Tech Giants Join Forces So that Egyptians Can Be Heard

Due to the nationwide Internet connection cut-off in Egypt , Google, Twitter and SayNow have teamed up and found a way to give Egyptians back their voices.

MSNBC reports that a special voicemail system was setup wherein people in Egypt can call a particular number, leave a message, and the system sends it out to the rest of the world in the form of a tweet with the hashtag # egypt.

The Twitter handle streaming these tweets is @Speak2Tweet. Users can also listen to the voice messages in the SayNow website by clicking one of the short links. However, Technolog reports that “Since loved ones will basically have to listen to each and every message with the hope of hearing their own friends and family members inside Egypt, the system does seem a little inefficient.”

Furthermore, it has been anticipated that the Mubarak government will shut-off cellphone service as well, because of the “March of the Millions” demonstration, so individuals in Egypt will be hard-pressed to obtain a solid phone line.

Still though, the messages streamed by @Speak2Tweet and SayNow will both warm and break listener’s hearts.

Some voicemails are poignant such as, “I just wanted to say 'hi' to my brother and his wife since we didn’t get a chance to talk before they cut off the Internet" and others are full of encouragement: "I want to thank the army for the great message that they’ve sent to the Egyptians, in which they announced that they won’t resort to violence against the protestors." As MSNBC puts it, “It really is a direct line to the eye of the storm.”

[via MSNBC and Speak2Tweet]

Facebook Bags Both ‘Most Blocked’ and ‘Most Allowed’ Site for 2010

There are two types of employers (or schools) in this world. Those that block Facebook and those that allow it. In line with this, Help Net Security reported that OpenDNS recently released stats on websites that were blocked and frequently given access to.

Facebook, the biggest social network in the web topped both extremes. This of course reflects the tug-o-war between the two views. To block or not to block? Yep, that is the question.

[via Help Net Security]

Pope voices out views on new media

The Pope may not have a Facebook account, but it’s not like he’s been living on a rock in the Vatican either.

For this year’s World Day of Social Communications, Pope Benedict delivered his views on social media in his message entitled, “Truth, proclamation and authenticity of life in the digital age."

The pope praised social media but also mentioned that while these networks present a lot of great opportunities, “virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives.”

Benefits of Social Media
The NY Times reported that the Pope acknowledged the benefits of social networks stating that they can enable “dialogue exchange, solidarity and the creation of positive relations.” He furthered that “if used wisely,” social media “can contribute to the satisfaction of the desire for meaning, truth and unity.”

“Friendly” Precautions
However, the Holy Father also flipped the coin, and voiced out his concerns and precautions towards new media and social networks. In his speech, he said that “In search for sharing, for “‘friends’ there is the challenge to be authentic and faithful.”

He commented on digital communication’s “one-sidedness” and warned the public about the “risk of constructing a false image of oneself.”

Pope Benedict positively addressed the effects of the new form of communication by saying that new technologies pave the way for “potential friendships” because they allow “people to meet each other beyond the confines of space and of their own culture.”

At the same time though, he cautioned members of social networks about the risk of “being more distracted” and “absorbed in the world ‘other’ than the one we live in.”

[via NY Times and EWTN]

Gaga Officially Becomes Twitter Queen

Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) is now the most followed person on Twitter with 5.72 million followers, overtaking Britney Spears who has 5.71 million. Aside from Twitter, it appears that Gaga generally rules most of social media as well. Not only does she have 16.37 million fans on Facebook, but Famecount also ranks her as the top celebrity on the Internet with a perfect score of 100.

So far, Lady Gaga has been gracious in accepting her title as the queen of Twitter. In her inauguration video, she thanks all her followers and wishes them “soft cuticles while tweeting” and that they “may never have carpool tunnel.” She further promises to “never partake in celebrity online shenanigans.”



[via Salon and Lady Gaga]

The Story of the Fatal Facebook Feud

We understand how girls can go gaga over the bad boy, but isn’t getting into a deadly car chase because of a guy who’s in prison taking it a little too far?

Since we don’t normally write about murder cases, we’re going to spare you the gory details of how a Facebook rivalry between two girls over a guy in prison led to a car chase in Michigan that resulted in the injury of one of the rivals and death of her friend.

Instead, allow us to leave you guys some friendly social network advice: If you get offended by a wall post or something, just take a deep breath and swallow a chill pill. Otherwise, next thing you know, you’ve got blood on your hands and you’re testifying in court. And yeah, you’ll probably be behind bars just like that boy you were fighting over.

[via Yahoo!News and Wikipedia]

Users’ Discontent With Facebook is Now Quantified

There is a fine line between love and hate. That is definitely the case with Facebook’s abysmal user ratings. For a website with nearly 500 million members, we have to say we were a little surprised to find Facebook at the same level with cable companies and airlines in terms of customer satisfaction.

Apparently, privacy issues as well as the constant revamping of the site are the main contributors to its low consumer rating.

There were also reports that Mark Zuckerberg will have an on-air interview this Wednesday with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer.

Will Zuckerberg pull a Steve Jobs by saying “We’re not perfect” or will he give us full-length apology? Either way, there are about 500 Million people out there waiting to hear what he has to say.

[via MSNBC and Mashable]