In today’s Reputation Management, Internet Privacy, and Social Media Quick Hits, we cover a lot of news coming out of Austin, Texas and the world-famous South by Southwest Music and Technology Conference. Check it out!

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People Care About Privacy, But Do Little To Protect It

With Internet users clamoring for increased social media functionality, such as recent developments by Twitter and Facebook that allow for geotagging status updates, many in the Internet industry are proclaiming that nobody really cares about privacy. This is not necessarily true, however, as Cecilia Kang reports for the Washington Post.

In remarks made by Danah Boyd, a social media researcher at Microsoft Research New England, during her opening keynote speech at this year’s South by Southwest conference, Boyd explains that users do care about privacy, they simply don’t voice their concerns until they feel that they have been violated in some way, as in the case of Google’s error-filled launch of Google Buzz.

The Post article also talks about a forthcoming Pew Research Study on Internet privacy that was taken before the launch of Google Buzz and the development of geolocation technology for Facebook and Twitter. According to early reports, the Pew research indicates that people care about privacy, but they do little to proactively protect it.

Netflix Cancels Recommendation System Improvement Contest Over Privacy Issues

Back in December, we wondered why Netflix would move forward with a proposed contest to improve its recommendation system when the company was in the middle of a lawsuit regarding the very information it was opening to the public to run the contest. Apparently, they wondered the same thing, because the New York Times is reporting that Netflix has called off the contest and is looking for alternative methods to improve its recommendation engine. The New York Times article also explains that Netflix has “reached an understanding” with the F.T.C. and settled the class-action lawsuit brought by Netflix customers.

College Assignment: Give Up Cellphone, iPod, Social Media

As part of an assignment, a professor at the University of Minnesota required her students to go five days without using any technology that didn’t exist before 1984. That meant no iPod, no cell phone, and no Facebook or Twitter. The experiment is one that is being duplicated around the country at other campuses where teachers hope to teach students something about the process of communication and the impact of new media technology in our lives. While some students enjoyed the assignment, finding freedom in the restrictions, others couldn’t help but break the rules in order to maintain their social lives.

Twitter Announcing Advertising Model Today at SXSW?

According to TechCrunch, Twitter is expected to reveal at least part of the company’s advertising model today at the South by Southwest Technology conference when Twitter CEO Evan Williams delivers his keynote speech at 2:00PM this afternoon. While Twitter claims to be profitable based on the real-time search deals the company struck with Microsoft and Google, the issue of Twitter advertising has been a hot topic in the tech industry for many months now and is certain to cause a lot of reaction from other social media services.

Digg Nation Shows How Easy it is to Start a Twitter Rumor

We knew it was easy to spread rumors on Twitter, but we didn’t know it was this easy. According to CNET’s Daniel Terdiman, this year’s South by Southwest Conference demonstrated just how easy it was to start a Twitter rumor when Digg founder Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht asked the crowd at SXSW’s Digg Party to tweet a false story in unison. What was the story, that recently laid-off talk show host and Twitter hero Conan O’Brien would be joining the Internet television start-up Revision3.

In his article, Terdiman explains why the hoax worked, at least for a little while, saying, “If only one or two people had tweeted the hoax, no one would have believed it. These days, most people’s nonsense detectors ring out when things that seem a little too good to be true make their way across the Internet, especially on sites like Twitter where anyone can say anything…But when dozens, or even hundreds of people, all tweet the same basic news at the same time, that would seem to lend the concept legitimacy; after all, hundreds of people wouldn’t all send out the same false information.”

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Offers the Broadband Plan for Children and Families

In a talk Friday at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski shared the “broadband plan for children and families.” Here is a YouTube video featuring Genachowski’s remarks.

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It’s finally turning into spring, which means that across the country thousands of high school seniors are throwing off the shackles of their adolescence and steaming headfirst into that exciting new world we call college. At least, that’s the plan. You see, for some, the decision on where they’re headed still hasn’t been settled.

While most college-bound kids are already filling up their parents’ minivan with dorm room furniture, others are stuck on the dreaded wait list. And that means that unlike their peers, they can’t slack off on their studies and they definitely can’t get into any trouble online that could give an admissions officer a reason to skip their name.

In honor of all the high school seniors that are currently in college admissions limbo, we have a list of three things that you should not do if you want to improve your chances of getting accepted.

1. Clean Up Your Facebook Profile

Facebook is a great way to stay connected with friends, but it’s not always the best choice for highlighting what makes you such a great candidate for admission to college, especially if your profile is littered with inappropriate pictures, juvenile language, and other content that makes you look like, well, a high school student.

When considering an application, admissions officers want to see that students are ready for the responsibility of college, from the work load of college courses to the stresses of living in communal dorms. If your Facebook profile implies irresponsibility, an admissions officer will be more likely to pass you up for another candidate.

Oh, and if you don’t think that an admissions officer can see your profile, think again. According to a study from the University of Massachusetts Center for Market Research, 26% of college admissions officers use search engines to research candidates and that number is swiftly rising. If you keep your social networking websites open in any way, there is a strong chance that someone other than your intended audience will see it.

2. Make Your Blog Work For You

Besides doing damage control on your social networking profiles, there are steps that you can take to proactively demonstrate to college admissions officers your value as an applicant. Were you a terrific art student in school? Set up an online portfolio of your art work. Did you wow your teacher with a short story? Share your creativity on your blog. Are you active in your community? Take a few words to describe your volunteer work and share some pictures.

There are plenty of free blogging platforms on the web that can help you share your good works with the world and you’d be doing yourself a disservice to ignore them. When an admissions officer Googles your name, they should find something worthwhile. So, give it to them.

3. Engage With Your Preferred College Online

More and more, colleges are entering the wide world of social media to engage with potential applicants and showcase their campuses. What’s great about this trend is that it allows for two-way communication between college representatives and applicants. If you become a fan of your preferred college on Facebook, or if you follow them on Twitter, you are increasing your chances of connecting with someone who actually knows something about the admissions process.

Just as job seekers must distinguish themselves from their competition, when you’re competing against thousands of other applicants, you should give yourself every edge possible. Communicating with a representative of your preferred college in a friendly and professional manner may help you form a relationship that can influence your acceptance decision.

There’s no reason why you should have to sit on the sidelines while your fate is being decided. If you haven’t heard back from your college yet, take some proactive measures to get your name out there. Hopefully, if you play your cards right, you can swing the decision in your favor. Oh, and one more thing, once you do get into college, don’t fall back into the same old bad habits. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to start your career, and when that happens, the same things that tripped you up getting into college could trip you up finding a job.

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Happy Friday ReputationDefender readers! Before you set off to enjoy the weekend, check out our Reputation Management, Internet Privacy, and Social Media Quick Hits. Today, we’re talking about “True” Twitter users, Google’s history of privacy problems, and whether anyone cares about privacy anymore anyways (they do, by the way). Enjoy!

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Facebook Demands Ex-Detective to Reveal Name of Unsafe Social Networking Website

Facebook is considering suing the Daily Mail after the UK newspaper ran a story implying that it was their website that an ex-detective was talking about when he claims to have received sexual solicitations after establishing a fake account under the guise of a 14-year-old girl. For the most part, Facebook just wants the detective to come out and say what social networking website he was using so that they can step out from underneath the criticism, but the detective has refused to say, explaining that if he does, it’ll open the flood gates for predators.

White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen Can Have Twitter, But Not His Own Website

Chicago White Sox fans cringed when Ozzie Guillen, the team’s famously hot-headed manager, announced that he had created a Twitter account. Now, at least they won’t have to worry about him going on random tirades on his very own website. According to this article from ESPN, the White Sox organization declined Guillen’s request to have a personal website. To his credit, Guillen didn’t seem to upset by the decision saying, “the front-office people didn’t want to have me in the middle of stuff, and I have to respect that.” You can’t blame the White Sox for looking out for their online reputation.

“True” Twitter Users Only Make Up 21% of the Twitter Userbase

According to a report from Barracuda Networks, only 21% of Twitter users are “True Twitter Users,” meaning that they have at least 10 followers, follow 10 people, and have updated their status with at least 10 tweets. Given Twitter’s rapid rise in prominence, these are pretty amazing statistics. We’ve seen other stats that show how top-heavy Twitter is, but it’s interesting to learn that 74% of Twitter users have less than 10 followers. One possibility suggested in the report for the rise in Twitter users without a substantial increase in quality of users is the “Celebrity Effect,” whereby individuals establish Twitter accounts just to follow their favorite celebrities.

Exploring Google’s History of Privacy Problems

Google is in a unique position in the Internet industry. The company is so large, so successful, and so widely used that every move it makes is bound to trigger a response from the public. Unfortunately, especially lately, many of these responses have been negative. In an article for CNNMoney, David Goldman outlines Google’s history of privacy problems from old concerns like data mining and behavioral advertising to newer issues like the Google Buzz fiasco.

Is it True That “No One Cares About Privacy Anymore”?

In an article for CNET, Declan McCullagh explains “why no one cares about privacy anymore.” While we would disagree with McCullagh (people may not care about privacy, but they certainly care about control over their own image), he raises some interesting points about online exhibitionism, the rise of social networking websites, and how privacy rights organizations have a history of complaining about Internet products that eventually become widely adopted.

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Apple iPhone Will Let Users Unlock Doors?

With your Apple iPhone you can listen to music, watch movies, play games, and, soon enough, even unlock your doors. In a newly published patent application, Apple revealed plans for what some are already calling the iKey, which would use a pin code to unlock electronic locks in a user’s car, home, or office.

PleaseRobMe.com helped show the social media world the folly of using location-based social networking websites when you were away from your home, but Gowalla and Foursquare may be the least of your worries if someone can steal your iPhone and have keys to your home. For its part, Apple has included security features that could trigger an alarm for unauthorized use of the iKey.

UK Government Pushes Facebook for ‘Panic Button’

Following the murder of 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall by a man whom she met on Facebook, the UK government is pushing Facebook and other social networking websites to include a “panic button” that would help users get immediate law enforcement assistance if they believe they are being victimized. Facebook first discussed the possibility of adding a panic button, similar to the kind found on the social networking website Bebo, back in December.

Conan O’Brien Invited to the Wedding of his New Best Friend on Twitter

After turning 19-year-old Sarah Killen into an Internet celebrity overnight by selecting her as the first person that he would follow on Twitter, Conan O’Brien has received an invitation to join Killen and her fiance John Slowik, Jr. at their wedding. Considering the positive response that Conan has gotten for his interaction with Killen thus far, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him don a tux and make a speech for the young couple. In fact, he could probably turn it into a web-only video special. Who needs The Tonight Show, right?

Twitter Takes on Phishing Scams

As Twitter has grown, so too has the website’s phishing problem. In particular, the recent spate of “Is this you?” direct message phishing attacks have prompted Twitter to rexamine how it’s protecting users from scammers. After analyzing the problem, Twitter has come up with a few fixes that they hope will make it harder for phishing attacks to spread. For one thing, Twitter will be rerouting all direct messages through its anti-phishing service before allowing them to be sent. Also, Twitter will be replacing bit.ly and other short URLs with their own, twit.tl, to signify that the link is secure.

Classmates.com Faces Privacy Lawsuit

In an attempt to play catch up with Facebook, Classmates.com opened up its public content to sharing on other social networking websites. Ironically, this move did help Classmates.com did catch up with Facebook in one way; now, both websites are facing class-action privacy lawsuits. According to Wired, the lawsuit alleges that Classmates.com switched their privacy policy so egregiously that they have violated Washington state and federal laws. Here is a PDF of the suit – http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2010/03/classmates.pdf.

Job Hunters Struggle to Get Past the Automatic Job Application

This article from the Miami Herald discusses the frustration that job seekers have in applying for jobs through websites and in-store kiosks instead of through pen and paper applications. When applying for a job online, there are a number of preset filters that make it impossible for many job seekers to even get their application seen. This makes the job hunting process seem futile and causes some people to give up on themselves. One of the things that could help individuals who are unemployed cut through the clutter and connect directly with an employer is proactive personal branding online.

Sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter offer valuable networking possibilities for users that understand how they work. Additionally, setting up a blog can help you get your name out there and distinguish yourself as a respected voice in your industry.

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What would you say if I told you that a few misguided tweets or a hacked Facebook account could cost you millions of dollars? As the 2010 NFL Draft approaches, this is the unfortunate reality that many hopeful draft prospects are facing.

In a very well-written and deeply researched article for FootballOutsiders.com, Mike Tanier makes the argument that NFL prospects have no privacy and that even the most minute indiscretions online could cost them a higher spot in the draft, meaning a lower salary and a lower chance of picking up endorsement deals.

Tanier even goes so far as to outline a few eerily plausible scenarios in which players could get burned, both through their own fault and through sabotage.

Quoting from the article:

• A star college quarterback sends a text message to five friends, bragging about his performance against a rival school. One of the friends forwards it to another set of friends, and one of them sends it to a few other people. The message finds its way to the blogosphere, then to ESPN. Soon football fans around the Internet are questioning the quarterback’s character and judgment for “distributing” inflammatory bulletin board material.
• An angry crank with an axe to grind against a top defensive prospect searches the Internet for dirt on his prey. An ordinary Google search turns up not just public data, but postings from the defender’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. The crank establishes an anti-prospect Web site, mixing out-of-context postings with some facts and a sprinkle of innuendo. Maybe he goes a step further, impersonating the player on a phony Twitter account and tweeting vitriol to a confused public. The line between what’s real and what’s fabricated is blurred by reporters and draftniks, who inadvertently cite some of the false or highly distorted information. The prospect’s reputation is tarnished by a cyber-smear campaign. By the time he realizes it, the damage is already done.
• A team hires an investigator to check out the top prospect in the draft, and the investigator isn’t above bending a few laws. In addition to standard background checks, he calls in a few favors with major Internet advertisers. He suddenly has access to the prospect’s “clickstream” information, a full record of the athlete’s browsing and chatting proclivities. Chat sessions at 3 a.m., just hours before kickoff? The general manager may find that interesting. Perhaps a GPS search of the player’s iPhone will provide other revelations …

As a professional athlete, you must live in the public eye. This hard truth is even more apparent in the face of the Tiger Woods scandal. However, these draft prospects are not yet professionals. By and large, they’re just regular college kids who don’t understand the long-term ramifications of their actions online. What’s more, they have grown up in a world where the Internet and digital technology is omnipresent. The thought that something they share on Twitter could be used against them often does not occur until it is too late.

That’s not to say that NFL teams are wrong for using the Internet to research players. To the contrary, if they are going to invest millions of dollars into a player, they have a fiduciary duty to research his past behavior and ensure that he is not going to cause any problems for the team in the future. Just as a recruiter might do a Google search of a job candidate, an NFL scout is going to dig deep to find out whether a player will be a good fit. The difference is, if an NFL prospect is pegged as a bad apple, he’ll not only lose millions of dollars in the draft, but may have to carry that reputation with him for the rest of his career.

Here at the ReputationDefender Blog, we frequently talk about online reputation management for everyday professionals. Whether you’re a dentist, contractor, realtor, or lawyer, it is important to monitor your name online and take proactive measures to establish a strong professional brand. When you look at professional athletes, however, these issues become even more critical. Hopefully, players learn the importance of online reputation management before it’s too late.

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Facebook and Twitter Ready Geolocation Technologies

In social networking, it’s all about location, location, location. According to this article from PCWorld, both Facebook and Twitter are preparing to launch location-aware tools that will allow users to share their precise geolocation with friends. The widespread application of the technology comes in response to the rise of smartphones such as the iPhone, which allow for sophisticated web access from anywhere. Twitter is expected to premiere its geolocation features during this weekend’s SXSW conference.

While there have already been some privacy concerns over location-based social networking websites, they will only get bigger once Facebook and Twitter step into the game. It will be interesting to see what steps the company’s take to protect their users from sharing too much.

MySpace’s Last Hurrah?

Once upon a time, MySpace was the biggest and baddest social networking website in the land. Then, in only a few years, Facebook caught up, passed it, and never looked back. Since then, MySpace has dealt with numerous changes in management as it has fought to maintain relevant to users.

This article from the LA Times discusses the company’s most recent plan to reinvigorate itself in the social networking space by going back to what made it popular in the first place, entertainment. MySpace hopes that a new focus on entertainment media – including television, movies, and music – will help make the social networking site reclaim its spot as a must-visit destination on the web.

Does Google Have Too Much Power in D.C.?

If Google controls Internet advertising, and Internet advertising is crucial for politicians to win elections, does that mean that some politicians will have a conflict of interest when they deal with Google on privacy and consumer safety issues? That’s the question Jeremy Herb asks in a Boston Globe article which focuses on Google’s significant influence in Washington politics.

Parry Aftab Talks Online Reputation Management and Internet Safety

In a recent article for SmartPlanet, Christina Hernandez talks about the importance of online reputation management and Internet privacy with Internet safety expert and child advocate Parry Aftab. Aftab, whom we have talked about numerous times here at the ReputationDefender Blog, is involved in multiple Internet safety organizations including WiredSafety and WiredKids.

Honolulu Police Department Drops DUI Mugshots Program

The Honolulu police have decided to suspend a controversial program that displayed images of suspected drunk drivers once a week. The police department suspended the pilot program in order to determine its effectiveness, not because of any privacy concerns. When this program was first implemented, we discussed how it may cause unfair reputation damage to individuals who had yet to be found guilty of a crime. Hopefully, before the Honolulu police decide to reimplement the program, they will consider this reality.

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Are you confused about Internet law?

If someone says something mean about you on Facebook and the company does nothing to remove it, can you sue Facebook? Of course. This is the United States of America. By and large, you can sue anyone for anything. Will you win? More than likely, the answer is no. Why is this the case? Because of a small, but significant provision found in the Communication Decency Act of 1996: 47 U.S.C. Sec. 230, known informally as CDA 230.

Before we get into details on how CDA 230 protects Internet companies from liability related to online content, however, let’s get some background on the Communication Decency Act of 1996 came about.

The Communications Decency Act of 1996 was designated as Title V in the larger legislation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The inclusion of the Communications Decency Act in the greater Telecommunications Act was meant to criminalize obscenity online in the face of the rise of Internet pornography. (Remember, this was 1996, when Internet use was first becoming a common part of American life and people were worried that Internet porn was going to permanently damage our children.) Eventually, the scope of the bill was significantly tightened through the landmark case Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union.

Interestingly, CDA 230 was not an original part of the Communications Decency Act, but was added by the House of Representatives through the Internet Freedom and Family Empowerment Act, which was co-sponsored by Republican representative Chris Cox and Democratic representative Ron Wyden. The purpose of the addition was to protect Internet service providers from being held criminally liable for indecent content that its users posted. In legalese, the CDA 230 read, “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”

Back in 1996, this legislation applied mainly to companies such as AOL, and other large Internet service providers. As the web has expanded, however, courts have generally held that the definition of “interactive computer service” also includes websites such as Facebook, MySpace, and other social media websites. Some legal scholars consider this interpretation to be too broad however, and have lobbied to reduce the scope of CDA 230 to reflect modern Internet technologies which allow for rampant and protracted cyberattacks.

An important note about the CDA 230 is that it doesn’t mean individuals cannot file a lawsuit against someone who is defaming them online. Quite to the contrary, as demonstrated in ex-model Liskula Cohen’s lawsuit against Google last year, you can sue an Internet company to reveal the identity of someone who is attacking you online. Of course, whether or not a judge compels the company to give up that identity depends on the specifics of your case. Even in this situation, however, the Internet company hosting the defamatory content can not be found liable for any criminal damages.

So, in the big picture, what does CDA 230 mean for web users? For one thing, it means that while Internet companies have an economic interest in protecting users (no users = no advertising = no revenue), they are not legally compelled to do so. As such, if someone decides to level biased or unfair criticisms against you online, it can be difficult to get them removed. If you have a strong legal argument that the content in question is defamatory, you can hire an attorney to file a lawsuit on your behalf, but this process is long, costly, and generally unsatisfactory.

As an alternative, we advise utilizing a multifaceted reputation management solution, combining reputation monitoring with proactive personal and professional branding. To this end, ReputationDefender offers a wide range of products to help our customers protect their good names online, including MyReputation, MyPrivacy, and MyEdge. To learn more about these products, we encourage you to contact one of our Client Solutions Consultants today at 1-888-720-9980.

If the CDA 230 can keep web companies immune from damages, you should have something to protect you too. Let that something be ReputationDefender.

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What would you do if a friend of a friend asked you for an organ donation on Twitter or Facebook? What would you do if someone mistook you for a murderer online? These are just two of the strange questions that come up in today’s Reputation Management, Internet Privacy, and Social Media Quick Hits.

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Would You Give Your Kidney to a Facebook Friend?

How far would you go for an Internet acquaintance? This article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune details the story of Chris Strouth who used his Twitter account to plead for a new kidney when doctors told him he needed a replacement to fight the Berger’s disease that had him on dialysis. Amazingly, Strouth got 19 responses offering a spare kidney, with one man, Scott Pakudaitis, being a match.

Before the surgery, Pakudaitis and Strouth didn’t know each other well, though they were casually acquainted on Facebook through mutual friends. While this story seems unlikely to occur often, doctors argue that social networking is actually the next logical step in soliciting organ donation. In other words, don’t be surprised if someday you get a request from an old high school friend for a new kidney.

Despite Decline, Facebook is Central to Teenage Internet Use

At the Wall Street Journal blog The Source, Paul Sharma discusses new research which shows how teens are using social media websites. The research suggests that teens use Facebook as a central hub to connect and communicate with their friends, but they spend the majority of their time online visiting websites based on specific interests, i.e. music, games, or movies. This trend is supported by the fact that although the number of teens using Facebook has increased, the number of time teens spend on Facebook has decreased.

UK Man Wrongfully Identified as Murderer on Facebook

In 1993, 10-year-olds Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted of the murder of three-year-old James Bulger. The barbarity of the crime, as well as the young age of the defendants, struck a chord with the British public, and has been a painful issue ever since. So painful in fact, that when the killers were released from prison, they were given new identities to protect them from vigilantes who wished to cause them harm or even kill them.

The problem with giving the killers anonymity, however, is that has led to incidences of mistaken identity. In particular, one man, David Calvert, has lived in fear for his life since he was mistaken for Venables five years ago. Recently, the problem arose again, though this time it became a much bigger concern thanks to Facebook.

Over a few days, a Facebook group incorrectly identifying Calvert as Venables exploded to more than 2,370 members. While Facebook has removed the group in question, that hasn’t stopped people from threatening him and showing up at his home and telling his neighbors that he is a murderer.

Cyberbullying Forces Internet Companies to Reexamine Privacy Policies

Since three Google executives were convicted of privacy violations in an Italian court recently, the Internet industry has been wondering how far they should be expected to go to in censoring content online. This Reuters article discusses some of the many issues facing Internet companies that could prompt government intervention or revisions of existing Internet laws. Specifically, the article touches on cyberbullying, which has become a major problem for kids and teens all over the world.

Woman Stung by “Burn Page” on Facebook

When Facebook changed over its privacy settings a few months back, many people were shocked to find that their private pictures had been defaulted to public sharing. While Facebook did their best to inform users of the change, not everyone got the message, which has led to some embarrassing incidents.

For instance, a Philadelphia women, Tamara Strickland, explains how a photo that she thought was private was taken from her profile and posted on a Facebook Fan Page called Philly Burn. The goal of the Philly Burn Fan Page is to mock and degrade pictures of strangers found through publicly accessible photo albums.

When the news station writing the story contacted Facebook about the Fan Page, Facebook promptly removed it, saying it was in violation of the company’s terms of service. Nevertheless, Tamara and many others were forced to face an uncomfortable and embarrassing public roasting over which they had no control, which is something that Facebook should have considered before they go through a major restructuring of privacy controls.

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For 20 years, Scott Adams’ comic strip Dilbert has been widely admired for its sharp and satirical look at office politics and the foibles of white collar workers. In a humorous comic strip from late last year (pictured above), Dilbert took aim at business cards and how much information you can glean from them, whether that information is positive or negative.

According to Adams, many people responded negatively to that comic strip, finding it to be too caustic, even for the typically sardonic Dilbert. In a blog post, he responded that,

“The point I was trying to make with the comic is that people routinely do forensics on business cards. For example, you can.

1. Google people’s name for news stories
2. Look people up on Facebook and other social sites
3. Do research on people’s employers
4. Estimate people’s incomes, and even personalities, based on job titles.”

Adams goes on to prognosticate that we’re not far away from a “point where no mating will ever occur because no one will pass the background check. If you knew everything about another person’s history, there would always be at least one show stopper. In a simpler time, you could fall in love before you found out any damning information about your partner. I’m not sure that was better.”

Both in his blog post and in the initial strip, Adams makes a strong point about how our initial perceptions of people are unfairly colored by the surface information that is available to us, be it in a business card or through a simple Google search. To ensure that nobody gets the wrong idea about you, investing in a personal online reputation management solution is a necessity.

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We hope you had a good time watching the glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards last night, but, sadly, it’s time to get back into the regular grind, which means our daily Reputation Management, Internet Privacy, and Social Media Quick Hits. Check below to get caught up on the latest news that could help you defend your good name online.

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UK Tightens Restrictions on Social Media Marketing

Twitter will begin rolling out its in-stream advertising sometime in the first half of this year. The move has been a long time coming, and is the first real attemp to give the massively popular social networking website a viable business model. Before Twitter ads can become a reality, however, the company must take steps to ensure that its plan falls in line with existing advertising regulations.

This article from The Guardian explains how the UK’s regulatory agency for advertising, the Advertising Standards Authority, will be tightening restrictions on how social networking websites like Twitter, as well as Facebook, can use company profiles for promotional activities.

Could Google Change Copyright Law Forever?

When Google set out to scan millions of old books and put them online, the company faced extreme criticism form copyright advocates, libraries, and scholars. The criticism spawned into a class-action lawsuit, which is currently being debated in federal court. In this article from the San Jose Mercury News, Mike Swift explores the lawsuit and how Google’s settlement offer could potentially allow the company to rewrite a major portion of copyright law.

Conan O’Brien Makes a 19-Year-Old Famous on Twitter

When Conan O’Brien joined Twitter a few weeks ago, it took no time at all for him to earn hundreds of thousands of followers. While he was racking up over half a million fans, however, Conan wasn’t following anyone himself. That is he wasn’t following anyone until he randomly picked Sarah Killen, a 19-year-old Michigan resident. Since selecting Sarah, Conan has directly increased the girl’s follower count from single digits to more than 15,000.

Happily, while the sudden onslaught of pseudo-celebrity could have gone to her head, Sarah appears to be taking her newfound fame in stride. She has even used her Twitter account to promote multiple charities and raise money for a Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Walk in which she is participating. While Sarah has turned her Twitter celebrity into success thus far, however, there are plenty of pitfalls to being under the social media microscope. We hope that she will continue to make positive decisions and keep her online reputation clean, so that she and Conan can do even more good.

How To Set-Up Internet Filters to Protect Your Kids Online

Enabling filters and other software to keep inappropriate material off your computer is a difficult but necessary step to protect your kids from getting into trouble online. In this column from the San Jose Mercury News, Larry Magid explains some of the free filtering programs built into Internet browsers, as well as options that can be downloaded and customized for more robust protection.

Where Does Your Company Live Online: Your Homepage or Your Facebook Page?

If you’re promoting your business online, do you send your customers to your homepage or your Facebook profile? In an article for Forbes, Steve Rubel, SVP, Director of Insights for Edelman Digital, explains that, increasingly, companies are using their social media presence more prominently in advertising than their dot-com URLs.

While this is good in the sense that social media allows for interaction with customers, Rubel also points out that companies who simply establish a social media presence but don’t use it to communicate in any substantial way are seen as inauthentic by consumers. In other words, while social media is an important and effective tool, it works best in tandem with a corporate web presence.

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