘friends’? And for most, it’ll be a cold day in h#ll before they include their HR manager in their circle of FB friends. (Notwithstanding that recent article about Facebook narcissism based on the number of friends you have.)

So handing over a Facebook password would appear to be something you’d only do under duress; you’d only be compelled (coerced?) to provide such information if you felt you HAD to do so—as would be the case if you thought a possible job were on the line.

A recent Associated Press article quotes George Washington University law professor, Orin Kerr, as likening the situation to “requiring someone’s house keys” for the interview. Kerr goes on to call it an “egregious privacy violation”.

And it is. After all, when you consider that an interviewer is not supposed to ask questions about age, marital status, children or health concerns, how is it that the same interviewer should potentially have access to all such information by asking for your Facebook password? Something isn’t right there.

Undoubtedly, we’ll be seeing more Facebook privacy lawsuits sprouting up. But in the meantime, here’s a tip: if you’re job hunting, get a LinkedIn profile. Anything and everything a prospective employer should want or need to know about you can be housed there. Even the professional ‘company you keep’—and linking in with an HR rep is surely less creepy on LinkedIn than on Facebook. Any other information about you can be found via the less intrusive methods: background check, reference checks, drug testing…the usual suspects.

Tags: Facebook, Facebook Password, Facebook Privacy, Internet Privacy, Job Interview, Job Search, LinkedIn
Posted in Emerging Issues, Employment, Internet/E-commerce | 2 Comments »

Save NY from Cellino and Barnes Jingle…and maybe Win $1000!

August 25th, 2011. By AbiK

Please, please—I beg of you—if you have the slightest iota of musical talent—or think you do—and you are a “legal resident of New York, USA” please head over to the Cellino and Barnes Facebook page (after, of course, you’ve “liked” the LawyersandSettlements.com FB page) and submit your own Cellino and Barnes jingle—it could net you $1,000 and a placement in one their ads!

If you need any incentive or if you should question my plea for help on this one, the above—click it to play—is their current jingle, which I have heard one too many times on 1010 WINS. Granted, it’s not as bad as listening to “HeadOn…Apply directly to the forehead…HeadOn…!” which has more of a Chinese water torture effect (not to mention HeadOn has potassium bichromate, which I’ve always questioned the efficacy and safety of—but I digress).

I kid you not. Here’s the deal, straight from Cellino and Barnes website:

“Enter to Win $1,000 and placement in one of our ads! Think you’ve got what it takes to create a winning jingle? Perfect! Just check out our Facebook Page and learn how to enter! Already a fan, simply click on our Welcome Tab!”

Read the rules and legal mumbo-jumbo on their FB page–it’s all there; they’re even out there tweeting this one. But please…

Do the NYC-metro listening area a favor. Start singing away and picking that guitar. It’s our only chance…

Tags: Cellino and Barnes, Cellino and Barnes jingle, Contest, Facebook, NY Attorneys, NY Lawyers
Posted in Emerging Issues, Lawyers | No Comments »

Facedumped & Filing a Lawsuit: Love, Facebook Style

July 14th, 2011. By AbiK

Girl plays Mafia Wars.

Boy plays Mafia Wars.

They’re in the same clan!

Boy lives in Washington.

Girl lives in Michigan.

So what?

They chat.

They graduate to the phone.

They really chat—sometimes 8 or 9 hours a day!

Girl sends boy gifts.

Girl books flight to Washington. Books hotel.

Tickets to the Mariners’ opening game, too!

Girl hears from Boy just before big trip.

Boy tells girl she can visit.. as a friend.

Boy says wrong thing!

No Boy no!

Boy oh boy. Well, that’s the abbreviated version. There’s a few other critical details—like the girl, Cheryl Gray a paralegal from Livonia, MI—is 50, though she allegedly first told the boy, Wylie Iwan of Washington, she was 42…that indicate this relationship was, of course, off to a good honest start.

But the story gets better. See, that flight, hotel, game tickets cost a pretty sum. And Cheryl must’ve thought about that after she got Facedumped (yes, it’s reported Wylie said the “F”word via Facebook…F as in “friend“, that is). And she thought about the Christmas gifts and Valentine’s Day flowers she sent. Perhaps she reflected on the dearth of those coming her way, as there are no reports of any FTD deliveries heading eastbound with this one.

And, as we’ve all heard, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, right?

So after giving it thought, what does this paralegal do? She files a lawsuit.

On May 18th, Cheryl Gray filed civil lawsuit against Wylie Iwan seeking $8,368.88 for misrepresentation (would shaving 8 years off your age be “misrepresentation” too? just asking…), promissory estoppel, defamation of character and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Keep in mind, this, from a woman who’s never met this man “live”. They sort of dated via Facebook. For about 3 months. Oh hell, who am I kidding—they talked. They didn’t “date”—at least not in the traditional sense. And, sadly, talk can be quite cheap especially when it’s only happening on a Facebook chat screen. Seriously.

I’m also wondering how these two—both apparently have children—managed to “chat” with each other for up to 9 hours at a clip—and play Mafia Wars? Might’ve been some clues there to answer that age-old “is it a match made in heaven?” question.

Regardless, is there really a lawsuit here?

I don’t think so.

Hurt? Definitely. Humiliation? Granted. Dishonesty? Perhaps. Cause for litigation? Uh…not seeing it.

I feel badly for Cheryl Gray. She fell and fell hard. But I don’t see a broken heart after a pseudo three-month online relationship as lawsuit worthy. So, Cheryl, maybe the best thing would be to just turn and walk away. Kinda reminds me of  that Joe Walsh song “Walk Away”. And with that, while you’re in break-up mode, rather than embracing your anger in a lawsuit, I’ll leave you with a spur of the moment love-gone-wrong playlist to drown your sorrows in:

Alanis Morissette, “You Oughta Know”

Beyonce, “Irreplaceable”

Beyonce, “Best Thing I Never Had”

Fleetwood Mac, “Go Your Own Way”

Steven Stills/CSN, “I Give You Give Blind”

The Supremes, “Where Did Our Love Go?”

Bonnie Raitt, “I Can’t Make You Love Me”

U2, “One”

Elvis Presley, “Suspicious Minds”

Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Free Bird”

Tags: Cheryl Gray, Facebook, Facebook Lawsuit, Facedumped, Wylie Iwan
Posted in Emerging Issues, Internet/E-commerce, lawsuits | No Comments »