
In today’s Quick Hits, we learn again why you shouldn’t make threats (even joking threats) online and we question whether or not Twitter’s new @Anywhere technology can help it catch Facebook.
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Facebook is King of the Web (For a Whole Week!)
According to metrics firm Experian/Hitwise, Facebook barely edged out Google last week to become the most popular website in the United States. According to the statistics, Facebook claimed 7.07 percent of U.S. Internet visits, while Google claimed 7.03 percent. Facebook has topped Google on previous occasions, but it was always only a one day event. This is the first time Facebook has beaten Google over a longer period of time. Is this a sign of things to come? Perhaps. Either way, it’s a definite sign that you shouldn’t ignore your Facebook profile.
Is Twitter Taking on Facebook Connect?
Yesterday at SXSW, the tech world expected Twitter CEO Evan Williams to announce the company’s long-awaited advertising platform. Instead, Williams unveiled Twitter’s new @Anywhere technology, which allows for Twitter functionality to be transported from Twitter to a third-party website such as the New York Times. Many in the tech press, including Caroline McCarthy at CNET, are asking if this move from Twitter is an attempt to overtake the massive popularity of Facebook Connect, the Facebook log-in tool that is now active on over 80,000 third-party sites.
Feds Use Phishing Tactics to Catch Criminals
In a somewhat refreshing twist on Internet crime, federal investigators are using phishing techniques, such as the establishment of phony social networking profiles, to coax information out of crime suspects. While there is concern from some privacy groups about the legality of investigating in this matter and the rights of the defendant, the Justice Department says that these tactics are legal under current undisclosed rules.
Are We Really Ready for Location-Based Ads?
While we’ve already pondered the safety aspects of location-based social networking, one thing we haven’t considered is the sheer annoyance of location-based advertising. In a post at his Tech Inciter blog, David Coursey discusses what location-based mobile ads might look like and how they could be a huge pain if not executed carefully.
Man Arrested Over Online Threat
A Chicago-area man was arrested after an out-of-state friend called the police over what he perceived to be a dangerous threat online. The man claims his Facebook update, which read “Mike Sullivan is again ready to start killing indiscriminately. I’m going to put Vernon Hills on the freakin map,” was simply him venting and that he’s been under a lot of stress because he’s working three jobs. Even if that’s true, however, it was probably not a good thing to share online, and it’s hard to blame his friend from alerting the authorities.
This story is not one of a kind and echos other social media slip-ups that got law enforcement attention, such as the man who was banned for life from a British airport over joking about blowing it up on Twitter. In order to prevent yourself from ending up on a terrorist watch list, think about what you’re saying online and don’t share anything that could be construed as a threat, no matter how clear you might think it is that it’s a joke.
