Category: facebook

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Doctors warned about risk of ‘Facebook flirts’

Doctors are being warned not to respond to flirtatious approaches on social networking sites.

The Medical Defence Union, a legal body for doctors, said communicating via sites such as Facebook may be a breach of ethical responsibilities.

It issued the warning after a number of cases in which patients propositioned doctors after searching for their details on the internet.

Read more

Teachers and lecturers may want to think about how they use Facebook in light of this; and it would be advised that they check their visibility and security settings in Facebook.

This is not about not using Facebook, I know many teachers who do, but to consider the implications of sharing information beyond your Facebook friends, and what information is available publicly.

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Facebook “helps cut drop outs”

Gloucestershire College makes the news on its use of social networking websites to support teaching and learning.

Social networking websites such as Facebook are helping to reduce college drop-out rates, it is claimed.

Gloucestershire College says social networking is used to keep students informed and in touch with staff.

“There has been a significant improvement in retention,” says media curriculum manager, Perry Perrott.

This is not about encouraging use of Facebook, but taking advantage of the fact that our learners are using Facebook.

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Account closed

I’d done it. My (virtual) life was over. After two years on the online social networking site Facebook, I’d taken the plunge and killed off my account – in Facebook speak, I was “de-activated”.

It hadn’t all been bad; we’d had some good times. I’d enjoyed a bit of snooping as much as the next person and found it useful enough as a way to check out potential love interests, flog unwanted stuff and organise the odd shindig or three.

Could you give up Facebook? Read the full account on BBC News.

David Sugden on his Posterous Blog covers his reaction to the article.

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300 Million Facebook Users

BBC reports on the continued growth of Facebook.

The world’s largest social networking site just got bigger with the announcement it has 300 million active monthly users from around the globe.

Facebook also revealed that it had started making money ahead of schedule.

Read more.

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Does Skippy have a Twitter account?

Strewth Bruce, looks like Skippy the Kangaroo is going to need to get a Twitter account.

Australia is to use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to give people early warning of bushfires.

Residents of towns in Victoria state have said they had little or no warning of the devastating blazes that killed 173 people in February.

Read more on BBC News.

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“You know he wears a Speedo swimsuit. That’s not a state secret.”

The BBC reports on concerns about the fact that “M” the boss of MI6 has a Facebook account.

Personal details about the life of the next head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, have been removed from social networking site Facebook amid security concerns.

The Foreign Secretary has weighed in and defended the John Sawers.

The UK foreign secretary has defended the next head of MI6 after details of his private life were removed from social networking site Facebook.

David Miliband denied security had been compromised after the wife of Sir John Sawers posted family photographs and details of their children and home.

Mr Miliband told the BBC: “You know he wears a Speedo swimsuit. That’s not a state secret.”

Is it an issue?

What do you think?

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Facebook criticised over privacy

BBC reports on changes Facebook wants to make.

The social networking site Facebook has come under fire for planned changes to its privacy settings.

It wants to “simplify” the process so users only have to set them once, instead of for each individual feature.

Facebook says the change will help people share more information with one another.

However, critics argue the new set up could lead to members being persuaded to share too many personal details – their date of birth for example.

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Facebook offers control to users

BBC reports on changes underway at Facebook following recent criticism.

Facebook has responded to criticism over the way it handles user data by handing over control to its users.

Members of the social network will have comment and voting rights over the firm’s future policies regarding how the site is governed.

Founder Mark Zuckerberg said the aim was to “open up Facebook so that users can participate meaningfully in our policies and our future”.

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Why your boss should never be your Facebook friend?

Amusing article on why you should be careful on what you post to social networking sites such as Facebook.

There are many good reasons for not having your boss as a Facebook friend, and Sydney call centre worker Kyle Doyle has just discovered the most convincing of them all.

What this does show more than anything is the need for our learners to be given advice and guidance on how to conduct themselves online, a digital literacy.

Josie Fraser has written an excellent article on her work on digital literacy and it is well worth reading.