Tag Archives: facebook

Facebook Timeline Becoming Mandatory (How to Opt Out)

Facebook Timeline becoming compulsoryLast year we posted about the brand new Facebook profile layout “Timeline”. Back then it was an opt-in feature however, in the next few weeks it will become a mandatory update. If you don’t like it you can opt-out by sending a request to delete your Facebook profile.

As much as everyone complains about new Facebook updates and layouts I’d have to say this is one of the worst. It’s not just a small change it’s a whole new profile design and if you use it to its full potential, a new way for Facebook to gain more information about you. It also means that some unwanted or purposefully forgotten updates could reappear.

What do you think? Will you be boycotting Facebook, or have you found a real opt-out?

Let us know in the comments ( :

Let Facebook have your Whole Life Story with Timeline!

In the coming week Facebook will be launching a new feature “Timeline” to their 800 million user base.

It works a a visual news feed of your time on face book (and before if you want to add that).

There are 3 main parts of your Timeline; Cover, Stories and Apps.

The Cover is a big space at the top that allows you to put a big  image at the top, then all your details are below it.

Stories are pretty much the same as what would normally appear in your News Feed. This is where you can tell the world your entire life story. Including when you were born, adding baby and childhood photos, moving house, siblings born and anything else your friends probably already know about you (and don’t really care about).

If you go to your activity log which features everything you’ve ever done on Facebook EVER, you can choose what you want to feature, allow and hide on your timeline.

Apps are… apps, they appear on your timeline and show info about the app you used, eg. the Spotify app will show you top album, or song and anyone who sees your timeline can play that song in the app.

When you get timeline on your profile you have 7 days to adjust it before it’s put live, so you can hide all those embarrassing photos and Farmville updates :P

For more info about the Timeline check out Facebook’s Timeline Page.

Are you getting / have you got a timeline on your profile? Let us know about it in the comments!

National Trust Makes Farmville a Reality with ‘My Farm’

The National Trust has released a new project called ‘my farm’ which allows anyone to sign up (for a £30 annual fee) to help run a real-life working farm via the web.

No previous experience is required, you sign up on a first come first serve basis with a maximum of 10, 000 virtual farmers ‘helping out’ at the farm.

The chosen location of the real farm is on the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire. Users get to vote on decisions made on the farm such as what crops to plant and what to do with the farm’s livestock.

Each month users are told of the decision to be made and have a few weeks to discuss it with the My Farm community, then at the end of the month they vote to decide what should be done.

The first vote is on 26 May to decide what crops will be planted. To sign up and find out more information visit www.my-farm.org.uk.

National Trust My Farm Project Facebook Feed

Hopefully my Facebook feed wont be filled with My Farm requests!

Make Money Off Your Facebook Fans!

Facebook has announced a new advertising feature, Sponsored Stories.

These are brand related stories which appear in your news feed normally, however if the company is willing to pay any of their brand related activities will appear in this new ad format.

So every time you check in somewhere or like something brand related you could find yourself in a sponsored story on one of your friend’s Facebook page as well as part of their news feed.

This raises (even more) privacy concerns with Facebook. Do you want your actions to appear in ads? Should users be allowed to opt-out of this feature?

There is currently no opt-out option, however if we stop telling our friends exactly were we are and everything we like we are a lot less likely to be exploited by these brands. Does anyone really care if I check into my local Wetherspoons seven times in a day? Will it make my friends go there too?

The most it is likely to achieve is an intervention!

It’s estimated that Facebook took in over $1.8 bn (£1.1 bn) in ad revenue during 2010. This new advert format is sure to be another lucrative venture for the social networking company.

So the question we really should be asking ourselves is not about privacy or opt-out options but Does Mark Zuckerberg really need more money?

Apologies for my terrible Photoshop skills

The Social Network Wins 4 Golden Globes

It was a great evening for the social networking giants Facebook, winning 4 out of their 6 nominaions at the Golden Globes on Sunday.

The film won the award for best director (David Fincher), Best Screenplay (Aaron Sorkin), Best Score (Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails) and Best Picture Drama.

The film was also nominated for Best Actor (Jesse Eisenberg) but lost to Colin Firth for his role in The King’s Speech and Best Supporting Actor (Andrew Garfield) who lost to Christian Bale for his performance in The Fighter.

With this success the film looks sure to be up for many Oscars as well.