Blog

In a move that has angered many of the site’s longtime fans, YouTube has recently introduced the Google+ system, which requires users to log in with a “real name” instead of the anonymous usernames which were allowed in the past. Critics of the change in policy are concerned with the further erosion of anonymity on the Internet with some people predicting that the video-sharing giant will be damaged by the move.Since it bought YouTube, Google has slowly but steadily begun…

It’s been said (by Google’s chairman, Eric Schmidt, no less) that we are the first generation of humans with an indelible record. Due to the nature of the Internet, pretty much everything we say or do online and in our public lives is recorded and stored forever. All it takes is a quick Google search to uncover lots of details about virtually anyone and, unfortunately, there is very little that can be done to erase or alter information that’s already…

One of the saddest and most disturbing trends associated with the use of Internet social networking and chat platforms by teens is the increased incidence of suicides caused by cyberstalking and online bullying. One recent case in Florida involved a 12-year-old girl who leapt to her death from an abandoned concrete factory silo after constant harassment by two of her peers. No Escape What made Rebecca Ann Sedwick’s case even more heartbreaking is that the bullying which finally caused her…

There are just too many dangers lurking online for parents not to take an active role in managing their children’s Internet activities. The news is full of incidents of cyberbullying, cyberstalking, identity theft and other threats. Other, less immediate, but nonetheless important concerns also exist for children who use the Internet.It’s becoming more and more common for employers and even college admissions boards to scrutinize an applicant’s online profile - or “digital footprint” - before hiring or accepting, and both…

The recent controversy over the extensive spy network which has been set up and maintained by the United States National Security Agency (NSA), shows no signs of abating anytime soon. As fresh revelations continue to be released regarding the NSA’s spying activities involving not only citizens, but international corporate entities and government officials (even allies!), most of the world has begun to wonder if there is any privacy left at all. And it’s not just the USA doing the spying.…