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Reputation Management, Internet Privacy, and Social Media Quick Hits

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In today’s Quick Hits, Congress learns more about cyberbullying, Internet companies try and ward off advertising regulation, and Farmville junkies find a new outlet for their addiction.

Six Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

In a BNET MoneyWatch column, Kathy Kristof advises readers of six things they should never reveal on Facebook. Besides the usual suspects (home address, password information, vacation plans, etc.), Kristof discusses how any kind of risky behavior, i.e. reckless driving, shouldn’t be shared online because insurance companies routinely use social networking websites to determine an individual’s risk. This is something that we have talked about repeatedly at Reputation.com, and it is not surprising to see the issue become more widely discussed.

Dr. Phil Testifies on Cyberbullying Before Congress

Today, Dr. Phil McGraw will join a group of Internet safety experts in Washington D.C. to speak with a congressional committee about the growing problem of cyberbullying. Speaking on the Early Show, Dr. Phil touched on why cyberbullying is such an important issue, saying “These kids are getting isolated in their homes. They’re getting isolated on these computers. And they’re getting their reputations ruined.” Dr. Phil has been a vocal advocate for youth Internet safety in the past and has even dedicated shows to the subject featuring expert testimony from Reputation.com CEO Michael Fertik.

Girl Scouts Talk Cyberbullying on Capitol Hill

In addition to Dr. Phil’s congressional testimony this morning, a group of 23 Girl Scouts will appear before congress to discuss the issue of cyberbullying. The group has been working on developing cyberbullying prevention tools and offering advice to victims and parents with noted Internet safety expert Parry Aftab.

Internet Companies Focus on Self-Regulation of Ad Targeting

According to the Wall Street Journal, a coalition of Internet and advertising companies are proposing a “new system to police privacy abuses by companies that track consumers’ Web-surfing habits for ad targeting.” The new system ties into previous efforts to self-regulate the Internet advertising industry, specifically a list of guidelines established by the coalition last summer.

Quoting WSJ:

“A coalition representing advertisers and Internet companies released a set of voluntary guidelines last July, calling for websites and advertisers to clearly explain how they track and use information about consumers’ Web activities.The new policing system is designed to determine whether websites and ad companies that collect data on consumers are complying with those guidelines.”

The move toward self-regulation comes in response to increased pressure from the federal government to protect user privacy or face governmental intervention.

Paying for Privacy on Social Networking Websites

Speaking of privacy, one Internet CEO believes that if users want privacy on a social networking website, they should pay for it. Specifically referring to Facebook, Jeff Tinsley, the CEO of MyLife.com, explains that company’s which rely on targeted Internet advertising are in no position to offer their customers genuine control over their personal data. A pay model would lessen a website’s need to advertise, thus making user privacy a more important issue.

Farmville for the iPhone

The widely successful social gaming company Zynga announced today that its most popular game Farmville will now be available for download as an iPhone application. Farmville has fallen from its peak in popularity, but the game still boasts an impressive 64 million monthly users. Adding the iPhone application is a savvy move that will likely add new users and keep current users coming back for more.

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