The Billion Has a Lot of Zeros

Recently it has been reported that Facebook has over 910 million monthly active users. The number is expected to exceed the one billion mark sometime within the next few months. To give the magnitude of that number perspective, consider: 1 billion is 3 times the population of the United States; and if Facebook was a country, it would be the third largest country in the world behind China and India.

I'm curious about who and what gets counted - and how many times. There seems to be no barrier to people creating multiple profiles as the only validation Facebook requires is a unique email address. How many of the monthly active accounts are for people who are deceased? Does the monthly active users list include business pages?  The numbers don't really matter to me, however they're counted, the result definitely reflects the tremendous appeal of social media worldwide.

I came across an interesting site: Socialbakers  where I found the following Facebook statistics:

• The U.S. has the most users with 157,067,260 (out of a population of 311 million), followed by India and Brazil both with 45 million.
• Jakarta, Indonesia leads the most users per city list with 17,484,300. New York comes in 14th (4,290,760), Los Angeles 17th (3,956,560) and Chicago 19th (3,056,280). 
• The most popular page is Facebook's own with 65,644,700 fans; Texas Hold 'Em Poker comes in second with 60,550,115.
• The top brand position goes to Coca-Cola with 41,534,748 while their competitor Pepsi comes in 50th with 8,106,495.

To further explore Facebook and other social media statistics visit: http://www.socialbakers.com/ and http://www.zoomsphere.com/charts/facebook/countries

I'm not much of a numbers person, but I find that the stats tell a fascinating story. No matter how you count it, It's pretty clear to see that the numbers add up a major change in how the world engages, communicates and shares information. Social media is here to stay - count yourself in.

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They're There & Their Bad Grammar is Everywhere

It's true, it's not what you say - it's how you say it that can really make a difference. Enjoy this fun and informative graphic!


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Is God Your Friend?

Thank you www.OutThere-byGeorge.com for permission to use this great cartoon!

Some people just aren't comfortable embracing social media. Many see it as a waste of time while others are hesitant to post anything that promises to leave indelible impressions in such a public forum. Perhaps these people would find comfort and confidence in knowing that social media is not inherently bad and that even God has a Facebook page. In fact, he has several of them. If it's good enough for God, it has to be good enough for the rest of us.

But there are a few things I find perplexing. Even though God is 'all knowing' he seems to not know that Facebook frowns on people creating multiple accounts. And on some of these accounts he speaks of himself in the third person (I thought only star athletes did that). It should be comforting to us common folk to know that God has been known to make spelling and grammar errors too. For that I willingly offer up forgiveness, as I'm guessing English isn't his first language.  

I was struck by a sense of profound disappointment when I learned that God is running popularity contests. I was so disheartened when I read this post on one of his pages: "What should we pray for next? Comment below with your requests. The one with the most "Likes" will be selected!" While it's comforting to know that God is open to prayer requests, I'm dismayed by the realization that only the popular ones will win. Who do we turn to for the ones that lose? It's kind of like reality TV infiltrating our petitions, tune in tomorrow to see which troublesome cause survives to the next prayer round.

And another thing, why is it that even though God has collected millions of likes on his various pages, he hasn't engaged socially by liking and poking anybody in return? Could it be God, or is it Facebook that keeps him from commenting directly on our walls? I'm sure they could both expect that if it were to happen, we'd be so startled we'd cancel our accounts and never log-in again. That would be a really bad thing especially as Facebook gets closer to their long-awaited IPO.

I wish God would 'like' this blog, the viral effect of that small action would boost the readership and page rank and be greatly appreciated. I'd pray for it, but with all the natural disasters, famine and disease in the world, it just seems so wrong to try to elicit those valuable 'likes' for such a selfish purpose.

The more I think about it, things just don't add up. In fact drawing from my beliefs and the evidence, I'm convinced these Facebook accounts weren't created by God at all. That can mean only one thing - God's identity has been stolen! That has to be the ultimate injustice, claiming to be God and doling out pearls of wisdom on his behalf to the millions of innocents who had no idea they weren't interacting with the real Supreme Being. To the brave souls who've had the courage to masquerade as God, I've only got one thing to say:

OMG! When the time comes for you to approach the pearly gates, you're going to have some 'splaining to do!

And to those of you who ignore all the warnings about revealing too much personal information, just think about this: If God's identity can be assumed, who in God's name can help the rest of us?

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To Be or Not to Be...A Friend

Even though I've got my Facebook privacy settings buttoned down tight, I still manage to get friend requests from people I do not know. I'm sorry to say I don't always remember people's faces, but I usually remember the names of people even from my distant past. It can get more complicated with women due to name changes upon marrying. Sometimes I find myself peering at the tiny thumbprint profile picture searching for a glimmer of familiarity, and those that substitute the kids or pets for their own photo don't help me out at all. When all else fails, I look for hints by checking how many mutual friends we have. After that, if I still cannot connect this person to a time and place in my life, I disregard the invitation.

I have a couple of hundred people listed on my Facebook page as my 'friends'. They come from all parts of my life. Some are family, some are old classmates (sorry to keep calling you guys old!), and most are people I've met while working. Sprinkled in are a few kids of friends and friends of my kids. Some I know well, others more casually, yet I've met face-to-face each and everyone of them. I'm not so confident that, at least a few of my friends, can say the same.

Three people I know have over 1,000 Facebook friends, raising a few immediate questions like: 1. Why?  2. Where did they come from?  3. Who are they?  Collecting a large number of friends on Facebook does not make one popular. If anything, it shows a lack of disregard for online security and that of the friends they actually know. While some people may find great adventure in engaging in risky online behavior, I for one, do not.

At this time, Facebook's privacy settings allow only two choices for who can send friend requests: everyone or friends-of-friends. Neither of these options offer an adequate shield from the thousands of phantom friends a few of my contacts have amassed. I get particularly concerned when any of these phantom individuals extend a friend request to me. I have no idea what their agenda is, but I'm certain it isn't to benefit me.

I advise everyone to familiarize themselves with the Facebook Privacy settings options. Restricting who can access your personal information is the first place to start. Whenever possible, disallow friend-of-friend exposure.

As for the people you really do know - connect and reconnect, interact and share...that's what makes a great friendship!

Additional reading:
Over-Disclosed is Over-Exposed
Invasion of the Apps

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Over-Disclosed is Over-Exposed

Social media sites like Facebook would like all of us to believe that the more personal information we disclose, the better our social online experiences will be. Many people offer up more details than needed, both on their profiles and by obsessively reporting the particulars of their lives. 

While some profile information can be useful in helping long lost friends and acquaintances reconnect, most of the information requested serves little purpose other than to provide analytical details for marketing purposes. But when fallen into the wrong hands, it can become valuable resources for stalkers, spammers and identity thieves too. Where I went to school may be useful for old classmates to find me, but noting my wedding anniversary date does nothing to enhance my online interactions with friends and family.

Too bad the old TV series The Twilight Zone is no longer in production. A modern version of it might portray a woman, we'll call Betty, who goes to her bank to make a withdrawal only to find out another woman is already there who claims to be her. After Betty shakes off her initial shock she insists the banker stop the fraud and notify the authorities. Before the banker can do anything the other woman speaks up with indignation that she is the real Betty and the banker should detain the accuser as the fraud. Now what is the banker going to do?

Upon request, both women produce the exact same identification. Pictures are different but the details are the same. The banker accesses the account file looking for information that can end this stalemate. He comes back with a list of questions only the real Betty could know, like what is her mother's maiden name (classic bank account information), what is the address she lived at 5 years ago, and how many years has she been employed at the local retail store. Both ladies answer the questions completely and correctly.

Betty starts to stagger towards the door, confused and bewildered. How can she prove who she really is? As the theme music starts up, Rod Serling intones something like "Betty's been in a rut lately, she's been fantasizing what it would be like to swap lives with somebody else. Today she's going to get her chance as someone has already claimed her identity."

Sound preposterous? It isn't. With the detailed amount of information provided through social media profiles and postings, it would be very easy for anyone to easily compile enough information to become a very serious threat to an unsuspecting victim's finances, relationships, security and sanity. If it happens to you, having to prove your identity will feel like "you're traveling through another dimension" - a real life Twilight Zone.

Here's a simple test: Do you routinely read your friend's profiles? If you can say yes, consider what you're looking for (schools, jobs, interests, etc.) and share the same type of information. If your answer is no - you don't need the particulars of their information to maintain a relationship, then they won't need yours either.

Have a topic you'd like to see discussed on Simply Squirrel Food? Send me an email I'd love to hear from you.

Invasion of the Apps

Much has been written and discussed about privacy and social media. I always advise users to post with full knowledge that updates and comments can be read by people they don't even know and might live on forever in cyber eternity. And while that can be pretty daunting, it's only the tip of the privacy iceberg. Serious privacy infractions can be hidden much deeper from view.

Think about the apps - short for applications. An application is software code written for many fun and useful tools to be utilized on social media sites and smartphones. The amazing array of offerings make them very hard to resist. Video games are not novel, but the ability to play interactive games with people from all over the world via the use of an app, has practically defined the term 'social' in our online world. Facebook and smartphones would be less appealing without these apps and certainly a lot less fun.

Some apps have a small fee and many are free. They've been written for so many utilities that the Apple slogan "There's an app for that" has become less of a marketing message and more a common refrain. So what's the risk? A quote attributed to blue-beetle might describe it best: If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold. The commodity is information.

Who really takes the time to read the permissions we're allowing in our haste to accept and download a cool new tool or game? How likely are we to actually understand these permissions even if we did read them? What information is being collected and how is it going to be used? Recognition that the privacy policies of social media sites and search engines are vague and confusing may cause some people to refrain from using any apps in an effort to protect their information. That can be a prudent step, but depending on the account privacy settings, could still allow the release of the information via a contact or friend's app usage.

When it comes to app permissions, it's all or nothing. We are not allowed the choice to elect some permissions and not others. Early on, I adopted the policy to not use any Facebook apps in an effort to keep my personal information private. However, I have recently added a smartphone and a tablet PC to my technology toybox, both of which are loaded with really cool apps - and yes, one of them is Facebook. I have a hunch I've just let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

A recent Wall Street Journal article gives an indepth look into the issue of apps and privacy: Selling You on Facebook

How do you feel about app permissions? What steps have you taken, if any, to protect your personal information?

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Bullying Behavior

Though most of the readers of Simply Squirrel Food are not in the age group of school children who seem to be the prime targets of cyberbullying, the topic is serious enough for everyone to be on the watch for it. The term is defined on Wikipedia as follows: Cyberbullying is the use of the Internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.

Unfortunately, I don't think many of us made it through our school years without the experience of being bullied. The pain was deep yet usually kept personal as we didn't want to add any credibility to the notion that the bully's accusations might have merit. Usually all we had to do was avoid that person and/or report him or her to a superior if we feared physical harm. These days, with the prevalance of camera-equipped cell phones, text messaging and easy internet access, the issue of bullying has become much more serious than the days of old.

When bullying hits the internet, it can no longer be personal or private. The only person who is able to, at least initially, hide behind a veil of anonymity is the prepetrator. The ability to act maliciously and recklessly without being readily identified just adds fuel to the fire. Now even the timid people who would never speak-up for themselves publicly, can feel justified in exacting their revenge online. Once the defamatory information hits the cyber world, it can be easily seen by anyone and everyone and there's no getting it back.

Stories in the news:

'Most Beautiful Teen' Facebook Contest Shut Down As Parents Raise Concerns About Bullying, Safety - Huffington Post

Rutgers Student Dharun Ravi Found Guilty In CyberBullying Case - MTV.com

Cyber Bullying has Memphis Teen’s Family Taking Action - WREG News, Memphis

Though some will argue that a few stories don't add-up to a crisis, there is no question that if you or a family member becomes a victim of such an attack, you will find the matter to be serious and significant. Schools, organizations and government agencies are all trying to formulate and implement safeguards and controls in an effort to mitigate the damages after the fact. Awareness is the first step to protecting ourselves and our families proactively. I found the following website to be very informative: http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/

Have you or anyone close been the victim of cyberbullying? How did you handle it? What advice can you share?

Have a topic you'd like to see discussed on Simply Squirrel Food? Send me an email I'd love to hear from you.

Juggling Personas

Persona is described as the outer part of a personality or character. We exhibit different traits when we are in our business personas than in our roles as spouse, friend, parent, child, etc. Trying to be everything to everyone is recognized as an impossible accomplishment, but it is exactly the expectation we are confronted with everytime we log-in to our social media sites. Juggling different personas as they collide in our virtual worlds can present some real-life challenges.

Awkwardness develops when we decline to spend time with one friend and then get tagged in pictures showing the great time we were having with another. Everyone has heard stories of people calling in sick to work and then being the surprise star of a photo spread detailing their actual activities that day. A recent Fox News article describes the potential impact on dating: Social media causing tension, jealousy in relationships. 

Real-life relationships are sometimes forfeited for the companionship of virtual friends. The broad reach of social media, across all continents and time zones results in having 'friends' literally at your fingertips anytime you need them. Sadly, some people actually prefer the easy interaction and somewhat anonymity their online relationships offer over spending face time with their real friends. Longtime friendships can suffer in proportion to the amount of time spent with people you never have and probably never will meet.

Balancing work and life has always been a challenge, but with all the technological advancements we enjoy, it can seem like we're never off work. And if you have co-workers as friends and followers on your social sites, it might be best to act like you never are off work. Conflicts will arise when you try to maintain a serious and responsible persona by day yet continuously post the gritty details of a wild and crazy night life. 

Sometimes balancing friends and family can produce unexpected results as well. Close friends and relatives can take exception to the fact that the first place they learned of a major life event such as an engagement, marriage, birth or death was via social media. The impersonalness of the announcement puts everyone in the awkward position of wondering what they are supposed to do next. Should they make a phone call to offer congratulations or condolences, or simply assume that it isn't expected as they weren't important enough to be informed in a more personal manner?

Even though the official minimum age to have a Facebook account is 13, estimates have been made that more than 7,000,000 users are younger than that. On the other end of the spectrum, senior citizens are utilizing Facebook as a good way to reconnect and stay in touch with old friends. Even if your friend list doesn't contain anybody from either of these age groups right now, it is likely that someday it will. Remembering that a young person may be looking at you as a role model, keep your online behavior in line with how you present yourself while in their company. As for the seniors, let's suppose they always thought you were a responsible individual, you sure wouldn't want to disappoint them now by proving them wrong.

Juggling all the roles at the same time can be challenging, but it can be done. Never lose sight of the fact that social media sites are not private, are not adequate as a truly personal form of communication, and are not limited to being read by just the small number of people you routinely interact with. It's your act, don't drop the ball.

More articles like this:
The Party Principle 
Loose Lips & Loose Fingertips
Designate and Thinker if You're a Drinker

Have a topic you'd like to see discussed on Simply Squirrel Food? Send me an email I'd love to hear from you.