In today’s mega-sized Quick Hits, we share Search Engine Land’s social media predictions for 2011, discuss the case of the innocent man who was called a serial killer online, and why some teens prefer not using social networking websites.

–

Innocent Man Accused of Being “Kensington Strangler” on Facebook

A Philadelphia man found himself the victim of a cruel joke when he was falsely accused of being a suspect in a recent rash of strangling in the Kensington area. An unknown individual posted the man’s picture on fliers and on a Facebook page dedicated to catching the real killer. The man was forced to call the police out of fear that he would be attacked by vigilantes. When he was alerted to the situation, the moderator of the page wrote that the man was not a suspect, but who knows how much reputation damage the initial post caused.

Search Engine Land: 5 Social Media Predictions for 2011

Search Engine Land’s Ciaran Norris has an interesting list of five social media predictions for 2011. At the top of the list is the prediction that Facebook will top one billion users. Given the site’s extreme growth, it’s not as far-fetched as it might sound. Within the last couple of years, the site has added hundreds of millions of users and there are several countries around the world where adoption is just now beginning to catch on.

AOL Acquires Personal “Business Card” Website About.me

Less than a week after the site’s formal launch, About.me has been acquired by AOL. About.me, which acts as a sort of online business card, gives individual’s a single place on the Web where they can share links to all of their social networking profiles. The idea isn’t original, but About.me offers an extremely clean look and a pleasant user experience. AOL has acquired lots of companies in 2010, as the company seeks to stay competitive with other web companies in a more social Internet.

Dating in a Facebook World

In an interesting column for Huffington Post, relationship expert Julie Spira discusses the rules of dating in a world where Facebook (not true love) is the one thing that binds us all. Spira’s advice is applicable not just to relationships, but for anyone seeking to keep their privacy online. For example, she writes “resist the urge to post photos on Facebook of your brand new relationship.” Spira argues not to do this because you might be pushing your partner too quickly. From a more practical perspective, it’s not good to overshare photos because you never know what lovey-dovey snapshot may rub people the wrong way.

Australian Football Player Apologizes for Nude Photo Scandal

Australian rules football player Sam Gilbert apologized after nude photos he had taken of fellow players Nick Riewoldt and others made their way online after a teenage girl posted them on Facebook. It is not clear how the teen came into possession of the pictures, as Gilbert and Riewoldt deny ever meeting her. An Australian Football League Player’s Association representative used the incident to illustrate why he believes Australia needs stronger personal privacy laws.

After Experiment, Some Teens Gave Up Social Networking for Good

In a recent “social experiment,” students from Shoreline, Washington’s Shorecrest High School gave up social media tools for one week. In other words, the students were forced to live like it was 1995 (not that long ago, but long enough to feel like the Ice Age to a 16-year-old). Despite going through Facebook withdrawal, however, some students actually enjoyed the experience and have stayed off of social networks several weeks after the experiment ended. This article from the Vancouver Sun talks with some of the students who gave up social networking for good.

UK Ambulance Service Staff in Trouble Over Silly Facebook Photos

A group of UK ambulance service employees are under investigation after several unflattering photos showed up online. To many people, the photos may seem tame: a group of co-workers goofing off around the office. However, because the workers are ambulance service professionals, expected to be alert and ready at a moment’s notice for emergency calls, the pictures aren’t seen in the same light. This incident demonstrates the high premium that employers and hiring manager place on online reputations. A silly photo may seem harmless, but it depends on who is looking.