In today’s Quick Hits, we talk about Internet privacy, discuss new cyberbullying research, and ponder the editorial choices of the New York Times.

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Have Facebook Privacy Concerns Passed?

Now that the media has stopped talking about Facebook privacy issues (for the time being), has the average Internet user stopped caring as well? The San Francisco Chronicles argues that they have, pointing to a significant decrease in the number of individuals visiting OpenBook.org and QuitFacebookDay.com through the url shortener Bit.ly.

That’s a short-sighted analysis however, as both of those websites weren’t expected to have a long shelf life. A better measure of the passion that people have for protecting their privacy can be seen in the more than 22,000 Facebook users who downloaded our own app, PrivacyDefender.

Internet Companies Brace for Congressional Hearings

Another fact showing that Internet privacy is still a hot issue is the news that Congress is considering hearings with numerous Silicon Valley companies to discuss consumer safety concerns and, in response, Silicon Valley companies are pouring money into congressional lobbyists to protect their own interests. The San Jose Mercury News has more details on the possible government hearings.

New York Times Asks Writers To Not Use “Tweet” in Stories

In a humorous example of the discord between old media and new media, the New York Times has sent an internal letter to its writers requesting that they refrain from using the word “tweet” (which means a short Twitter message) in their formal writing. Interestingly, the Associated Press recognizes “tweet” as an official word both in its verb and noun forms.

Symantec Study Has Good and Bad News on Cyberbullying

A new study by Symantec shows that cyberbullying has become a fairly common concern for young Internet users with more than 55 percent admitting “they had experienced negative online behaviour.” There is also good news in the survey. According to Symantec’s report, “over three quarters of kids said they would speak to their parents if they were threatened with physical harm or were sent suspicious or inappropriate material when online.”

Are Cyberbullying Laws Practical?

Speaking of cyberbullying, a recent article in the Boston Globe demonstrates the difficult gap between passing legislation to fight cyberbullying and actually enforcing that legislation in a practical way. The article features scathing criticism of Massachusetts’ recently passed cyberbullying law, which a principal describes as the “The Principal’s Paperwork Act of 2010.”