Social networks connect essay

Facebook released Facebook Connect. This service allows Facebook users logon to other websites with their ID and password in the Facebook. Companies benefit having free exposure of their products via Facebook, and Facebook gets additional marketing information about its users. Nevertheless Privacy groups are criticizing Facebook Connect because it gives the company too much insight into users’ online habits. Moreover Facebook Connect will have to compete with the free OpenID by Google, My Space and Yahoo, and also a new service provided by Google, called Friend Connect.

Story 2.

Free Internet

FCC chairman Kevin Martin proposes to assign some wireless frequencies for free Internet access. The proposal is being criticized by the cell phone industry and the free speech advocates for placing a condition on the free service that would filter adult content from minors. If the proposal is rejected it is expected that the Obama administration will implement its own national broadband. Recently a group of companies such as ATT, Google, unions and public-interest groups have called for a national broadband strategy that makes access more affordable to US citizens. Whether Kevin Martin’s plan is approved or not it looks like 2009 will see some progressive Internet policies under the new administration.

News Brief

ü  A new form of malware was discovered by Bit Defender, which searches your hard drive for login details to financial institutions and send the info to a server in Russia.

ü  Microsoft hired former Yahoo executive Qi Lu to run its online services business.

ü  Facebook users should be wary of any message received on Facebook suggesting that they are in video.

ü  Retailers are selling out iPods.

ü  New application for the iPhone which would make mobile shopping much easier was released by Amazon.

ü  China needs its Internet cafes to install government developed operating systems that can keep a closer watch on what citizens and Internet café owners do on the computers.

ü  Windows Live continues to receive new social networking features and other improvements that are worth checking out at home.

ü  Australian citizens are taken to the streets to protest the governments plan to filter all Internet content that it has defined as illegal and indecent.

ü  The Microsoft Windows monopoly has dropped to less than 90 percent and Internet Explorer less than 70 percent as Mac and Firefox gain market share.