Barnes & Noble Acquires Database

Barnes & Noble Acquires Borders Customer Database - if you were a Borders customer you have 15 days to opt out of letting B&N use that info

According to PC World, “Barnes & Noble is purchasing bankrupt Borders' database, which contains information regarding 48 million customers. Customers will have 15 days to opt out of the system.”

After arguing in court over privacy concerns from the sale of bankrupt Borders' customer loyalty database to Barnes & Noble, the lawyers in the case agreed to email customers and give them 15 days to opt out of the system.

According to a Reuters report, the parties also plan to "split the cost of an advertisement in USA Today giving customers information on how to opt out." Barnes & Noble's own privacy policy will govern the information once it is transferred, has agreed to purge any information it deems unnecessary

 

Read more here.

Facebook Is So 2010!

Facebook is so 2010!  Why do I say that?  It’s simple.  Facebook has an amazing amount of users,  I have seen numbers between 500 million (daily users) and over 750 million (user base).  They are adding newer and bigger features to the site.  They are announcing new and possibly ground changing deals with several large players in the Internet world. 

This is where Facebook becomes so 2010.  They have a huge number of users that can topple the Facebook environment when the users feel they have been run over.  Facebook has made its users unhappy in the past but there was really nowhere for these unhappy users to go.

Now there is.  Entering from the colorful corner is the heavyweight champion of search – Google! 

As of Wednesday  28 September, 2011, Google has opened its Social Media platform Google+ to the general public.  All you need to join is a Google account.  Don’t have one?  Get it here .

Google + is not just a Social Media platform, it is turning into a great business tool also.  With the changes just recently made to G+’s video chat app, Hangout, businesses will be able to be more productive. 

3 of those extras are:

• Screensharing: for when you want to show whatever is on your screen
• Sketchpad: for when you want to draw, doodle, or just scribble together
• Google Docs: for when you want to write, plan or present something with others

Now business users and be productive and social at the same time.

For more info, read here.

“Day of Vengence”?

This might get interesting. Sept 24th, a Saturday, chosen as "Day of Vengence" by Anonymous. Will they get arrested for wearing their masks?

Anonymous, or someone pretending to be Anonymous, has declared Saturday, 24 September, as the “Day of Vengence” in retaliation of the arrest of several peaceful protesters wearing masks during the central protest in the NY financial district.

This Anonymous states,

This year, we heard President Barack Obama and Secretary Hillary Clinton say over and over in country after country from the Balkans through the mid-east to Africa that the right to peacefully protest and occupy public space is a right that MUST be respected in every instance.

He goes on in his “rant”,

Anonymous & the other cyber liberation groups around the world together with all the freedom loving people in the USA will NOT stand for this. We will peacefully yet forcefully resist the abuses of the NYC Police Department.

So everyone should check to make sure you have no business with the NYC Police Department on Saturday as you might not be able to connect to the website!  Like I said, this might get interesting.

With that info,

Safer Surfing!

Next Gen Hackers – Just Copycats?

Are they really doing something new? I’ve been around computers and networks since the days before the www., back in the day when you were happy that your 800 bauds were flying.  So when I read something about malicious hacking being “more sophisticated than ever before”, I tend to take it with a grain of salt.

This article on Hackers Smarts seems to be just such a thing.

Why Hackers Don't Need to be Smart

Cyber criminals have used the same technologies and tactics for years, but companies keep failing to defend against them

Online, in print, on TV, and on the radio, report after report claims that malicious hacking is "more sophisticated than ever before." The media seemingly wants the world to believe it's besought by impossible-to-stop uberhackers with supersophisticated tools and skills.

read the entire article here.

With that info,

Safer Surfing!