Facebook Retreats

New York Times article detailing Facebook’s response to privacy criticisms concerning Facebook’s practice of broadcasting Facebook users’ purchasers to other Facebook members.  As the article details, Facebook is trying to cash in on the popularity of Facebook without damaging the popularity.

The article points out a paradox of younger internet users – many broadcast details of their own lives in an almost exhibitionist manner, but want to maintain control over what is made public, even over purchasing decisions.

Syria vs. Facebook

Syria cracks down on social networking site Facebook. (Hat tip: Drudge).

Microsoft Buys Stake in Facebook

Besting Google in the process.

Critics of the leviathans Microsoft and Google might have a difficult time in determining who they should have rooted for in the battle to win a stake in Facebook: the semi-monopolistic Microsoft, so long considered the bane of smaller and more innovative companies, or Google, the dominant and innovative search engine giant that has been cited as having an “entrenched hostility to privacy” by Privacy International?

(Hat tip: Matthias).

Facebook Reaches Accord with New York Attorney General

Press release here.  Facebook is widely used by my classmates at Columbia Journalism School for social networking and information sharing.  I expect this will lead to new restrictions on the under-18 set, which could drive the fickle youth to the next hot killer app.

As far as I know, I have not been the victim of any online stalking, solicitations, identity theft, or threats of violence so concerning to Andrew Cuomo and his staff.  Of course, I don’t look like a teenage girl, either.