The latest buzz about Google Buzz is that it makes children especially vulnerable to loss of privacy.

Google Buzz already tweaked its privacy settings yet parents and privacy watchdogs are still concerned that the new social networking service, which automatically allows users to set up public social networks with their Gmail contacts, exposes children to online predators and other dangers.

“Google buzz is a new danger zone for children,” says privacy expert Kathryn Montgomery. Montgomery, an American University professor, wants the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Google Buzz’s potential risks to kids.

Privacy groups are taking a special interest in the case after a technology analyst complained that Google Buzz—the search giant’s answer to Facebook and Twitter—publicly shared her 9-year-old daughter’s private conversation without the child’s knowledge. Technology analyst Charlene Li was even more shocked when she found out that her daughter’s classmates were chatting with strangers.

For those not yet familiar with this latest information-sharing tool, Google Buzz allows users to share ideas, photos, links and videos publicly either to the world or to select friends.  Since it is built right into Gmail, the comments can be accessed directly through the inbox.

Like Twitter, Google Buzz allows users to follow other users. To turn off the Buzz, they may click on the link at the bottom of the Gmail page.

The Buzz may also be accessed through mobile phones (through buzz.google.com) and users may locate their position from a one-button press.

Earlier, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) urged the FTC to look into possible violations by Google Buzz  of privacy and federal wiretap laws. EPIC filed the complaint with the FTC days after Google modified its privacy settings in response to privacy concerns which flooded cyberspace after its launch.

In its official Gmail blog, Google acknowledged its shortcomings and vowed to continue improving Google Buzz based on user feedback.

One flaw that users and bloggers harped about was that Google Buzz by default allowed a person’s list of contacts and followers to be visible. The new privacy settings make it easier to hide one’s followers and block users.

To ensure that users have a “positive experience” with the Buzz, Google also published its content policies. Violations may result in the user’s access to Buzz or Google account getting blocked.

An excellent tool if used properly

For all the negative buzz surrounding the latest social networking service, however, many still view it as a positive tool if properly used. They say it’s just a matter of letting Google Buzz’s privacy options work for its users.

David Coursey of PC World observed that Google Buzz may even top Facebook as an effective tool for business networking. Google Buzz even has better policies to protect user data than Facebook, wrote Coursey, who came up with a list of the pros and cons of using Google Buzz.

Another blogger, Adam Ostrow, said Google Buzz has unique features that make it an ideal tool for businesses to prosper. Ostrow listed 5 opportunities for small businesses that Buzz provides.

Some in the blogosphere believe that the onslaught of criticisms levelled against Google Buzz is a bit too much and tends to overshadow its benefits.

“Those people who are naturally distrusting of large companies with high market share are aggressively looking for ways to highlight weakness or issues with Google Buzz. While Google no doubt made some early missteps, and has apologized for them, the reaction has far outweighed the potential issues,” Silicon Valley blogger Louis Gray tells WebProNews.

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The launch of the new Windows operating system it presented just a week ago cannot come soon enough for Microsoft.

The software giant lost significant ground in the OS pecking order in 2009, according to new statistics released on Tuesday, with Apple’s iPhone leapfrogging it into third place in the rankings.

The figures, produced by analyst firm Gartner, also showed a positive fourth quarter for the overall mobile devices market, with sales to end users growing by 8.3% on-year. Nokia remains dominant in handsets, despite losing more than two percentage points of share in 2009, while Asian vendors Samsung and LG continued to grow, but Motorola and Sony Ericsson turned in weaker performances.

To read the full story go to:

http://www.totaltele.com/view.aspx?C=1&ID=453375

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Whatever you do today, don’t open that e-card supposedly sent by a secret admirer. The sender is not out to steal your heart but your passwords and credit card numbers!

In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, experts have warned of a surge in Valentine-related scams. E-cards are not the only ones which are suspect; so are online romance and male enhancement services.

While some people are aware that these are just mere antics by cyber-crooks to score big-time by taking advantage of lonely hearts, many still fall prey to these scams. In the UK alone, fraud experts estimate that scammers ripped off online users a total of £2.6 billion last year.

One Valentine-related password-stealing malware is disguised as an animated heart e-card, according to malware analysts from Symantec Hosted Services. Unfortunately, most AV scanners are unable to detect this malware.

Amorous users of online dating sites also learn the hard way by giving out too much information. Identity stealers only need the name, address and date of birth to apply for credit. Often, users don’t realize that they have been duped until the bills start piling, but they are forced to pay to protect their credit rating.

Be extra wary of online dating services offering Russian brides, said the experts. Unsuspecting users are asked to send money so the bride can supposedly travel to the U.S. with a visa, but she never shows up and the dating site also disappears.

And take note: The fact that you’re not looking for love or seeking to “increase your length, the best Valentine gift”—as one popular subject line for Valentine-related scams say—should not be a reason to let your guard down. Lovestruck males who order an engagement ring through a spam mail are also at risk of having their computers infected with malware.

Some of the most popular Valentine-related subject lines used by cybercrooks are “Be My Valentine”, “A Valentine Love Song”, “My Lucky Valentine”, “The Valentines Angel”, “My Valentine Sunshine”, “Fly Away Valentine”, “The Valentine Love Bug”, and “Valentine Letter”.

The volume of spam mails—estimated to cost $130 billion worldwide, $42 billion of which is in the U.S. alone—puts a strain on mail infrastructure management. Aside form spam mails, cybercriminals also exploit social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

To avoid getting scammed whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not, experts warn against opening emails or messages received from unknown senders on Facebook and other social networks. If you accidentally click on the link included in the message and you are taken to a particular website you don’t recognize, close the browser at once.

Some pages may look legitimate, but be careful if you are requested to download anything. If you want to make any online purchases, directly type the store’s URL in the browser instead of going through the link included in the email.

You should also only choose reputable online stores. To check if the website is secure, look for the small yellow padlock found near the toolbar or at the right-hand corner at the bottom of the page.

Also, make sure you have a reliable security solution installed on your PC. It should be able to detect both known and new types of malware.

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