By Jessica Donath
Social networking sites such as Facebook play a large role in young people's lives - but not all children and teenagers know how to keep their data safe. Social networking sites such as Facebook play a large role in young people's lives, but not all children and teenagers know how to keep their data safe.
Internet companies such as Facebook and Google have come in for repeated criticism in Germany, where the government has concerns about what they do with users' data. Now one state, worried about the amount of information young people reveal online, plans to teach school pupils how to keep a low profile on the web. Many of Facebook's 2 million users in Germany are young people who might not give a second thought to posting pictures of themselves and their friends skinny-dipping or passed out at parties. Unfortunately, being casual with one's data also has its risks. After all, potential employers also know how to use social networking tools.
Now the government of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, recognizing that young people are not always aware of the dangers of revealing personal information on the Internet, is planning to teach school students how to deal with the Internet and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. "Our goal is to convey that the Internet doesn't only offer chances and opportunities, but also has risks that students should understand in order to exercise autonomy with regards to digital media," said North Rhine-Westphalia's media minister, Angelica Schwall-Düren, in an interview with the Thursday edition of the regional newspaper WAZ. "Many young people are unaware of how many details they reveal about themselves online," Schwall-Düren told the newspaper. Children need to know that future employers and friends can follow their digital footprint online, something that could negatively affect their professional and private lives, she explained. Social networking sites such as Facebook are controversial in Germany, where they have been criticized over data privacy concerns.
Schwall-Düren also stressed that young people need to learn how to be more critical when watching the news. "Many people just believe news on television or on the Internet without giving it a second thought," said the minister, who says she does not use Twitter or Facebook herself. To address the problem, the minister said the government wants to introduce a so-called "media literacy driver's license" in schools, whereby children would learn "how to deal with media responsibly."
'Cultural Differences'
The teacher's union GEW reacted to the new plans with a mixture of interest and caution. "How to conduct oneself in the virtual world and how to use new media are already topics in our schools on a daily basis," Michael Schulte, head of the local chapter of GEW, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. Schulte, however, said he had noticed "palpable cultural differences" between his generation and his students when it comes to new media. He fears that teachers "may not be equipped" with the necessary tools and resources for the new initiative. The state government still has to work out exactly how schools will help to make children fit for the digital age. Beate Hoffmann, a spokeswoman for the state's Media Ministry, told SPIEGEL ONLINE that an inter-agency study group will be established when politicians return from summer recess to decide on the scope, form and content of the new media literacy "driver's license." The government in North Rhine-Westphalia could turn to their colleagues in Bavaria for inspiration. A pilot project in which elementary school children are taught about different kinds of media with the aim of strengthening their independence started in 30 elementary schools there in the fall of 2009.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,710320,00.html
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Neglecting my blog
I've been neglecting this blog recently...
So I decided to start a new one http://bizarrerantings.blogspot.com/
I'll keep this up and running for more sensible SFW links and we'll see where it goes from there.
So I decided to start a new one http://bizarrerantings.blogspot.com/
I'll keep this up and running for more sensible SFW links and we'll see where it goes from there.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
HERE'S why you should be worried about privacy on Facebook.
A team of software engineers and developers in San Francisco has created the ultimate in online voyeurism – a website that lets you search through the status updates of Facebook users all over the world. The site, called Openbook, scours status updates written by people who have not set them to private. At the time of writing, a search for "sad" returns more than two dozen status updates posted within the last 60 seconds, by users located anywhere from the US to the Middle East. For example, one user from Canberra said: "pretty good day today (: bit sad that i cant go to netball :(" Another from Phoenix, Arizona: "Had so much fun at applebee's! hahaha:D tonight was sad but good." The search results show each user's name, photo and a link to their profile alongside the full text of their status and can be filtered to include only men, only women or everyone. Some of the most recent search phrases on the site include "naked pictures", "going to a strip club" and "rectal exam". All three return dozens of results – though they might not be as raunchy as searchers were expecting.
The people behind Openbook say they created the site to draw attention to Facebook's recent controversial privacy changes that mean more of each user's information is set to public by default. "To us, it was immediately clear that many people's privacy was being breached," developer Peter Burns told news.com.au. "But in this raw form it was also clear that only very technical folks would understand what was happening. "Someone has to draw attention to this breach of privacy in a way that people will understand." Mr Burns created the site with fellow Californian geeks Will Moffat and James Home. He said the amount of private information being shared with the world through Facebook status updates was staggering. "We've seen people post their private medical history, their phone numbers, their home addresses, personal tragedies and private moments with loved ones," he said.
Openbook uses the tools Facebook makes available to developers who want to search its data – called APIs – to operate. The site doesn’t "hack" anyone's information, but relies on users forgetting to set their status updates to private. Mr Burns said many people didn't realise their information was public because Facebook didn't make a point of telling them. "They change the rules frequently and give no indication when you're sharing something with the entire planet," he said. And if Openbook seems a bit creepy, Mr Burns said there were worse ways people could take advantage of Facebook's "newly relaxed" privacy settings. "An insurance company could build a database of people engaging in risky behaviour or exhibiting precursors to expensive medical conditions," he said. "(Or) thieves could look for status updates indicating people would be out of town on extended vacations."
The people behind Openbook say they created the site to draw attention to Facebook's recent controversial privacy changes that mean more of each user's information is set to public by default. "To us, it was immediately clear that many people's privacy was being breached," developer Peter Burns told news.com.au. "But in this raw form it was also clear that only very technical folks would understand what was happening. "Someone has to draw attention to this breach of privacy in a way that people will understand." Mr Burns created the site with fellow Californian geeks Will Moffat and James Home. He said the amount of private information being shared with the world through Facebook status updates was staggering. "We've seen people post their private medical history, their phone numbers, their home addresses, personal tragedies and private moments with loved ones," he said.
Openbook uses the tools Facebook makes available to developers who want to search its data – called APIs – to operate. The site doesn’t "hack" anyone's information, but relies on users forgetting to set their status updates to private. Mr Burns said many people didn't realise their information was public because Facebook didn't make a point of telling them. "They change the rules frequently and give no indication when you're sharing something with the entire planet," he said. And if Openbook seems a bit creepy, Mr Burns said there were worse ways people could take advantage of Facebook's "newly relaxed" privacy settings. "An insurance company could build a database of people engaging in risky behaviour or exhibiting precursors to expensive medical conditions," he said. "(Or) thieves could look for status updates indicating people would be out of town on extended vacations."
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
98pc support R18+ video game rating
A preliminary report from the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department has found overwhelming support for the introduction of an R18+ classification for computer games. Almost 60,000 people responded to the Government's discussion paper on whether the National Classification Scheme should include an R18+ category. More than 98 per cent said they were in favour of it.
Electronic Frontiers Australia spokesman Geordie Guy says the response is not surprising because at the moment people are blocked from playing computer games that do not make it in the MA15+ classification. "Every developed country has a rating for adults to be able to access adult-type entertainment, (but) we don't have an R18+ rating for computer games in this country," he said. "The highest rating we can have for a computer game is MA15+, so if we can't squeeze it into an MA rating then it has to be refused classification and no adult can get their hands on it. "We're hoping the Government will listen to the overwhelming public response and fix that up."
The lack of an R18+ rating means particularly violent or adult-themed computer games are either censored or banned in Australia.
Australia does have an R18+ rating for movies.
[via]
Electronic Frontiers Australia spokesman Geordie Guy says the response is not surprising because at the moment people are blocked from playing computer games that do not make it in the MA15+ classification. "Every developed country has a rating for adults to be able to access adult-type entertainment, (but) we don't have an R18+ rating for computer games in this country," he said. "The highest rating we can have for a computer game is MA15+, so if we can't squeeze it into an MA rating then it has to be refused classification and no adult can get their hands on it. "We're hoping the Government will listen to the overwhelming public response and fix that up."
The lack of an R18+ rating means particularly violent or adult-themed computer games are either censored or banned in Australia.
Australia does have an R18+ rating for movies.
[via]
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