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Thoughtpick: A unique perspective of the Web and social media...
A unique perspective of the Web and social media...

February 2, 2010

Internet Freedom: A Hoax or a Reality?

We hold in our hands, the most precious gift of all: Freedom. The freedom to express our art. Our love. The freedom to be who we want to be. We are not going to give that freedom away and no one shall take it from us! Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider, Northern Exposure, Cicely, 1992

Touching quote right? I am sure most of you would agree. However, are we really holding our “precious” freedom in our hands? Are we appreciating it as we should? Are we conscious of how our actions might negatively influence the health and sanity of our freedom? I think not!

More Access: Less Freedom!

During another daily round on Mixx, I found the following cartoon:

Internet Freedom?

Internet Freedom?

It made me think about the heavy weight the future of our freedom carries upon its shoulder due to this “much freer access of information”. It also reminded me of my clean up trip on Facebook a couple of days ago and of how I had to remove around 300 so-called friends and place around 200 others on my limited profile! [read full article >>]

Filed under: Controversial Picks, Future of the Web — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Beirut @ 9:30 pm

January 23, 2010

Haunted by Facebook: The Smoking Baby!

A very old saying goes along this line: “Every coin has two sides“.

Although I don’t entirely agree that this applies all the time, I must admit that I have faith in its meaning on more than one level and that it does really apply in many different situations. The argument of this post is definitely listed under those situations!

Social Media: Into Play

Since the emergence of social media, its tools, sites, ideas and influences, many things have changed such as:

  • The way people interact with each other.
  • The loose approach towards privacy.
  • The amount of information we share.
  • The way people handle their own personal feelings.
  • The reactions of people towards different crisis, problems or even causes.

In return, these newly adopted trends have created a gray area for wrong and right thus influencing our abilities to make well-studied, worthwhile judgments and, consequently, decisions as well!

[read full article >>]

Filed under: Controversial Picks — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Beirut @ 3:57 pm

January 9, 2010

Nick Shantazio Using Facebook to Locate His Brutal Attackers! [video]

Mr. Nick Shantazio was attacked by TWO men as he was peacefully hanging posters at the local movie theater! His violent attackers, who managed to bruise him badly, are no where to be found!

In order to locate the attackers, Nick chose the police PLUS Facebook! He posted his story, in details, on Facebook and people started responding and circulating the story as well!

Though the police have no possible suspects, Nick seems to have faith that Facebook will do him right!

I wonder now: Is this what social media is going to be in 2o1o: The police helper? Helping the police in catching criminals and attackers just as CSI and NCIS do? I also wonder: If the same thing was to happen with you, would you do the same, especially if the police fail?

Filed under: Deductions and Realizations, Future of the Web — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Beirut @ 8:15 pm

April 26, 2009

“Social Media Forces” Helping the Police Clean Up Psychos!

Is there a definite end to the world of crime? Sadly but truly, the answer to this question is an equally definite “No”.

Let me ask you something: How many of you spend numerous hours, daily, watching those crime-related series such as NCIS, CSI, Cold Case, NYPD and many others? I for one, used to spend around 2-3 hours on average watching a bunch of these series for the thrill of the chase and hoping that maybe, one day, the psychos they catch on TV will get their share in real life as well!

However, things in real life are not always that simple and criminals are not always caught, except – as social media has proven- for maybe the “stupid” or “overconfident” ones who use the Internet such as Twitter to advertise their evil plans in advance!

Join me, if you may, to the latest news of the new SMF (Social Media Forces) dedicated to fighting crimes!

Through monitoring tweets made through Twitter, the FBI recently captured and detained a man threatening to execute an outrageous bloodbath!

Yahoo’s message board was able to help the FBI trace a Southern California man posting racist threats against President Obama and predicting “he will have a 50 cal in the head soon”.

Montreal police was able to capture and stop a teen threatning to attack Montreal College through a reported threat-loaded online chat.

Through following his blog posts, police arrested a Wisconsin high school teacher after monitoring a blog post that included support for student killers like those involved in the 1999 Columbine, Colo., High School massacre.

I should feel much safer with the SMF protecting me now, or should I really? I mean we all agree that we are entitled to freedom of thought and speech. So who decides in the end, if we are really psychos or not? What really defines someone as a real criminal?

Something for you to think about…

Note: Thanks for Matt Hamm for the original bird picture.. I hope you do not mind putting a hat on its head :)

Filed under: Controversial Picks, Web News — Tags: , , , , , , — Beirut @ 1:45 pm
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