Live Self-Streaming Smartphone Apps

Advancing technology and smart phone apps can take us to some pretty strange places. The latest
technology craze involves the use of live self-streaming apps. These apps, which include
Meerkat, Periscope, and YouNow, allow individuals to broadcast themselves with an Internet connection and smart phone.

While live-streaming apps may sound cool and fun, they can be dangerous at the same time.
Teenagers generally use these apps to broadcast themselves singing, talking, or even sleeping in their bedrooms (which happens to be very common).

It is not surprising that parents have expressed concerns regarding their children broadcasting
themselves and telling the public where they are currently. Among the possible hazards that
come with this type of broadcasting is the likelihood that adult predators are watching. Teenagers
using these apps must learn to make good decisions and to be mindful of what they are
broadcasting. If you are using these apps, make sure you know when you have them on and do
not give out your location during your broadcast. And any other private information should remain private, as well.

READERS, What Do You Think?

1. Do you use live self-streaming apps to broadcast yourself?

2. If you do not use them currently, would you use these apps to broadcast yourself? If so, what

are your reasons for doing so? If not, why would you not do this?

Reference: 

Alexander, S. (2015, September). Living the Stream. Family Circle, 88-92.

Cautions of Enrolling at a For-Profit College

You may have seen TV commercials and other advertisements for for-profit colleges. These
typically highlight testimonials from past and current students. Some students claim that these
schools have prepared them for success and they have landed a well-paying career. However,
many of these colleges are deceptive regarding enrollment. Government investigations have
found that some of these schools have made false claims about their accreditation, high
graduation rates, cost of program, etc.

For-profit colleges have been notorious for aggressive recruiting and often lure prospective
students by persistent phone calls. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found
that for-profit colleges have higher tuition rates than a nearby public institution. Graduation rates
may be much lower than public or private institutions. The GAO report also found that 23.3
percent of students at for-profit schools defaulted on their student loans compared to 9.5 percent
of public school loans.

If you still wish to enroll at a for-profit college, be sure to do your research first. It is in your best
interest not to talk to a recruiter because they may be aggressive or give misleading information.
Ask for the school’s graduation rate in writing, as well as written proof of their post-graduate
employment rates in your field. Also, just because a school is “accredited” does not necessarily
mean it is accredited for the type of work you want to do. It is therefore crucial to see if the
school’s accreditation meets your profession’s standards. Lastly, make sure you research the
tuition expenses and see if your student loans will be able to cover these costs.

READERS, what do you think?

1. Would you consider enrolling in a for-profit school if it met your academic and
professional needs? Why or why not?

2. Why do you think some people enroll in for-profit colleges?

3. What do you think is the best way of dealing with for-profit colleges that take advantage
of students? Do you think the government should close these schools?

References: 

The Office of Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson. (n.d.). For-Profit

       Colleges: Do Your Homework. Retrieved July 6, 2015, from

       http://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/Publications/ForProfitColleges.asp

5 Ways to Better Secure Your Facebook Privacy

 Many people have Facebook accounts where they share their information and pictures with the public. Online social networking is seen as a good way of keeping up with friends, but it is not without its pitfalls. You might not realize that you could be posting pictures and information that might be considered inappropriate by employers, college admissions committees, and others. Depending what is posted on your profile, professionals may judge where you stand professionally. Here are five tips to maximize your privacy settings on Facebook.

·      Viewing your Facebook timeline under “View As…”

With the “View As..,” feature on your profile, you can view how your profile looks like to a specific Facebook friend or someone who is not your friend on Facebook (general public). If you want to access this feature, there is a drop-down menu when you click on the three dots next to “View Activity Log” button. This will give you a good idea of what the general public can see on your page.

·      Who can see your future posts

This is one of the most common privacy settings on Facebook. To use it, go to your privacy settings by clicking on the lock icon in the right-hand corner and click on “Who can see my stuff?” It will give you a drop-down menu and you can select which groups of people can see your posts. If you select public, then anyone can see your posts. If you select friends, only your Facebook friends can only see your posts.

·      Blocking people from your account

This is another common privacy feature on Facebook. If someone is harassing or threatening you, the best choice would be to block them. To access the blocking setting, click on the lock icon in the right-hand corner and click on “How do I stop someone from bothering me?” It will give you a blank space to type in a person’s name or e-mail address and they will be blocked from seeing your profile.

·      Disabling the search engine feature

If you are uncomfortable with your Facebook profile being searchable on the Internet, you can disable the feature, making it more difficult for employers to find you. Go to your privacy settings by clicking on the lock icon in the right-hand corner and click on “See More Settings.” A list will appear, and then you will need to click on “Do you want other search engines to link your timeline?” under “Who can look me up?”

·      Creating a pseudo name on Facebook

If you do not want employers and other professionals trying to search your name on Facebook, you can change your name. Most people change their last name to their middle name, or they abbreviate their first or last name. To change your name on Facebook, click on the upside down triangle icon, and click on “Settings” in the drop-down menu. Click on “Edit” under “Name” to change your Facebook name.

READERS, what do you think?

1.     What have you done to ensure that your Facebook account is secure and private?

2.     Have you used any of these techniques to protect your Facebook page? What about additional techniques covered in the original article? (See below.)

Reference:

Chowdhry, A. (2013, November 19). 20 Tips on Increasing Your Facebook Privacy and Security. Forbes.com. Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/amitchowdhry/2013/11/19/facebook-privacy-tips/3/.