In today’s Quick Hits, Zynga feels the sting of the Facebook privacy breach, Canada gives Google a break, and a Utah politician uses novel net tactics to generate interest among voters.

–

Zynga Faces Lawsuit Over Facebook Breach

It was only a matter of time. Zynga, the maker of Farmville and some of Facebook’s other most popular applications, is facing a class action lawsuit over charges that the company violated user privacy. Facebook has been in the headlines throughout the week since the Wall Street Journal published an investigative report exposing wide-spread data privacy issues related to third-part app developers. A lawsuit was almost a foregone conclusion, though it is unclear at this time whether Zynga will be on the hook for damages related to the breach.

Washington Post Tells Reporters Do Not Debate Readers on Twitter

In an internal memo to Washington Post staffers, Post management has told reporters that they are not to use Post-branded Twitter accounts to debate readers over stories, but only to use them to “promote news, bring in user generated content and increase audience engagement with Post content.” The memo came in response to a debate on Twitter over the Post’s publication of an anti-gay editorial, to which gay rights organizations objected. The internal debate at Washington Post over Twitter is a microcosm of the problems that “old media” companies have faced in utilizing social tools. Completely one-directional communication is no longer possible, but using social media to engage with readers directly raises questions about a reporter’s objectivity.

Do Facebook Fans Equal Campaign Momentum?

This short article from The Hill compares and contrasts several political races across the country, comparing the number of Facebook fans a candidate has with their overall campaign momentum. Interestingly, the candidates with the most Facebook fans are not necessarily the ones leading in the polls. As voting day nears, it will be interesting to see whether social media support directly equates to electoral success.

Canada Will Not Prosecute Google’s ‘Serious Violation’ of Privacy Laws

In a statement Tuesday, Canadian Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart said that Google had committed a “serious violation” of Canadian privacy laws when the company accidentally collected user information via its Street View cars, but she also said that she would not pursue legal action against the company. This decision has raised objections from Canadian privacy groups who feel it is weak-willed to admit that Google broke a law and then refuse to prosecute the company for the violation. Stoddart has ordered Google to delete all of the confidential data Google collected by February 1st.

Utah Republican Tries to Energize Base with Data Mining

Using the Internet in political races is critical to campaign success, but one Tea Party-backed Utah Republican may have unintentionally alienated some of his base with his web savvy. Senate candidate Mike Lee wanted to energize some of the Utah voters who don’t typically show up for midterm elections, so he turned to the web. After purchasing a statewide voter list, Lee cross-referenced voter names with a number of other data sets, including a Republican newsletter. Once he had created a list of names and e-mail addresses, he sent them out to his current supporters to work on his behalf in reaching out to the potential voters. Of course, not everyone appreciated Lee giving their data (albeit legally obtained) to strangers. One individual who received the e-mail objected to the approach calling it “unethical.”

Over the past few months, Reputation.com CEO Michael Fertik has become a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review.  In recent posts for HBR, Fertik has offered practical entrepreneur-focused tips on starting a company and managing older and experienced professionals. He has also talked about the industriousness (and inefficiency) of Chinese business.

In his most recent piece for the Harvard Business Review, Michael Fertik talks about performance-based cash bonuses and how they are not the best form of compensation for loss-making start-up companies. Check out an excerpt of the article below.

Bonuses, particularly performance bonuses, negotiated up-front, are standard and reasonable fare in established businesses. Some smart people think they’re a good idea in start-ups, too. The basic argument is the same for start-ups as it is for other companies: incentives focus and motivate managers and individual contributors alike; tying compensation to goals stimulates performance. It’s not a crazy notion in the abstract, even though some research shows that cash rewards can actually diminish performance in cognitive tasks. I’m all for profit-sharing, but only when there’s a handsome-enough profit to share. Until your company is generating a bonanza, you shouldn’t consider doing anything other than reinvesting the cream in your growth. And I think cash bonuses are a particularly bad idea when your start-up is losing money.

Check out the full article online at the Harvard Business Review.

In today’s Quick Hits, Congress has some questions for Facebook plus we talk about politics and social media, as well as the possibility of letting users make money off of their personal data.

–

Congress Wants Answers Over Facebook Privacy Breach

Congressmen Edward Markey (D) and Joe Barton (R) have some questions for Facebook and they’re giving the company until October 27th to answer them. The leaders of the House Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus, Markey and Barton want to know more about the Facebook privacy breach unearthed by the Wall Street Journal yesterday. Specifically, they want to know “how many people were affected by the reported data breach, when Facebook was aware of the problem and how Facebook plans to remedy the problem.” Facebook has gone on record saying that the media has sensationalized the breach, and some tech analysts agree, but given Facebook’s track record on privacy, it’s no surprise to see Congress take an interest in this incident.

Ex-Model Wins Lawsuit to Reveal YouTube Cyberbully

Ex-model Carla Frankin was dismayed when she discovered that an anonymous stranger on YouTube had called her a “whore” and “posted unauthorized clips from a movie she appeared in during her modeling days.” Rather than accept the abuse, however, Franklin fought back by suing Google to reveal the identity of the attacker. This past Friday, a New York judge granted Franklin’s request and ordered Google to give up the user’s real name. This isn’t the first time that someone has taken to the courtroom to force Google to reveal an anonymous cyberbully – the Liskula Cohen case comes to mind – but it is rare to see victims use the legal system to their advantage. Unfortunately, the costs and time associated with fighting an anonymous bully in court are typically too great for most people.

Spain Files Lawsuit Against Google Over Street View

The Spanish Agency for Data Protection (AEPD) announced yesterday that it has filed a lawsuit against Google for “allegedly capturing data from Internet users when it collected photos for its Street View service.” The lawsuit is but one of many that Google has faced over its Street View services. The company caused considerable consternation throughout Europe when it was discovered that Google Street View cars were accidentally collecting Wi-Fi payload data as they drove.

Giving Away Personal Data for Money?

What is one way to give users control over their personal data? Make companies pay for it. At least that’s what Sean Murphy of the US Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) suggests. In a recent report, Murphy acknowledged that behavioral advertising isn’t going away, so the best way to provide consumers choice over how they share their data is for advertisers to offer some kind of economic incentive for the data. Sharing data could result in a small payment or a discount on advertised services.

Politicians Rely Heavily on Social Media for Branding and Fundraising

This article from Bloomberg explores how Senate candidates have become increasingly reliant on social media tools as a way to energize their supporters, raise money, and respond to criticism directly. The article goes into detail on how some candidates have been successful in amassing thousands of Twitter followers or Facebook fans and what it has meant for their polling numbers thus far.

Dave Pell: What Happens in Facebook Stays in Facebook

What you look like and how you act online may not necessarily reflect how you are in real life, but it is the digital version of you that people will judge first. Dave Pell brings this point home strongly in a well-told anecdote about two friends whose only contact had been on Facebook for many years. One friend was burned out by the other friend’s incessant political discussions online, so much so that he wasn’t sure he wanted to spend time with him in person again. When they did spend time together, however, they quickly realized how much they have in common and became fast friends again. This story shows how, even among old friends, the Internet can color your perception of someone in a negative light.

–

Stanford Mayfield Fellows Program Graduation!  Please note the sensible choice of sartorial splendor.

In today’s Quick Hits, Farmville users lose control of their personal data, a girl’s life is saved by a Facebook photo and an astute nurse, and a new study shows how teens are using the web.

–

Farmville and Other Popular Facebook Apps Leak Personal Data 

Several popular Facebook applications have been collecting and transmitting user information to advertisers and Internet tracking companies in violation of Facebook rules, a new Wall Street Journal report reveals. Some of the apps cited in the report include the popular games Farmville and Texas Hold’Em Poker. The user information collected through the breach was the ”Facebook ID” number. Every user has a Facebook ID number, which can be used to look up a person’s name even if that person has set all of their privacy controls to the highest levels. According to the report, Facebook has taken steps to limit the amount of information that third-party app developers can collect and share, but nobody is sure how long the breach was in place and just how much data third-party companies collected.

Several New York City Teachers Use Facebook for Inappropriate Contact with Students 

A Department of Education probe into the New York City school system revealed several instances of inappropriate contact between teachers and students on the social networking website Facebook. The instances, which ranged from inappropriate messages to lewd photo comments, prompted the DOE to dismiss several employees. The DOE has still not developed a social media policy for teachers, although several other states and school districts across the country have.

Nurse Spots Cancer in Girl’s Eye Thanks to Facebook Photo 

Many parents are uncomfortable sharing photos of their children online, but in this case a mom’s photos may have saved her daughter’s life. While scrolling through pictures of her friend’s daughter on Facebook, a nurse noticed that instead of turning red from the camera flash, one of the girl’s pupils turned white. The nurse recognized that the odd reflection could be a sign of eye cancer and she informed her friend. The woman took her daughter to the hospital for tests and learned her daughter had retinoblastoma, confirming the nurse’s suspicions. Doctors say the cancer could have been fatal if it were allowed to spread any further.

New Study Delves Into Teen Web Habits  

A new study by TRUSTe looks at teen Internet use. The study, entitled “The Kids are Alright,” has generally good things to say, reporting that “80 percent of parents and 78 percent of teens feel in control of their personal information on social networking sites” and that “84 percent of parents are confident their teen is responsible with personal information on a social networking site.” The study also found that not all teens are careful about who they “friend” online, with 68 percent indicating that they had at one point accepted a request from someone they didn’t know in person.

Google Offers Advice for “Protecting Personal Data in the Cloud”  

Google, often the butt of criticism for security and privacy issues, has taken time in honor of National Cybersafety Awareness Month to highlight several tips for protecting your Google account and keeping your private information secure in the cloud. Many of the tips are common sense advice related to passwords and account security, but they’re still valuable tips.