Technology in the News
Technology in the News
Hello everyone, I thought I would take a few moments to jot down some of the technology news and some thoughts they inspired. These are not in order of importance, merely a collection of tech items making the news. The views expressed below are mine and do not reflect the views of my family, friends, this station, or 4 out of 5 dentists who recommend that sugarless gum you’re chewing.
New Ipad 3 Launched
Two weeks ago Apple launched its Ipad 3. Crowds of people lined up at stores to purchase this latest technology wonder. Oh wait, I’ve seen this all before… oh that’s right they did the same thing not even a year ago. Last year in March the Ipad 2 brought out the long lines and news coverage. I wonder how some of those people felt knowing that the Ipad they stood in line for hours for (sometimes overnight) is now obsolete less than 1 year later. Ouch. If this keeps up I expect the Ipad 4 to be released and obsolete before you finish reading this blog.
Be careful, your ISP is watching.
As the story reports, eight major ISP’s (Internet Service Providers) are ramping up their ability to track, monitor, and report on your activities online. Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner, and others will be monitoring your internet activities and expect to be in full operation on this on or before July 12, 2012. These companies and others will be scrutinizing your activities and should they find your usageor downloads to be objectionable they will take action to correct your behavior up to and including terminating your internet access.
Trust me when I say few people know as many of your secrets as your internet service provider. People type things into their search engine page that they would never ask even their closest friend. Is it too farfetched to think that what begins as copyright policing could just as easily be turned to any other form of objectionable material filtering? Be very careful what you allow because once allowed it is harder to regain your forfeited privacy.
Companies ask prospective employees for their Facebook information.
In an age where everyone is concerned about their personal privacy online I find it disturbing that some employers now seek to invade the privacy of people who may apply to work for them. Companies that check your social network profiles is nothing new but to require that you provide them with your account logon and password takes this to a whole new level.
In a time when the job market is so competitive those applying for these jobs feel trapped and as the article points out Both Facebook and the Federal Government is seriously probing legal recourse to this.
Everyone has said things online or looked at things online that could prove embarrassing if viewed out of context and hiring managers are no exception. If you as a hiring manager can’t see it in their public profile then their words, deeds, pictures, religious thoughts, etc. arenot reflecting on your company and that prospective employee has demonstrated they understand how to keep their private life properly segmented from their public life.
To those who would engage in such practices they should remember that everyone has a right to privacy and the golden rule applies to the online world just as much as it does the this one. Value their privacy as you would protect and value your own.
This is Bill Kentner and you’ve just had your Tech Talk.