Facebookers to be given greater control of personal data

March 21st, 2009 94pc of Facebookers hate its latest makeover SYDNEY - Facebook has left 94 per cent of its users, participating in a new poll, facing disappointment after making changes to its services. The social-networking giant received the green signal from only six per cent of nearly 800,000 members who cast their votes.

July 2nd, 2009 Companies pledge more openness about Web trackingCompanies that track consumer behavior online for advertising purposes are vowing to make their practices more transparent and to give people a way to decline being shadowed. It's unclear how much of an effect the new policies will have.

August 27th, 2009 LONDON - People who use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are more prone to getting robbed, as burglars might be stealing their personal details from such websites, says a research. The research said that these sites could face higher insurance premiums because burglars may be using them to find out their personal details.

February 17th, 2009 NEW YORK - Popular social networking site Facebook said Wednesday it will return to its previous terms of service regarding user data after widespread opposition to its new terms under which it would have retained personal data even if someone deleted their account. In a blog post, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the networking site, said the move was temporary 'while we resolve the issues that people have raised', BBC News reported.

August 27th, 2009 Facebook agrees with Canada on privacy controlsTORONTO — Facebook agreed Thursday to give users more control over the information they share with outside applications like games and quizzes in response to concerns raised by Canadian privacy officials. Currently, people who wish to use such software have to agree to share all their data with the application.

July 16th, 2009 Watchdog: Facebook violates Canadian privacy lawTORONTO — Canada's privacy commissioner accused Facebook on Thursday of breaching Canadian law by keeping users' personal information indefinitely after members close their accounts. Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart released a report that also accuses Facebook of disclosing personal information about users to the nearly 1 million third-party developers worldwide who create Facebook applications such as games and quizzes.

June 29th, 2009 LONDON - Mafia mobsters are using social networking site Facebook to attract wannabe gangsters. Sicilian gangsters are targeting members who have joined online groups dedicated to Cosa-Nostra's godfathers.

July 28th, 2009 IBM scoops up software maker SPSS in $1.2B dealSAN FRANCISCO — IBM Corp. is bulking up its most profitable division with a $1.2 billion acquisition of business software provider SPSS Inc., a deal that also reflects the power of wealthy technology companies to throw their money around despite the recession.

July 1st, 2009 Facebook plans to simplify privacy settingsNEW YORK — Facebook is overhauling its privacy controls over the next several weeks in an attempt to simplify its users' ability to control who sees the information they share on the site. Privacy has been a central, often thorny issue for Facebook because so many people use it to share personal information with their friends and family and beyond.

May 9th, 2007 I get tons of requests to hack MySpace so someone can spy on their wife / husband / girlfriends / spouse / daughter. The requests are varied but the overall theme is same.

June 4th, 2009 Sears, FTC to settle personal data allegations HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The Federal Trade Commission announced a preliminary settlement Thursday with retailer Sears Holdings Corp.

April 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and software giant Microsoft Corp Wednesday jointly launched a website 'secureyourpc.in', which will provide vital information to internet users on how to combat online threats. 'The more you use cyberspace, the more you become vulnerable to online threats.

September 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Korean computer scientists have developed a novel security language for home networks that could ward off cyber attack in homes. Like companies, banks, and other big organizations, domestic and small office networks are just as vulnerable to hacking, malicious computer code, worms, viruses, and eavesdropping.

September 20th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Advertising agencies in Australia are keeping a close eye on the pages of the six million Facebook users to update advertisements of products they deem fit as soon as there is some change in the social networking site user's account status. Business houses seem to target potential customers on the social network site according to sex, age, location, relationship status, job title, workplace or university.

June 8th, 2007 Imagine the best way to give dictation (without spelling mistakes) or to program without typing and that pesky carpal tunnel syndrome - by pure mind control alone. Scientists at Brown University and Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems (and others) have made this possible; as published last week in Nature.