Steal my Identity, Nah.... Neva Dat

AOL, AIM, Yahoo, etc., these are just some of the many sites that I am a part of. But the site that I am most familiar with would have to be MySpace.

MySpace

MySpace is a social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos. MySpace also features an internal search engine and an internal e-mail system. Created in 2003, MySpace is currently the world's sixth most popular English-language website, and the third most popular website in the United States. So just with those statistics alone, you can see that MySpace a site that rapidly caught every internet surfers eyes, and either majority of people has a MySpace account or knows someone that has a MySpace account.

MySpace is not confusing at all, in my opinion, it is the easiest site to use. If someone is trying to get Myspace, they would have to first create an account which is about a three step process. First you need an email and a domain (which is the organization that provides the account) in order to get a MySpace account. Next, you have to make up a name or slogan that you would like people to call you by and then you can put some information about yourself that you would like people to know. Finally, if you choose to, you can post a picture of yourself on the site. Now you are done and can chat with whoever you would like to anywhere around the world.

Tools

MySpace can be used for numerous reasons. MySpace can help you stay in touch with your relatives and can help you reunite with old high school or college friends by just typing in their full name. MySpace consist of emails and instant messages so you can communicate with others. It also has blogs, where people can post whatever they would like or whatever that's on their mind and have their friends look at it and comment on it. Forums is another huge thing on MySpace. There are so many different forums on so many different topics, so anyone can just get check for a forum they like and go chat about it with other people.

Ever since MySpace has been created, it has been known as the site where anyone anywhere can communicate and interact with other people, whether you know them or not. For instance, I love to talk to woman, so I'm always chatting and interacting with woman while I'm on Myspace. All you have to do is click on search, then check for a particular sex and go browsing for people to start a conversation with. After chatting with that particular person for a while, you then build a bond with them, that can either lead to a friendship or even a relationship. It is definitely not hard to interact with people on MySpace, and it is way easier getting to know a person through MySpace, because there is no shy tension like being face-to-face with someone and getting nervous and hoping to god that you don't say anything stupid. It's a very relaxing and easy way to communicate.

Safety

Myspace also worries about peoples safety, so it allows you to put your page on private, so no one can see your pictures or information about yourself, unless they are on your friend list. Also for people under the age of 18, it automatically puts their page on private because they are under age. But for crazy scenarios, like someone annoying you or maybe harassing you, then you can either block the person for sending you messages and viewing your page, or you can report abuse to the MySpace staff and have that person kicked off the site.

Myself

In my opinion, MySpace is a great site to communicate with friends and others. It has so many different tools to chat or find particular things that interest you, like emails, blogs, forums, music, instant message, etc. Plus MySpace is is free, so instead of wasting your valuable cell phone minutes, you can just chat with all your friends on MySpace with no cost. I just speak to gorgeous woman through a computer. Besides my cell phone, MySpace is my number one use of communication.

Identity Theft

Identity theft occurs when a criminal uses another person's personal information to take on that person's identity. Identity theft is much more than misuse of a Social Security number-it can also include credit card and mail fraud. But that is the overall definition of identity theft. There is also online identity theft. People actually trying to steal your screenname, password, account, etc. Have you ever heard of the term "phishing," it basically entails a practice of sending out fake-emails to individuals under the guise of a well-known company such as a bank or even eBay. When the individual receives the e-mail and click on the link contained in the email, they will be immediately taken to a fake website that will request account information. Basically people hardly notice these websites and it really sucks because the fill things out and then get their identity stolen. That's just one way people can steal your identity online. Another way is an example of stealing someones identity through MySpace. Some people like to put their email address on their pages, and then they mention some of their most favorite things or loved ones in their family. Of course a hacker will try to use any evidence on your page to figure out your password and then steal your account.

Protection from Identity Theft

No one would like to see their MySpace light on knowing that its not them using their account. So if this ever happens to you or someone you know, just tell the person to change their password to something complicated. The hacker wont be able to retrieve that password because they would need you email account password to get it. Its a very complicated situation but just make sure you change your password immediately. Another way to protect yourself is Roboform. Roboform is a proprietary software password management program developed by Siber Systems. It is available for many web browsers, but mainly supports Internet Explorer (and other browsers based on it), Mozilla Firefox, and Netscape, as well as support for Palm and PocketPC. It basically Protects your password and automatically logs you into the site. It also generates random passwords that cannot be generated by hackers.

I Hardly worry about identity theft because my password is to difficult for anyone to figure out and also my page is private so no one besides my close friends can view my general information. So until I see my account on MySpace is logged on and its not me, I wont be worrying to much about identity theft

Refrences-

Myspace, from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, 23 February 2007, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySpace

Roboform, from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, 23 February 2007, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roboform

Electronical fact sheet, Identity Theft, (Novermber 2006)

social security online, 23 February 2007, from

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm

ProfilePitstop, Identity Theft and MySpace Phishing, 23 February 2007, from

http://www.profilepitstop.com/articles/myspace/identity-theft-and-myspace-phishing.php

Donath, J. S. , Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community, (12 November 2006)
Communities in Cyberspace, 23 February 2007, from

http://smg.media.mit.edu/people/Judith/Identity/IdentityDeception.html

Privacy doesnt exist

Wikipedia defines Privacy as the ability of an individual or group to keep their lives and personal affairs out of the public view, or to control the flow of information about themselves. Privacy can also be seen as an aspect of security.

Wikipedia defines Internet Privacy as consist of privacy over the media of the inrenet: the ability to control what information one reveals about oneself over the internet and to control who can access the information.

I define Privacy and Internet Privacy as information for that person and only that person. So unless that person gives you the right to that information, everyone else should mind there own business.

The internet is full of people trying to get your username, password, or try to read your email, not giving a damn about your privacy. One of the main groups that invades our privacy on an everyday basis is our own government. The government feels that they should know anything and everything that occurs in our daily lives. What ever happen to the Fourth Amendment, saying that our privacy to our home, papers, and other information should be secure and not violated by anyone. Why have this amendment if the government is going to totally ignore it. The government invading our internet privacy has definitely increase after the September 11th attacks on our country. The government claims the the internet can be used by hate groups for recruiting, or for terrorist to coordinate, plan, and fund their attacks. In order to keep terrorist from planning another attack, the FBI has stepped up there internet and other surveillance. So you know what that means. No internet privacy for anyone what so ever. Now the government and FBI can see everything we do on the internet. if its chatting with friends on Myspace, or surfing the net, and even emailing your partner some sexy pictures of yourself, you can guarantee that the FBI has seen them, and its not fair at all. We aren't terrorist, so why should us Americans be violated. Its been six years since the 9/11 attacks, and the government is still invading our privacy. Its not about terrorist anymore, its about the government having control over every single thing we do.

Internet is the main electronic device that billions of people use to chat with one another and communicate with people all around the world. Everyone uses the internet, even children. So that brings me to the advantages of the government invading our privacy. The government has arrested and convicted so many sexual predators on the internet. The internet was the easiest was for predators to attack innocent children, and now the government has done something about it and all those disgusting predators are getting caught.

There are also devices that invades our software such as Spyware. Spyware is a computer software that collects personal information about users without their informed consent. Personal information is secretly recorded with a variety of tecniques, including logging keystrokes, recording internet web browsing, and scanning documents on the computers hard dick. Wow talk about invading our privacy. Spyware basically get access to all your net surfing and every site that you have been on. My old computer back home had caught spyware before. Its crazy because the computer started to go super slow and I couldn't download anything on it. Since the computer was already old we just threw it away and purchased another. Spyware is like a tick, it sticks to your computer and sucks the life out of it.


There is no such thing as privacy anymore. Just turn on your television or open up a magazine, and you will see some famous persons privacy being invaded. Can you imagine being famous and having people try to take pictures of every little thing you do, and try to get access of every site you check on the internet. Well guess what? Every American must be famous, besides the photo taking the government invades our internet privacy just as much as they invade famous peoples. You can now find cameras everywhere you go. Big or small, cameras is there looking right at you. So if you and your partner decides to do something sexual in a public place, there is a 90% chance that there is a camera recording everything. No matter what, our lives are invaded everyday. Our lives is like the movie "The Truman Show," always being recorded and invaded everyday, without us knowing, and definitely without our permission.


References-

Spyware, from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, 16 Feburary 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware

Internet Privacy, from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, 16 Feburaray 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_privacy

Privacy, from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, 16 Feburary 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy

Wendy Hart and Diana Johnson, Carnivore: Taking a Bite out of Internet Privacy, 2003
Professor Wiseman, Law and Internet, 16 Feburary 2007 from
http://gsulaw.gsu.edu/lawand/papers/su03/hart_johnson/

Sullivan, B., Privacy Lost: Does anybody care?, 17 October 2007,
MSNBC, 16 Feburary 2007, from
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15221095/

Gifts

The internet today is a mix of the "free and fee," though it still remains in part of a gift economy. Certain sites and information are put on the internet and don't expect payment or anything else in return. Which demonstrates a gift economy; an economic system in which the prevalent mode of exchange is for goods and services to be given without explicit agreement upon a quid pro quo(the Latin term for the concept of "a favor for a favor"). Being in a gift economy just shows that you are not all about receiving something in return but about giving a gift because you feel good about it. Public good can also relate to a gift economy. Public goods are goods that anyone might benefit from, regardless of whether they have helped contribute to their production. An example can be watching the 2007 ball drop in Times Square. One person can see this the same way everyone else can. This is the same as a gift economy because the government pays money to have the ball drop every year. They don't expect anything in return, but for everyone not just one person to come out, have fun and enjoy the festivities. Another example can be our U.S. Army. The army goes to war for us, and protect our country from terrorist every single day and they don't expect anything in return from us, but respect. There is nothing wrong with giving something and not getting anything in return. The more you give or help someone than later on in life someone may help you or give you a gift.

Back to the internet. There are so many sites that doesn't have a fee and gives you so much information. An examples has to be the very known Myspace. Myspace is totally free, and it allows you to reconnect with old friends, chat and meet new people, listen to music for free, and etc. Another site is NFL.com. You can find out all the scores for football games, see game highlights, find out new information about athletes or team organizations and its all free. The same thing goes for Movies.com. It tells you information about the movie you are interested in, it shows you previews of the movie, and it gives it a rating from A-F. Basically letting you know if it is worth paying for or not. Internet is definitely a gift economy.
















The economy that i can place myself into has to be the economy of family. My family and I are always giving gifts and buying things for one another and not expecting anything in return. I just bought my older sister the new ipod speakers two weeks ago. I didn't buy her the speakers so i could get something in return. I bought it because i knew she wanted it and it would make her happy. Another example is my mom putting money in my bank account so i could buy groceries, she doesn't expect me to pay her the money back, she just knows that i can use it and wants to help out. In my opinion a gift doesn't even have to be something physical, it can even be emotional. I call my grandmother every other day just because that's what she wants and it makes her happy to know that I am ok. I do this to make her happy, not to get anything in return.






















I am not only in the economy of my family, but I am also in the economy of good deeds. Nothing is better than helping another person out. If i see an older woman struggling with her bags or groceries, I stop whatever it is I'm doing and i go help them out. I don't expect them to pay me for helping them, even if they try to give me money i say no thank you. I'm just happy to lend a helping hand. Another example is homeless people. Growing up in New York City, you see homeless people everywhere. There is not a day that i ride the train and i don't see a homeless person sleeping or asking for change and food. Even if it's my last dollar in my pocket, I would give it to the homeless person. Definitely not because i expect something in return, but because i know they need it more than I do. These examples can relate to the Usenet discussion groups, which is defined as a surprising amount of free help and information given out, often to complete strangers whom one may never meet again. Helping someone with directions, I know 99% of the time I wont meet that person again, but i still help them because they need it. But this occurs all the time. I see people helping one another almost everyday. And i Will continue to help people because its just the right thing to do, and hopefully when I am old and need help with groceries, some young woman or man help be just like I've helped others.

Gift economy, the economy of family, and the economy of good deeds, can all be put in the same category. The obligatory transfer, of inalienable objects or services, between related and mutually obligated transactors. Basically in normal people terms, it means giving someone you know or don't know a gift or a helping hand with no expectations of getting anything in return. The internet continues to expand its gift economy, and it is beneficial to every internet surfer.


References-

Kollock, P. 1999,"The economies of Online Cooperation: Gifts and Public Goods in Cyberspace
Smith and Petter Kollick, communities in cyberspace, 8 Feburary 2007, from
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/faculty/kollock/papers/economies.htm

Kylie J. Veale, Internet gift economy, 12 december 2003
First Monday, volume 8, number 12, 09 Feburary 2007, from
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue8_12/veale/index.html

Gift economy, from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, 09 feburary 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gift_economy

You Brought this on YOURSELF!!!!!!!

When something is "Copyright," that means it's for that person and ONLY that person....

Ha ha ha, the funny thing is, NOBODY CARES. Especially not the Internet. Downloading has become a huge factor in the past several years. Instead of paying for it, GET IT FOR FREE or cheap. Sounds great doesn't it? Besides going to jail, there's definitely some bad that comes out of illegal downloading. Let me explain.......

CDs

Everyone including myself has notice that CD sales has gone downhill in the past several years. I know its 2007, but i would like to show you an example with the comparison of CD sales in the year 2004 and 2005. In 2004 CD sales were at 650.8 million. In 2005 it went down nearly 50 million,with Cd's selling 602.2 million. That is a huge decrease, and I'm pretty sure people didn't just decide to all of a sudden not buy Cd's. Could "Illegal Downloading" be the reason why? Of course it is, in 2005 downloaded music reached 332.7 million, an increase of 148% on the previous year. Wow! what a big increase. I'm not even done, during the Christmas period in 2005, downloads shot up with a 9.6 million being sold. The biggest week on record for download sales. So just judging by the 2004-2005 statistics, you could only expect the worse for 2006.

Artist

What really sucks is that artists, such as, Dipset, JAy-Z, Keisha Cole, and Jadakiss are working so hard and putting all there time and effort into making a great album and they end up not selling as much albums as they should have and losing a huge amount of money because of illegal downloading. Whats the point of copyrighting a CD if people are still stealing it and making a profit for themselves. If i was in these artist position, then i would really be pissed off because the government keep saying that illegal downloading is a Federal offense, but its still being done and hardly anyone is being arrested. While Artist are paying there own money for studio time, and trying there best to promote there Cd's, some idiot is already outside with a bootleg copy of there album and selling it on the streets. Very unfair situation for the artist, making good music is there "job," and selling the albums is how they get paid. Artist basically need illegal downloaders to STOP STEALING.

DVDs and Movie Thearters

Not only did Cd's have a downfall in 2o05, but also DVDs with a 23% decrease. But unlike Cd's, DVDs increased again in 2006, so obviously people still want the real DVD instead of the bootleg version. Movie thearters has also felt the negatives of illegal downloading. As if they don't make billions already, movie thearters would make even more money if people weren't getting the bootleg copies. Illegal downloading really hurts some actors and actresses because some of them get paid a little money up-front then gets the rest on movie thearter and DVD sales. So if the movie or DVD doesn't sell, then they don't get paid.

IPODS and LIMEWIRE

This has to be every atrist and actors nightmare that came true. The creation of the IPOD. At first the IPOD was a great idea, and had so many positive aspects. It was small, easy to use, you could download all different type of songs, movies and videos on them. You could purchase your songs on Itunes or just buy some Cd's on put the songs on the album, onto your IPOD. But...... now the Negative aspects. People were doing illegal downloads of Cd's, so the government should have known that they would do the same for the IPOD. And that's where "LimeWire" comes up. Limewire is a site where people could download movies, videos, and songs for FREE onto there IPOD. Could you imagine how much illegal downloading increased after the IPOD was brought into the market. IPOD is a CD player, DVD player, and TV all put into one. So if the government, artist and other people want to blame someone, don't blame limewire, they should blame the creators of the IPOD. Every new device you make, we make sure we use it, either for FREE or CHEAP.

How I Feel about this......

I'm not gonna lie, I have purchased more than 100 bootleg Cd's and DVDs when i was in high school. And I've downloaded more than 1000 songs from limewire onto my IPOD. But......... every year CD prices have increased. Look how much Cd's cost nowadays, $23.99 for a new CD. that's a rip off because it cost less than a dollar to make a CD. Do you really think people want to pay that much money for a CD that they will listen for for maybe a month then forget all about it. Same thing goes for DVDs and movie thearters. In certain stores new DVDs goes from $21.99-$29.99. So much money for a movie that is less than 2 hours long. And in Manhattan, movie thearter prices are ridiculously high, $11.50 to watch ONE movie. That's just crazy. What if the movie sucks? That's nearly $12 down the drain and it could have been spent on something important such as food or transportation. So truthfully, like i said from the beginning, NOBODY including myself cares about what you copyright, when these outrageous prices lower then maybe and i mean MAYBE... people might stop downloading illegally. EYE for and EYE.

References-
BBC News, Entertainment (29 december 2005).

US CD album sales show 7% slide, January 31, 2007, from

http://newsbbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4566186.stm