MyCube: Private Social Networking

June 10, 2011 — Mrs. Mecomber
eave

I wondered when I’d start seeing something like this: a social network that is a closed loop, so to speak. In case you didn’t know, social networking (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, even blogging to a certain degree) is VERY social. I mean, everything you say is open to the public. Oh sure, sure, Twitter and Facebook and all the others say they have controls for security, etc, but let’s talk reality– it’s pretty easy to be spied on, to be monitored, to be watched. I am not active on Facebook for this reason.

There’s a new social networking company, called MyCube, that is attempting to change some of the foibles of social networking. Currently, the social network is in private beta, but I did a little digging about the company. Here’s the scoop:

  • MyCube focuses on giving users more privacy and control over their accounts and information while still maintaining the content exchange that makes social networking so special.
  • After registration, you can connect with other people in MyCube that share common interests as you (such as pro-blogging or raising kids or selling books online).
  • MyCube has a virtual currency where users can buy and sell. This is WAY better than using “real” money, as it protects your financial information and allows you to freely interact with people from other countries and currencies.
  • MyCue is based in Singapore. According to MyCube’s Facebook page, someone complained that Singapore is a human rights violator. MyCube’s response was that Singapore “will not allow the US or any other government to spy because they do not have automatic access like the CIA do to the Facebook database!”

I’m still looking into MyCube. I do agree wholeheartedly about the great lack of privacy and security with the Facebook and Twitter networks. I have been wondering when someone would rise up to challenge the social network behemoths.

If you’re curious, do check out MyCube. The site is in private beta, but you can register for an account using the activation code blog at MyCube private beta. MyCube also has a blog and, according to the Facebook page, has been hiring interns for the new service.

It will be very interesting to see how this site develops!

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Posted in networking, Twitter, websites. Tags: , , . 1 Comment »

The New (and Improved) Twitter

September 15, 2010 — Mrs. Mecomber
twitterbirdy

In case you missed the announcement on the homepage of Twitter.com, there’s a “New Twitter” coming soon. It looks very good, with better usability. However, I wonder if we will have to change our profile backgrounds? I never liked the old way of working with Twitter, especially the backgrounds (having to click link after link with page after page), but I’m not looking forward to changing my custom-made background.

Here’s a video showing the changes in Twitter. Endure the minute of “fluff” to get to the end, where the video FINALLY gets to the point.

The nitty gritty:

  • Twitter teamed up with a few companies to enable embedded videos and photos without leaving the Twitter website. Nice one.
  • Obviously, the Twitter website will be redesigned to accommodate the changes. It will have two columns with more features.
  • You will be able to see who has recently followed you! I like this. Until now, it has always been a mysterious scavenger hunt.
  • When you click a tweet, you’ll be presented with little popup icons, leading to various content such as @ replies, geographic location, other similar tweets, etc.

  • Twitter now has mini profiles for a quick peek at fellow twitheads. I don’t know if these can be customized; I hope so.

Twitter will be “rolling” these changes out slowly, to avoid user-shock, I suppose. I’m very curious, I hope I don’t have to wait very long.

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Posted in Internet, Twitter. Tags: , . 2 Comments »

Library of Congress to Archive Tweets

April 17, 2010 — Mrs. Mecomber

I’ve seen the government do a lot of stupid things; this is way up on the list.

Library of Congress to House Entire Twitter Archive

The U.S. Library of Congress, which archives many forms of media for their cultural and historical significance, has announced it will keep a digital archive of every public tweet that has been broadcast on Twitter since its inception in March 2006.

It’s only appropriate that the initial announcement of this project was given on the Library of Congress’ Twitter account (@librarycongress) and was followed up by a Facebook message before the official press release is issued.

Even though tweets, as messages on Twitter are called, can only be 140 characters long, the amount of information to archive is significant. There are 50 million tweets per day and the total number of tweets already number well into the billions.

Hmmm I don’t remember them asking me if I wanted my tweets archived by them… and what about non-Americans? Is the LOG only archiving Americans’ tweets, or all, everywhere, ever?

The comments on the story were mainly along the same vein:

Oh god, that is a stupid idea. Somehow, endless streams of, “OMG”, “u rock”, and “<3", doesn't really strike me as something worth saving.

Ah, but the LOG has a fix for that. They are going to archive ALL tweets, but only highlight tweets from the *important* people:

Recognizing that the inane tweets will certainly outnumber the significant ones, the Library of Congress plans to highlight the culturally and historically important tweets, such as the first-ever tweet sent by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, President Obama’s tweet announcing his win in the 2008 election and a set of tweets that helped a photojournalist get released from prison in Egypt.

This Twitter archive isn’t evidence of a new focus for the Library of Congress; it has been collecting and archiving websites and online media for a decade now. The Library of Congress currently houses 167 terabytes (or 167,000 gigabytes – the largest iPod storage is only 64 gigabytes) of information pulled from the Internet during that time.

So the Library of Congress has been storing everything, anyway.

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Posted in computers, crime, Internet, surveillance, Twitter. Tags: , . 4 Comments »

Twitter Spam Scam Hits Users

February 22, 2010 — Mrs. Mecomber

If you use Twitter, be on the lookout for (another) phishing scam. It comes in the guise of a genuine follower’s message– usually it’s a direct message but there have been reports of the message on the public Twitter roster– saying something like “LOL, is this u?” or “hahaha u look funny here.”

If you click the link in the email, your browser will redirect you to the phishing site that looks just like Twitter. If you enter your username and password, you’ve just handed your credentials over to a spammer. The spammer will use your Twitter account to send messages to all your followers about pharmaceutical drugs; moreover, your account will be used as a springboard for more of those “hahaha u look funny here” messages to infect more Twitter user accounts.

So if you receive such an email, don’t click the link, don’t enter your username and password! If you think you have been snagged by the scam, change your password immediately. You can also read more about the scam at Mashable.

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Posted in crime, Twitter. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

Marketing Comes to Your Social Network

December 30, 2009 — Mrs. Mecomber

Imagine walking down a city street, and suddenly your iPhone buzzes. You look at it, and there’s a message from that restaurant– Mel’s Diner– further down the street, offering a 15% discount on lunch for people who visit within the next hour. Do you go? And how did they get that message to you?

Welcome to the new world of marketing via your social network. It’s one of the key projects of companies like Digital Development Partners, Inc (You can see their stock profile and performance at Market Watch). You see, there are now SO many products in the world, and SO many people…. the dilemma for the business has been how to get the word out? Mel at Mel’s Diner can’t possibly search Twitter and Facebook for every resident of his city, and befriend them and message them. Mel is a cook, not a twitterer! So he may hire a marketing company to sift through and manage the massive information.

This kind of marketing is very unique; it’s an in-your-face kind of marketing. What do you think? It’s great to get discounts, and you may even discover new products and services to benefit your own business or employment… but it’s an invasive form of marketing. Social networking is traditionally (if you can call 6 or 7 years of Facebook a “tradition”) reserved for friends and family communications. To have Mel intrude into your Twitter is a rude awakening for some.

It’s probably no surprise that the idea of Digital Development Partners was started by a college student at Western Carolina University, funded by a business, and won a contest for innovation and enterprise. The company’s brainchild is YuDeal.com (currently in beta), which turns social networking and global marketing on its head, as seen with the example of Mel and his Diner. What do you think of all this?

Remember, I’m a pro-blogger and I am sometimes compensated with stuff or money to review or mention products or services! This was one of them. :D You can read more about my blog policy on my About page.

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Posted in business services, Internet, networking. Tags: , , . 2 Comments »

Make Money With Twitter

November 17, 2009 — Mrs. Mecomber

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Sponsored Tweets. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have a career in pro-blogging; I make a part-time living, making money online by promoting various advertisements and endorsements, and writing reviews and articles. If you are an enthusiastic blogger or writer, there IS money to be made. So far, the marketplace has been geared for paid blogging, ghost writing, or article writing. But the Internet is changing, once again. Leave it to the folks at IZEA to invent another excellent way to make money online.

The latest thing to come down the pike is Sponsored Tweets. Sponsored Tweets, at its very basic, is a way for you to get paid, promoting various products or services by your tweets at Twitter. IZEA is the middleman, providing the means of communication and payment from advertiser to blogger. Twitter is HUGE, its the biggest thing in social networking, and your tweets can reach thousands, if not millions, of people. The concept of connecting the vast audience of Twitter with knowledge about good products and services is brilliant.

Here’s how the system works, in a nutshell:

  • Sign up for Sponsored Tweets. It’s free. Offers await you.
  • Oh yeah– you have to have a Twitter account, too! Go do that first, eh?
  • Determine your pricing. There is a recommended price for you, but you can go as high or low as you want. IZEA has a very good help page if you need advice, and the Get Satisfaction forums are outstanding for finding quick help and tips.
  • Wait for offers from advertisers. You can choose to create your own sponsored tweets, or have them pre-written by advertisers. It’s up to you, and only you can give the final stamp of approval before it ever gets released into the Twittosphere. Disclosure is mandatory, however. IZEA has some very witty and unique ways to disclose; I enjoyed reading them, and you can tell that whoever did them definitely does a lot of tweeting!
  • There are some celebrities who have joined Sponsored Tweets. This adds a lot of clout, and you can also learn some tips of the trade on improving your audience. ;)

Picture-26-468x306

There’s a very strict Code of Ethics for the Sponsored Tweets program (as well as all the IZEA ventures). There is always transparency and disclosure, but there is also freedom for expression and choice.

You won’t get rich with Sponsored Tweets, but you WILL make some very nice money on the side. And it’s a great way to supplement any income, online or not. And in this economy, every dollar counts! Check out Sponsored Tweets, it’s a REALLY easy way to make some money. Sign up for Sponsored Tweets here.
SocialSpark Disclosure Badge

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Posted in Make Money Blogging, marketing, Twitter. Tags: , . Comments Off »
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