In today’s Quick Hits, Facebook offers a possible solution to its privacy woes, MSNBC talks teachers and social networking, and a mom shares her son’s story of cyberbullying.

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Google Engineer Develops “Facebook Disconnect” Chrome Extension

In response to Facebook’s most recent privacy flap, a Google developer independently developed a Google Chrome extension called “Facebook Disconnect.” The engineer, Brian Kennish, said he developed the extension to help temper his own desire to quit Facebook. By installing Facebook Disconnect, web surfers can disable all Facebook Connect functionality across the Web.

High School Cheerleader Booted Off Squad for Facebook Photo

A high school cheerleader in Ohio was kicked off her squad after school administrators received a Facebook photo of the girl in which she appears to be holding a beer bottle to her mouth. Her parents argued that the picture was taken out of context and the other individual in the photo is the one actually holding the beer. In any case, this incident is an example that there are tangible consequences to online actions.

Teacher May Lose Job for Social Networking with Students

A Manatee County drama teacher is in danger of losing his job because school administrators object to the way he interacted with his students on Facebook. The teacher, Charles Willis, is friends with over 100 students on Facebook. He claims that he shared nothing inappropriate on his profile and that many teachers have similar relationships with students online, but administrators point to several instances of what they call “unprofessional conduct.” Many teachers struggle with social networking, as evidenced by the next story.

MSNBC: Teachers, Students, and Facebook Don’t Mix

This article from the MSNBC Red Tape Chronicles blog delves deep into the issue of teachers online and the varied reasons why social networking with students is a bad idea. Offering countless examples of teachers who mistakenly shared inappropriate information with students, or simply did not restrict their Facebook profiles, the article touches on the importance of clear social media policies, personal accountability from teachers, and a growing lack of respect among students for the teaching profession.

GeekMom: Cautionary Tale of Cyberbullying

At the recently established GeekMom blog, Andrea Schwalm offers a first-hand account of how her son accidentally left his Facebook account unattended and was subsequently the victim of a cyberbullying attack.The article is an interesting read for parents, particularly because of the author’s strong knowledge of online safety, as well as the unique circumstances of the incident.

Facebook Plans to Encrypt User IDs

In response to the Wall Street Journal’s investigation into the Facebook privacy hole that allowed third-party application developers to access personally identifiable information, Facebook has announced plans to encrypt user IDs (the string of numbers associated with each Facebook account) to prevent sharing the data