That whirring sound you hear is the rumor mill kicking into high gear, probably splashing water everywhere (it is a mill) while it gets to spinning: Facebook has issued a mysterious invitation for the media to come hang out on its campus in Menlo Park, Calif. next Tuesday and of course, now everyone’s all abuzz as to what it is the social network has to share with us. Could it be a phone? A new superhero? A fancy haircut for Mark Zuckerberg? [More]
![Cable companies and airlines dominated the ACSI's worst-of list for 2012.](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/badnames.png?w=212&h=197&crop=1)
List Of Companies With Worst Customer Service Scores Is Full Of Familiar Names
Bank of America, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Delta, Charter, American Airlines — these are just a few of the all-too-familiar companies sitting comfortably in the back of the pack in terms of customer service for 2012. [More]
![A recent algorithm change at Facebook has resulted in fewer people seeing posts by movies they "like."](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/jackreachergrab.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Hollywood Realizing That Facebook Likes Don’t Result In Box-Office Bonanzas
For years, Hollywood studios have been tossing piles of cash at Facebook in the hopes that getting people to “like” a movie or TV show would somehow translate into box-office returns or high ratings. But some studio executives are reportedly wondering if this might be a waste of money. [More]
![This Twitter update has screengrabs of the Facebook page before it was taken down.](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/twittergrabsweepstakes.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
If You’re Going To Rig A Sweepstakes, Don’t Give The Prize To Your Facebook Admin
For some reason, some people are still convinced that Facebook “likes” are some sort of currency and will do just about anything to get them. For example, the jewelry store that is now being accused of rigging a sweepstakes and then accidentally outing its misdeeds online. [More]
![This is the message that comes up when your account has been memorialized.](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/oops.png?w=300&h=146&crop=1)
It Is Apparently Rather Easy To Suspend Someone’s Facebook Account Just By Saying They Are Dead
The process for “memorializing” a deceased user’s Facebook page has apparently been simplified to the point where all it takes to have someone’s page suspended is that they share the name of an actual dead person. [More]
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Even Randi Zuckerberg Is Confused When It Comes To Setting Facebook Privacy Controls
Even though Facebook rolled out new privacy control tools to its U.S. users that ostensibly should make it easier for users to figure out what they’re sharing with which people, it seems things are still complicated enough to confused Mark Zuckerberg’s very own sister, Randi Zuckerberg. She was a bit ticked off recently to find that a photo she’d shared on the social network was viewable by a stranger — who subsequently reposted it on Twitter. [More]
![(Facebook)](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/shortcutsclose.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Facebook’s New Privacy Controls Rolling Out Soon: Here’s What’s About To Happen
There are plenty of times we’re critical of Facebook — the $1 message from strangers plan, launching auto-play ads — but with its new privacy controls it’s actually kinda sorta seems like the social network is (dare we say it?) making things easier for users. The new settings have rolled out globally and will be hitting U.S. accounts soon as well. They look like they’re easy to navigate, so, high five there, Facebook. [More]
![(@kimkardashian)](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/kkinsta2.png?w=240&h=125&crop=1)
Instagram’s Most Followed User Kim Kardashian Might Totally Break Up With It
Despite the backpedaling Instagram performed on Tuesday night in the wake of a widespread backlash against its controversial new terms of service and privacy policy, the social media service is still facing the prospect of losing a lot of users. And if it loses its most followed user, things could be even worse. Do you really want Kim Kardashian to leave and possibly take a chunk of her 5.7 million followers with her, Instagram? Well, do ya? [More]
![Facebook has announced some changes to its messaging system.](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/facebook.png?w=300&h=181&crop=1)
Facebook Announces Another Change To Dislike: Letting Strangers Pay To Message You
One of the positive things about Facebook’s messaging system is that you can set it up so that only users you are connected to can send messages directly to your inbox. But now Facebook is testing a service that lets marketers pay to have you receive their messages. [More]
![Insta-backpeddling](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/instwhat.png?w=260&h=181&crop=1)
After Backlash, Instagram Backpedals A Bit On Changes To Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy
Yesterday, the folks at Instagram, the Facebook-owned photo-sharing service, announced upcoming changes to its terms of service that raised concerns about privacy and content-ownership. With some users already talking about deleting their accounts, Instagram has issued a maybe-we-didn’t-think-this-through update. [More]
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Facebook Really Wants To Be Hated, Will Launch Auto-Play Video Ads In 2013
You know how much fun it is when you’re browsing the Internet and you get to a page where a loud video starts playing while you frantically try to stop it or mute your computer? Several hundred million Facebook members should prepare themselves for this thrill when the site launches auto-play video ads next year. [More]
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FTC To Investigate What Info Data Brokers Are Collecting & Selling About Consumers
You may remember earlier this fall when Facebook’s new partnership with data broker Datalogix spurred privacy advocates to ask the Federal Trade Commission to investigate. Now it looks like Datalogix, along with eight other data brokers, will be going under the agency’s microscope. [More]
![(MBQ)](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/tykeinstagram3.jpeg?w=240&h=225&crop=1)
Don’t Like Instagram’s New Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy? Quitting Is The Only Way Out
It seems like every week users of social network Instagram have been seeing more and more changes, all leading the service down the merry path toward becoming more and more like its parent company, Facebook. There was the Twitter card break-up, followed by the revelation that yes, Instagram would get ads. And now the service has updated its terms of service and privacy policy in ways that might see a whole lot of users fleeing for good. [More]
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Facebook: Yeah, We’re Totally Going To Put Ads In Instagram Eventually
If you thought Facebook was going to acquire photo sharing service Instagram and not try to make any money off of it or otherwise change it for the worse, well, you’re either very naïve or you don’t know how the Internet works. Sure, users’ information can serve as currency for companies like Facebook, but making money by slapping ads into the social media mediums we love most? That’s just good business sense. [More]
![The Zuck is listening.](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/fbvote.png?w=240&h=101&crop=1)
Facebook Wants You To Vote On Policy That Wouldn’t Let You Vote On Future Policies
Facebook is at it again, this time asking its users to vote on some new changes to its data use policy and statement of rights and responsibilities. The kind of stuff that you might ignore, if you didn’t know that allowing the changes would mean you can’t vote on policy changes in the future. Users have until Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. ET to vote, and so far most people aren’t in favor of the changes. Surprising. [More]
![This will not work.](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/wontwork.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Posting That Legal Notice In Your Facebook Timeline Doesn’t Do Anything To Protect Your Privacy
With hours to go before Thanksgiving, Facebook sent out a little e-mail last week alerting users to some proposed changes to the company’s privacy policies. In response, a number of users have copy/pasted a supposed legal notice they think will protect their status updates and images from being used commercially. It won’t. [More]