‘Friends’ can share your Facebook profile with the government, court rules
A federal judge has ruled that investigators can go through your Facebook profile if one of your friends gives them permission to do so. The decision, which is part of a New York City racketeering trial, comes as courts struggle to define privacy and civil liberties in the age of social media. In an order issued on Friday, US District Judge William Pauley III ruled that accused gangster Melvin Colon can’t rely on the Fourth Amendment to suppress Facebook evidence that led to his indictment. Colon had argued that federal investigators violated his privacy by tapping into his profile through an informant who was one of this Facebook friends. The informant’s Facebook friendship served to open an online window onto Colon’s alleged gangster life, revealing messages he posted about violent acts and threats to rival gang members. Judge Pauley III’s ruling is significant because it is the latest in a series of cases that defines how and when police can search social media.
US Facebook death threats troll: Reece Elliott jailed
9 July 2013Last updated at 08:59 ET Reece Elliott posted his comment on online memorial pages A British man who threatened to kill 200 people in the US, in posts he made under a false name on Facebook, has been jailed for more than two years. Reece Elliott, 24, of Foss Way, South Shields, made the threat in February on online memorial pages for two Tennessee girls killed in car accidents. About 3,000 pupils in Warren County missed school the next day as a result. Elliott, who pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court in April, was jailed for two years and four months. The father-of-one admitted one count of making a threat to kill and eight of sending grossly offensive messages. Elliott targeted a tribute page to 17-year-old Caitlin Talley, a popular pupil at Warren County High, who had died in a car accident in October. He also posted comments on the site of a 15-year-old girl who cannot be named. Schools 'lockdown' "Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast. “Start Quote
You Aren't Using These 10 Simple Security Settings
Online security isn't just a good idea anymore — it's an essential safety measure for anyone using the web. In 2012, Wired senior tech reporter Mat Honan lost more than a year's worth of pictures of his newborn daughter after his Google and Amazon accounts were hacked. Earlier in 2013, the Syrian Electronic Army allegedly hacked the Twitter accounts of The Financial Times, E! Online and The Associated Press. In response to such attacks, Internet companies are increasingly moving toward two-step verification policies. The tips below explain how to set up two-step verification on your most-used online applications. Facebook 1. Enabling Login Approval will affect apps that require your Facebook login, like Skype, Xbox or Spotify. Twitter 2. To set up two-step verification on Twitter, click the Gear icon in the top-right corner to access the Settings menu. Before you set up two-step verification on Twitter, you must confirm your email address and add a phone number to your account. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Knowledge is power ~ P.L.U.R ~
Teenager's death sparks cyber-blackmailing probe
16 August 2013Last updated at 08:20 ET The teenager had been told to pay money into an account or a video or images of him would be made public Police in Fife are investigating claims that a 17-year-old boy killed himself because he was being blackmailed on the internet. It is thought Daniel Perry had become involved in a scam where victims are befriended and tricked into making explicit webcam recordings. These are then used for blackmail. It has also emerged that the teenager had previously been urged to kill himself by anonymous users on the social media website ask.fm. The site has been linked to the deaths of other youngsters. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote "Knowing him as I do, he has felt embarrassed, horrified and has thought he's let everybody down.” End QuoteDaniel Perry's mother Hannah Smith, 14, was found hanged at her home in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, on 2 August, and is thought to have killed herself after being bullied on the website. Internet extortion Analysis
18 Reasons You'll Never Leave Your House Again
These days, it's all about convenience. Time is money, and people are willing to pay a premium for not having to go out of the way to run errands and buy certain things. We like having other people go through the clutter for us, and we love to click a few buttons and have things to be delivered right to us. Below, we've rounded up 18 products and services that streamline your life and bring items right to your door, saving you time and keeping you hip.f 1. Beauty lovers have fallen hard for subscription pioneer Birchbox, which delivers a box of beauty products from high-end companies like Stila, Kiehls, Benefit and Bliss to your door for $10 a month. 2. Image courtesy of iStock Photo, Wakila Babies need constant stimulation to develop a healthy curiosity. Spark Box helps you cut the clutter, keeps your kid stimulated and helps you figure out what toys your kid should be playing with at that age, and is more efficient than trekking to Babies "R" Us every month for a new collection of toys.
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Ask.fm unveils changes to safety policy
19 August 2013Last updated at 10:44 ET By Pia Gadkari Technology reporter David Smith, father of Hannah, on Ask.fm's new safety policies: "The government needs to bring in new regulations." Social networking site Ask.fm has unveiled changes to make its site safer after recent online bullying cases. It said it would view all reports within 24 hours, make the report button more visible, and include bullying and harassment as a category for a report. It said some of the changes would be live on the site by September. The father of Hannah Smith, 14, who is believed to have killed herself at home in Leicestershire after she was bullied on the site, welcomed the changes. "I think it's too late, but it's not too little," Dave Smith said in an interview with the BBC. 'New laws needed' Mr Smith said Ask.fm did not need to be shut down, since it had shown it was ready to make its site safer. Continue reading the main story Monday's announcement has been welcomed by child safety experts. Report abuse
Credit Freeze and Thaw Guide
Credit freezes are one of the most effective tools against economic ID theft available to consumers. They allow you to seal your credit reports and use a personal identification number (PIN) that only you know and can use to temporarily "thaw" your credit so that legitimate applications for credit and services can be processed. That added layer of security means that thieves can't establish new credit in your name even if they are able to obtain your ID. Freezing your credit files has no impact whatsoever on your existing lines of credit, such as credit cards. You can continue to use them as you regularly would even when your credit is frozen. Freezes have been available for free to victims of ID theft for some years, but recently all three of the major credit bureaus adopted new rules allowing non-victims to have access to credit freezes as well for a small fee. Residents of the state of Maryland may also freeze the credit reports of their minor children. EQUIFAX CREDIT FREEZE - [Website]
