Social Items

Social marketing is taking a huge chunk out of internet marketing budgets, and the notorious visual bulletin board, Pinterest, in order not to be left out in the windfall, is exploring ways to open up the platform to advertisers as it announced plans to launch "Promoted Pins".

Pinterest's great appeal to users, coupled with beautiful interface and compelling contents are what may perhaps endear the social platform to retailers for marketing purposes.

Promoted Pins is certainly a preview on how the company will go about pursuing a scalable revenue generation system, and see how it appeals to its ever growing user base, according to Ben Silbermann, Pinterest's CEO in a blog post.

And the initial test-run will include promoting a few pins in search results and category feeds, which the company has assured will not be obstructive as the usual banner ads we're accustomed. Silbermann, however, promised pinners that the promoted pins will be relevant, and improved based on users' feedback, and of course, no flashy banners or pop-up ads.

The company also assures on transparency by letting users know when a pin is actually paid for. The testing has not started, but will be rolling-out soon.

Finally, Here comes Promoted Pins

Facebook video ads rumor which has been making round since late July, now substantiating on the hints, the company have gone ahead to announce the test run for the new feature. The TV-styled ads, according to the Facebook Newsroom report, has already commenced with a select group of Facebook mobile users.

The new video feature automatically plays video to users who pause on the box when scrolling through their news feed.

This feature will be limited to videos posted by individuals, musicians and bands with verified pages. And that only videos uploaded to Facebook; not videos posted from YouTube or elsewhere are supported.

The company, however, declined to specify when the video feature will be opened up to advertisers. 

The implementation on desktop is quite different from mobile application, as clicking on video on desktop opens up a new window. While Facebook mobile users who do not wish to watch the video ads can simply scroll through to other items on the news feed.

Facebook: Gearing up for Video Ads?

The growing trend of web technology vendors persistently tracking users activities online for ads targeting purposes have continued to be debated across different fora. And recently, the NSA was reported to be circumventing manufacturers' controls to access users data on mobile devices, all these pointing to the fact that users cannot rely on vendor provisions in guarding their privacy.

Smart mobile devices have made it almost impossible to maintain effective privacy control online, and the debate as reviewed on the prolific mobile lifestyle blog, Mobility,  posits that the National Security Agency (NSA) can go as far as hacking into these devices to get information, according to documents released by the German news magazine, SPIEGEL.

The report maintains that the issue is not about having access through the companies behind these smart devices, but actual hacking of those devices.

Now, what other options do users have, since smart devices cannot be trusted? Encryption is perhaps the only solution, albeit, not 100 per cent foolproof, as even encrypted messages can be decrypted. However, it remains that the act of deciphering a single word in an encrypted message is a task not many such agency can be subjected.

So, smart security approach is the way out - the data itself should be protected. And to ease the process of the encryption on social networking platforms, BlockPRISM can be availed to cover such social privacy issues.

How Encryption can Eliminate Web Tracking

Google's web-based application revolution with its operating system, Chrome as the pivot of the new beginnings, is hitting up the debate over native-application continuum. Albeit, native applications have hitherto shown a better performance rating compared to web apps, innovations coming to the later has demonstrated that equal, if not better feat is possible.

Google had earlier released Chrome Apps Launcher for Windows, allowing users to launch Chrome standalone apps directly from Windows taskbar, even without launching the browser. Now, Chrome Apps have landed on the browser in a near-native experience, capable of working in offline mode, and storing data locally.

The new Chrome Apps can interact with PC hardware as a native app, while still retaining the everywhere availability advantage of web-based applications. Google on Thursday announced the availability of the new Chrome Apps on Chrome Web Store.

Mac users, however, will have to wait till the next version, Chrome 30 to enjoy the new feature, as its currently available for only Windows and Chrome, starting form OS 29.

Native Experience comes to Chrome Apps

Oracle released Java 7 update 25 in June 2013, while admitting the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) bug (CVE-2013-2463) in the later version, Java 6 and advised that users should upgrade to the most recent version. Now, security experts within last few days have uncovered an active exploitation of the vulnerability in Java 6 "Proof of Concept for CVE-2013-2463" attack code to compromise users systems.

The Neutrino crimeware kit which was first uncovered in March 2013, seems to be the point of exploit for the vulnerability according to security analyst, Timo Hirvonen of F-Secure.

The mode of attack include exploitation of Java vulnerability to install ransomeware on users PC, while such users are coaxed into paying some fines citing law enforcement agents involvement among others. The bug could be "exploited by malicious local users to disclose certain sensitive information, manipulate certain data, and gain escalated privileges and by malicious people to conduct spoofing attacks, disclose certain sensitive information, manipulate certain data, cause a DoS(denial of service), bypass certain security restrictions, and compromise a vulnerable system," according to Secunia.

Java 6 was officially retired in February, which is more reason the company did not make available a patch for it, but instead, recommend that users should upgrade to Java 7. Albeit, almost 48% of all Java users in the U.S. are still stuck to Java 6 according to statistics released March, 2013.

Security: Experts warn on Java 6 Vulnerability

The ubiquity of the internet has strongly influenced modern communication systems, with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) haven hitherto exerted enormous pressure on traditional communication players (Telcos), and the competition is even now fiercest as the new technology, WebRTC is gaining traction on the web.

WebRTC (Web-based Real-time Communication) is an open-source project (of course, free) that enables browser-to-browser applications with real-time communication capabilities through simplified JavaScript APIs without plug-ins.

The prototype comprises codes that Google open sourced  in May 2011, and followed by an ongoing work to standardized the relevant protocols in the IETF and browsers APIs in the W3C. The implementation revolves on works on HTML5 and related technologies supported by the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG). The project is supported by Google, Mozilla and Opera, increasingly spreading amongst other major web technology vendors.

Google is equally responsible for the key voice and video codecs WebRTC currently support - VP8 (video), iSAC (wide-band links) and iLBC (narrower connections).

What does all these mean? It won't be long after the point of aligning to standards for developers to start building applications into web-pages for voice and video calls. Albeit, such capabilities are possible already, but are specific to vendors implementing them. What WebRTC does is open the technology to all, not just to vendors that can afford to license a proprietary system.

Now, the revolutionary drive behind WebRTC is that ordinary Web developers using just JavaScript APIs can build fully functioning voice, video and data collaboration applications or have same embed within other applications or website with just a few lines of code.

The new technology, WebRTC will make voice and video call enabled web pages pervasive, with no plug-ins to download and install that may not be compatible with all the browsers you use, on the desktop or on your mobile devices. And that may ultimately be the future of voice and video calls for all.

WebRTC: Real-Time Communication between Browsers

Microsoft's revolutionary web-mail service, Outlook.com has already garnered a lot of accolades from tech industry watchers as regards bridging the communication gap with real-time social networking features right within the inbox, and now the company have also added Skype support.

Skype is perhaps one of the largest communication service on the web, making it possible for internet users to communicate with friends and family through instant messaging and video calls, all at no cost.

Microsoft had earlier made the announcement of bringing Skype to Outlook.com late April, and have now gone ahead to launching the service starting with North America as a first point of call, including United Kingdom according to Outlook blog. 

The company also intend to demonstrate the effect of visual communication in sales promotion, especially as it concerns local businesses, by announcing a contest in the United States whereby consumers can submit a recipe with a chance to make a video call with Gail Simmons, the food expert and television personality.

And for every entry, Microsoft will donate $10 to Common Threads, a charity that promotes healthy eating with kids, while entry direct from Outlook.com account attracts $20 donation. If you wish to learn more about the contest and enter, go to: chow.com/outlook.

Microsoft brings Skype to Outlook.com

LinkedIn, the unparalleled professionals network, is honing their great pool of user base to avail prospective students of relevant information as regards various universities by providing a ready made information hub, University Pages.

The University Pages on LinkedIn is aimed at helping students attain critical milestone in their campus life to a fulfilling, successful career.  And foremost, to serve as an information hub for students making that initial search for universities to attend.

Beginning on September 12, LinkedIn intends to open up the University Pages for high school students to explore schools worldwide, along with expanding their opportunities on the after school scenario, by building on a network of friends to help at every milestone.

And currently, about 200 universities have adopted their pages, including INSEAD, NYU among other notable citadels of learning.

LinkedIn had accordingly made some changes to its terms of service, most notable being the change in minimum age to 14 for eligibility to join. Also, stressing on the openness and prospect of adding "thousands of schools" along the line.

LinkedIn Introduces University Pages

Social networking has greatly influenced online conversation, the line between strangers keep getting blurrier, while privacy have been utterly relegated to the background. Privacy as regards users personal information will continue to draw attention in lieu of targeting advertisements, and for those users who do not wish to be tracked, there is finally a solution.

BlockPRISM is nonprofit project undertaken by a group of computer science students at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam and a mechanical engineering student at Stanford University in Palo Alto, with the aim of allowing users encrypt their private messages on social networking platforms.

The goal of BlockPRISM is to enhance secure communication on the internet by creating programming tools that allow seamless integration across social media, without the user having to go through any trouble to encrypt his or her messages.

While the cryptographic technology to make this possible has existed for some time, encryption has not been widely adopted because it can be too complicated. And as a first prototype, the team have programmed a Chrome browser plugin to serve as a proof of concept.

Also, in order to complete the development cycle and to make it available on mobile devices (iOS and Android), they have equally launched what they called the indiegogo campaign.

The team is hoping to reach the widest possible audience with their campaign to meet the goal of encrypting every personal information across the social networking platforms and thus create a secure communication on the internet.

BlockPRISM: Encrypt Messages in Social Networking Platforms

Online privacy has indeed taken a center stage in modern internet usage, given the proliferation of tracking technologies aimed to bolster advertising efforts, even at the expense of users personal information. Internet users, on the other hand have always clamored for more control over their data, and had reacted with outrage whenever such rights have been abused.

AdChoice, is a familiar web icon for those who are used to surfing the internet. It's an initiative of Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), which serve to educate users on personal data collected by targeted ads, availing them the option to opt-out of such tracking.

Now, the coalition have devised plans of bringing same user control to mobile browsers, with a disclosure icon that will give users option to Do Not Track command on their mobile devices.

The overriding idea, however, is for internet users to have control over who or what gains access to their personal data, and preventing unwanted intrusion to users privacy.

And the timing is perhaps, even more accurate given the dominance of smart mobile devices in modern internet usage, which has correspondingly driven advertising thereto. The project is still in early developmental stage and according to DAA will be coming on board by next year.

Privacy: "Do Not Track" Icon for Mobile browsers?

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