Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Girls, ACLU Sue School Over Punishment for Racy MySpace Photos]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/girls-aclu-sue-school-over-punishment-for-racy-myspace-photos/http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/girls-aclu-sue-school-over-punishment-for-racy-myspace-photos/http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/girls-aclu-sue-school-over-punishment-for-racy-myspace-photos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Two teenage Indiana girls have sued their high school after the administration punished them for posting sexually suggestive photos of themselves on MySpace, the Associated Press reports. The ACLU, which is representing the two sophomores, argues that the school overstepped its bounds by handing down the punishment and, in so doing, violated the girls' rights to free speech. Attorneys with the ACLU also pointed out that the photos didn't involve the school, and that officials needlessly humiliated the two by making them apologize to an all-male board of coaches. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that schools do have the right to punish students for off-campus behavior, so long as the school can justify that the behavior was disruptive and that similar activities were likely to occur at the school, itself.

In this particular case, the girls took photos during a sleepover held during their summer vacation and posted them on MySpace, adjusting the privacy settings so that only their friends could see them. Eventually, though, the photos circulated throughout the school, and, as some of them showed the lingerie-clad girls licking a phallic lollipop, Principal Austin Couch banned the girls from fall sports, and made them apologize and undergo counseling. According to Couch's attorney, he was simply enforcing the school's athletic code, which allows a principal to punish student athletes for any activity that "creates a disruptive influence on the discipline, good order, moral or educational environment at Churubusco High School."

Continue reading Girls, ACLU Sue School Over Punishment for Racy MySpace Photos

SwitchedGirls, ACLU Sue School Over Punishment for Racy MySpace Photos originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aclufacebookfacelosslawlawsuitmyspaceschoolteenstopMon, 02 Nov 2009 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook Users Are Richer Than MySpace Users, Study Finds]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/09/30/facebook-users-are-richer-than-myspace-users-study-finds/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/30/facebook-users-are-richer-than-myspace-users-study-finds/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/30/facebook-users-are-richer-than-myspace-users-study-finds/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We can hear the schoolyard taunts already: "You're so poor, you can't even afford to use Facebook!" Strangely enough, this statement might be pretty close to the truth. According to Computer World, a Nielsen study found that more affluent people use Facebook, while less affluent users are on MySpace. In the study, users of seven social networking sites were split into three groups based on affluence. The results showed that the richest group was 25-percent more likely to use Facebook than the least rich group. On the other hand, the least rich group was 37-percent more likely to use MySpace than the richest group.

Could it be because more middle-aged people, who might have steady jobs, are flocking to Facebook? Quite possibly. According to ReadWriteWeb, the study also found that Facebook users are more likely to use business networking site LinkedIn. Just because you have a MySpace profile doesn't mean you're bound for destitution. After all, if Tila Tequila used the site to climb the social networking caste system, you can, too. [From: Computer World and ReadWriteWeb]

SwitchedFacebook Users Are Richer Than MySpace Users, Study Finds originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebooklinked inLinkedInmoneymyspacenielsensocial networkingSocialNetworkingstudytopwealthWed, 30 Sep 2009 08:59:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace In Talks to Purchase iLike Music Service?]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/08/17/myspace-in-talks-to-purchase-ilike-music-service/http://www.switched.com/2009/08/17/myspace-in-talks-to-purchase-ilike-music-service/http://www.switched.com/2009/08/17/myspace-in-talks-to-purchase-ilike-music-service/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MySpace may have finally figured out its niche for combating the Facebook onslaught: music, which the almost-obsolete site nails, way better than its shinier competitor. TechCrunch writes that MySpace is close to an agreement in the purchase of the music-based social networking service iLike.

iLike would not only bring a new pool of members to the NewsCorp-owned site, but would also likely expand its music-centric social features. Plus, it has the potential to put Facebook and other competitors in the awkward position of having a popular, MySpace-run application on their sites. iLike rose to prominence based heavily on the strength of its Facebook application, which lets users share their current music listenings with friends. It also has popular applications on sites like Hi5 and Bebo (owned by our parent company, AOL). The purchase of iLike would reinforce MySpace's push to become a hub for media and entertainment.

Continue reading MySpace In Talks to Purchase iLike Music Service?

SwitchedMySpace In Talks to Purchase iLike Music Service? originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessilikemusicmyspacesocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopMon, 17 Aug 2009 15:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Friendster Founder Claims He Invented Social Networking]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/07/23/friendster-founder-claims-he-invented-social-networking/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/23/friendster-founder-claims-he-invented-social-networking/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/23/friendster-founder-claims-he-invented-social-networking/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Remember Friendster?
Remember Friendster? The first big social networking site that we all got excited about? The one with the gray smiley face for a logo? Nothing?

Friendster may have been first, but its reign at the top was short lived. The pioneering service was launched in March 2003 by computer programmer Jonathan Abrams, and by June of 2006 it had lost its spot as the most popular social networking site in the U.S. to MySpace.

Continue reading Friendster Founder Claims He Invented Social Networking

SwitchedFriendster Founder Claims He Invented Social Networking originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>friendsterjonathan abramsJonathanAbramstopThu, 23 Jul 2009 16:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers Guess Social Security Numbers With Help of Social Networks]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/researchers-guess-social-security-numbers-with-help-of-social-ne/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/researchers-guess-social-security-numbers-with-help-of-social-ne/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/researchers-guess-social-security-numbers-with-help-of-social-ne/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Researchers Guess Social Security Numbers With Help of Social Networks
Here is some terrifying news for those of you who are paranoid about identity theft: Criminals may be able to guess your Social Security Number (SSN) with little more than your birth date and home town.

Researchers at Carnegie-Mellon have found that using only publicly available data, such as that posted to a Facebook profile, they were able to guess the first five digits of a person's SSN on the first try 44 -percent of the time, provided that person was born in 1988 or later. In 8.5 percent of the cases, they were able to successfully guess all nine digits within the first 1,000 attempts.

Continue reading Researchers Guess Social Security Numbers With Help of Social Networks

SwitchedResearchers Guess Social Security Numbers With Help of Social Networks originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crimefacebookidentity theftIdentityTheftidtheftsecuritysocial securitysocial security numbersocialnetworkingSocialSecuritySocialSecurityNumbertopWed, 08 Jul 2009 15:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Police Officer Forced to Resign Over Old MySpace Pics]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/07/06/police-officer-forced-to-resign-over-old-myspace-pics/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/06/police-officer-forced-to-resign-over-old-myspace-pics/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/06/police-officer-forced-to-resign-over-old-myspace-pics/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This February, Abigail Keller -- a 27-year-old, full-time reserve officer on Altoona, Iowa's police force -- resigned over controversy surrounding questionable pictures posted to her MySpace account. Keller was in her fifth month of reserve duty, the Des Moines Register reported today, when a local businessman showed print-outs of the page to a city officer.

Police Chief John Gray, testifying at Keller's recent hearing for unemployment benefits, said: "In one photograph, she is displaying her naked buttocks or mooning the person who is taking the picture. In another, she is performing simulated sex acts on both males and females." In response, Keller said that the mooning picture was taken down before she was hired, and that the "simulated sex acts" constituted her making "kissy faces" and sticking her tongue out with a group of girls at a bar.

Continue reading Police Officer Forced to Resign Over Old MySpace Pics

SwitchedPolice Officer Forced to Resign Over Old MySpace Pics originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>employmentfacebookmyspacepoliceprivacysocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopunemploymentMon, 06 Jul 2009 17:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Will MySpace Ever Be Cool Again?]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/06/10/will-myspace-ever-be-cool-again/http://www.switched.com/2009/06/10/will-myspace-ever-be-cool-again/http://www.switched.com/2009/06/10/will-myspace-ever-be-cool-again/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Much like a runaway train, the neverending quest for Web popularity doesn't slow down for anyone -- not even MySpace. The once powerful social networking site seems to have tumbled out of its freight car and been left standing on the track, staring at the Facebook and Twitter caboose.

Several folks in the Web industry told CNN they are skeptical that MySpace will be able to rebound from a recent popularity slump. Facebook surpassed MySpace's number of worldwide users in 2008, and everyone, it seems, uses Twitter now. ReadWriteWeb founder and editor Richard MacManus cited search sites Lycos and Excite as precedent examples of forgotten Web sites.

"I guess you could say MySpace is in danger of falling into the same black hole those companies did," he told CNN.

Continue reading Will MySpace Ever Be Cool Again?

SwitchedWill MySpace Ever Be Cool Again? originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookmyspacetechnologytoptwitterWed, 10 Jun 2009 09:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Your Real Name Already Taken on Twitter? Here's How to Get It Back.]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/05/20/a-name-isnt-forever-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2009/05/20/a-name-isnt-forever-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2009/05/20/a-name-isnt-forever-on-the-web/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Registering early is the best way to get the username or URL of your choice on social networking services. But being first isn't always enough.

Sites like Twitter and MySpace, for example, reserve the right to "reclaim" a URL for celebrities, brands, and public figures. So if someone with the same name as yours becomes the next American Idol, don't be surprised if the link to your Twitter page changes.

Continue reading Is Your Real Name Already Taken on Twitter? Here's How to Get It Back.

SwitchedIs Your Real Name Already Taken on Twitter? Here's How to Get It Back. originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 20 May 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountmicrobloggingtwitterurluser namesUserNamesWed, 20 May 2009 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Hate Spreading Increasingly Through Social Networking Sites]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/05/14/spreading-hate-through-social-networking-sites/http://www.switched.com/2009/05/14/spreading-hate-through-social-networking-sites/http://www.switched.com/2009/05/14/spreading-hate-through-social-networking-sites/#commentsFiled under: , ,


An elite group of Facebook employees, tasked with identifying content that violates the site's nebulous terms-of-service, is sitting at the heart of a free speech battle that could have far-reaching consequences across the whole of the Internet.

This week, Facebook banned two Holocaust denial groups, but it took an overwhelming flood of criticism to get the site to take action. According to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group, the proliferation of such hate groups is not isolated to Facebook.

The Center recently investigated social networking sites across the Internet, releasing a report claiming that the Web has witnessed a 25-percent increase in "problematic" groups. The report also says that Facebook's ability to police hate groups will be nearly impossible, since the site employs 150 people to monitor 200 million users.

Continue reading Hate Spreading Increasingly Through Social Networking Sites

SwitchedHate Spreading Increasingly Through Social Networking Sites originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 14 May 2009 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookfacebookgroupsracismtoptrendsThu, 14 May 2009 15:24:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace CEO and Founder DeWolfe Steps Down]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/23/myspace-ceo-and-founder-dewolfe-steps-down/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/23/myspace-ceo-and-founder-dewolfe-steps-down/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/23/myspace-ceo-and-founder-dewolfe-steps-down/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yesterday, News Corp.'s "Chief Digital Officer" Jonathan Miller issued a press statement, in conjunction with MySpace CEO Chris DeWolfe, announcing DeWolfe's departure from the company that he'd helped to build. In the statement, Miller and DeWolfe spoke rosily of each other, and of their respective corporations, Miller making sure to point out that DeWolfe would remain with the company as an advisor.

TechCrunch writer Michael Arrington seems to think that the rose-colored press release -- not much more revealing in its form as an internal memo -- may just be a way of covering up sketchy, backroom goings on. "But at least Miller is giving DeWolfe as graceful an exit as he can," Arrington adds. He does suggest, though, that Tom 'The Face of Myspace' Anderson's top-dog days may be numbered, as well. Of Anderson, Arrington wrote yesterday, ".. Anderson will apparently stay on but not as President and will no longer control product." While we don't know if we'd go quite that far in our predictions, we will point out that Jonathan Miller's internal memo reads: "I am currently in discussions with MySpace President Tom Anderson regarding his role within the organization."

Continue reading MySpace CEO and Founder DeWolfe Steps Down

SwitchedMySpace CEO and Founder DeWolfe Steps Down originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris dewolfeChrisDewolfeexpire-images:2010-4-23facebookmyspacenews corpNewsCorpsocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopThu, 23 Apr 2009 12:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Kid Killer Posed With Knife in MySpace Photo]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/22/kid-killer-posed-with-knife-in-myspace-photo/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/22/kid-killer-posed-with-knife-in-myspace-photo/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/22/kid-killer-posed-with-knife-in-myspace-photo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Killer Posted Photos on MySpace with KnifeWhile most people are perfectly happy to simply look good in the profile pictures they post on MySpace or Facebook, some folks want more -- to look tough. The most typical way of doing this involves posing with some sort of weapon. While it's debatable whether or not this tactic has the desired effect, one teenager found that it certainly didn't help his case in court, being sentenced to life in prison for a fatal stabbing.

According to yesterday's report from the BBC, 15-year-old Joshua Williams is one of the 10 teenagers who were recently convicted in a British court for the 2007 west London gang murder of 22-year-old pharmacology student Yasin Abdirahman. Abdirahman was beaten and stabbed by the Murder Dem P***ies (MDP) gang, of which Williams is a member. As was revealed in the trial, Williams had posted at least one MySpace picture of himself holding a knife, complete with the title "me, myself and my shank." The jurors were shown this picture, which surely didn't help his case any. Although Williams was sentenced to life, he could be out in as little as 14 years. [From: BBC News]

SwitchedKid Killer Posed With Knife in MySpace Photo originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crimejoshua williamsJoshuaWilliamsmurdermyspacesocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopYasin AbdirahmanYasinAbdirahmanWed, 22 Apr 2009 15:12:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace Fires Employee After Data Breach]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/18/myspace-fires-employee-after-data-breach/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/18/myspace-fires-employee-after-data-breach/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/18/myspace-fires-employee-after-data-breach/#commentsFiled under: ,

MySpace employees experienced some unusual high and lows this week at work. On Monday, workers for the social networking site learned of a data breach orchestrated by a fellow employee, who collected names, Social Security numbers and compensation information of many of his co-workers. Fox Entertainment Group (the company that operates MySpace) sent e-mails to all employees alerting them to the incident, and assured them that no bank account or medical information was compromised.

Fox Entertainment promptly terminated the perpetrator; a departure from the typical MySpace and Facebook firing stories we often cover here at Switched. The internal e-mail, which was forwarded to TechCrunch, told employees that the thief used the acquired data to "annoy selected individuals," but did not send the information to any third parties. At least the thief didn't crash the company's server, as we've seen before.

In addition, MySpace employees received some slightly odd news via e-mail Wednesday evening: Southern California Edison power company had to shut down power to MySpace's Beverly Hills headquarters from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday. Employees were encouraged to grab their laptops and work from home the while the power was off. Since the e-mail went out after many workers had already gone home for the day, we're guessing many of them conveniently "missed" the part about grabbing their laptops. C'mon, everyone needs a day off! [From: Tech Crunch]

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SwitchedMySpace Fires Employee After Data Breach originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>firingsMySpacenews corpNewsCorpsocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopworkplaceSat, 18 Apr 2009 08:03:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace Diatribe Not Protected by Privacy Rights, Says California Court]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/08/myspace-diatribe-not-protected-by-privacy-rights-says-californi/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/08/myspace-diatribe-not-protected-by-privacy-rights-says-californi/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/08/myspace-diatribe-not-protected-by-privacy-rights-says-californi/#commentsFiled under:



In case anyone, even after all the related firings and arrests, is still confused about whether or not their Facebook/MySpace/Twitter comments are protected by privacy acts, a Fresno-based California appellate court clarified the issue last week, the Recorder/Law.com tells us. The court case focused on Cynthia Moreno, a University of California at Berkeley student who, back in 2006, posted an "Ode to Coalinga" on her MySpace page, according to the Citizen Media Law Project. Referring to her Central California hometown, she wrote, "The older I get, the more I realize how much I despise Coalinga."

In the mere six days that the posting appeared online, Roger Campbell, the principal of Coalinga High School, noticed the scathing commentary and forwarded it to a local reporter for the Coalinga Record, who, in turn, published it in the paper's letters section. The resulting backlash from the town of 19,000 inhabitants was immediate and, according to the Morenos, devastating. Negative reactions forced the father to close his 20-year-old private business, and, because of threats, and the fact that Cynthia's sister still attended Coalinga High School with Principal Campbell, the family eventually moved. Consequently, the Morenos filed suit against Campbell, the Coalinga Record, its publishers, and the Coalinga-Huron Unified School District for "invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress."

Continue reading MySpace Diatribe Not Protected by Privacy Rights, Says California Court

SwitchedMySpace Diatribe Not Protected by Privacy Rights, Says California Court originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a mix that goes together like sushi and sake, social networking giant MySpace is finally bringing its interactive karaoke feature to Japan.

Way back in the halcyon days of April 2008, MySpace rolled out MySpace Karaoke, which let users upload audio (and later, in October, video) of themselves singing to a large catalog of tunes. We hailed it as a new dawn for self-obsessed lunatics, now able to entertain the rest of the world with their awesome badness. Due to licensing and copyright issues, Japan was spared the international humiliation until now. We're pretty sure that, for most Japanese folks, it's not a moment too soon, seeing as approximately 50 million of the country's citizens do karaoke.

MySpace Karaoke boss Nimrod Lev told the AFP that he had previously assumed launching online karaoke in Japan would be akin to "selling ice to Eskimos," which, to us, sounds like a gross oversimplification (and a cliched analogy). It winds up, though, that Lev has been pleasantly surprised by the Web site's already warm reception.

So, now, all the hopeful Honshu crooners out there can get their jam on to thousands of songs, adapted and licensed specifically for Japanese users. We're just hoping that the videos posted by our East Asian allies make it to the American site for us to enjoy, as well. [From: Google News]

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SwitchedMySpace Brings Its Karaoke Service to Japan originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japankaraokemyspacesingingTue, 31 Mar 2009 17:48:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace Will Throw Your Wedding for the Price of Your Soul]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/30/myspace-will-throw-your-wedding-for-the-price-of-your-soul/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/30/myspace-will-throw-your-wedding-for-the-price-of-your-soul/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/30/myspace-will-throw-your-wedding-for-the-price-of-your-soul/#commentsFiled under: ,


We know what you're thinking... "It's my wedding day and it should be perfect." So, why not let millions of MySpace members decide on every detail? It seems that the Web 2.0 has finally hit weddings, although this one comes tethered to enough corporate sponsorships to field a PGA Tour event.

'Married on MySpace' is a new online reality show where voters can select one lucky(?) couple to win an all-expenses-paid wedding, courtesy of MySpace, wedding site The Knot, and Disney. The 13-webisode series begins on May 15th and will follow the chosen couple through the planning process, with every detail -- from the bachelor party to the dress -- determined by MySpace voters. The show is being produced by the same company that brought you 'Fear Factor,' 'Extreme Makeover,' and 'Big Brother,' so expect plenty of cheesy drama and dramatic music.

Think you and your fiance have the sweetest proposal story ever? You can submit a video explaining why, here. The shenanigans start in May with the announcement of the winning couple.

No amount of money would justify giving up our weddings to the masses, but there are plenty of people online who need the attention. Meanwhile, we'll keep our digital dating to sheepish Facebook pokes and Down to Earth memberships. [From: TechCrunch]

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SwitchedMySpace Will Throw Your Wedding for the Price of Your Soul originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>datingdating tipsDatingTipsmyspaceonline datingonlinedatingreality showRealityShowweb 2.0Web2.0webisodesMon, 30 Mar 2009 09:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Cop's MySpace Status Costs Him a Conviction in Court]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/16/cops-myspace-status-costs-him-a-conviction-in-court/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/16/cops-myspace-status-costs-him-a-conviction-in-court/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/16/cops-myspace-status-costs-him-a-conviction-in-court/#commentsFiled under:




We've covered teens being fired, firemen being reprimanded, people being arrested, and politicians getting in hot water all for comments or photos displayed on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Vaughan Ettienne, a New York policeman, recently discovered yet another repercussion of unadulterated comments on his profile pages: a suspect's acquittal in court.

After pursuing a supposedly armed ex-con on a stolen motorcycle, Ettienne apprehended the man who suffered three broken ribs during the vicious altercation. The suspect subsequently accused Ettienne of brutality, claiming the policeman planted a gun on him to justify the beat down. During the ensuing brutality case, the New York Supreme Court subpoenaed comments and videos from Ettienne's profile pages.

On the day before the incident, the policeman's Facebook status read "Vaughan is watching 'Training Day' to brush up on proper police procedure," and his MySpace status was "devious." Still not finished, Ettienne remarked on a video of a policeman punching a suspect, "If he wanted to tune him up some he shoulda delayed cuffing him . . . And if you were gonna hit a cuffed suspect at least get your moneys worth cause now he's gonna get disciplined for a f*gg*t a** love tap." As a result, the suspect was acquitted for possession of the firearm. Ettienne, in his defense, dismissed his comments as "locker room" braggadocio, but admitted he may have been at fault for the suspect's acquittal.

Continue reading Cop's MySpace Status Costs Him a Conviction in Court

SwitchedCop's MySpace Status Costs Him a Conviction in Court originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some of the most popular musicians in the UK have decided to collectively protest what they see as poor treatment both from online music streaming sites (YouTube, MySpace, etc) and from the record companies that do business with them, according to CNET. Essentially, the artists have joined to create the most creatively inspired group of lobbyists, ever.

The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) is comprised of, among others, Radiohead, KT Tunstall and Robbie Williams, and was organized by Billy Bragg. Tomorrow will be the coalition's inaugural meeting, and the artists involved are hoping it will result in greater profits for them (they sometimes receive no compensation whatsoever from streamed music) and in a better understanding of how contracts should be structured in an increasingly digitally-dominated era.

The conference, set to take place today at a secret location in London's West End, comes days after YouTube blocked music videos from streaming in the UK. Prior to the decision, YouTube had been in negotiations with Britain's Performance Rights Society (PRS), which collects royalties for the UK's music industry, but found their demands unpalatable. Pandora has already pulled out of the country due to what they view as prohibitive compensation demands, and MySpace is expected to follow suit. The PRS maintains that their demands are fair, considering the massive amount of ad revenue that streaming music generates for Google (who owns YouTube) and other popular sites.

Continue reading Radiohead, Robbie Williams and Others Unite Against YouTube

SwitchedRadiohead, Robbie Williams and Others Unite Against YouTube originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billy braggBillyBraggdigital downloadsDigitalDownloadsexpire-images:2010-3-10kt tunstallKtTunstallmusicmusic industryMusicIndustrymyspacepandoraperformance rights societyPerformanceRightsSocietyradioheadrobbie williamsRobbieWilliamsroyaltiesyoutubeWed, 11 Mar 2009 20:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Social Networks More Popular than E-Mail, Nielsen Says]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/10/social-networks-more-popular-than-e-mail-nielsen-says/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/10/social-networks-more-popular-than-e-mail-nielsen-says/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/10/social-networks-more-popular-than-e-mail-nielsen-says/#commentsFiled under:

Social Networks Reach More than E-MailWe've already seen predictions of social networks like Facebook or MySpace killing our television networks, but now we have some numbers that indicate the things might just kill our e-mail addresses too. According to a Nielsen Online study following Internet usage patterns in 2008, 66.8-percent of Internet users accessed some social network or another, while 65.1-percent used e-mail.

So, for the first time, more people are friending, Twittering, and posting their private information online than there are people sending private e-mails. Amazingly, Internet users spent 566-percent more time on Facebook this year than last, and Facebook reaches just short of 30-percent of all Internet users around the world! While former king MySpace hits just 22.4 percent of the world's Internet population, it's also more profitable, earning about $1 billion in revenue last year compared to Facebook's $300 million.

At least somebody is making money these days. [From: Mashable]

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SwitchedSocial Networks More Popular than E-Mail, Nielsen Says originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e-mailfacebookInternetmyspacenielsensocial networksocial networkingSocialNetworkSocialNetworkingsurveystoptrendstwitterTue, 10 Mar 2009 10:01:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace Offering Credit Card (Seriously. Stop Laughing.)]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/06/myspace-offering-credit-card-seriously-stop-laughing/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/06/myspace-offering-credit-card-seriously-stop-laughing/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/06/myspace-offering-credit-card-seriously-stop-laughing/#commentsFiled under:

MySpace Offering Credit Card. No, Seriously. Stop Laughing.

We have seen no greater example of exactly why we are in our current dire financial straights than the new MySpace-branded credit card. In what we can only assume is a conspiracy by News Corp (owner of MySpace, Fox News and the Wall Street Journal) to ensure that the younger generation will be subject to the same crippling debt that we are, the social networking service has lent its brand name to a credit card offered through a partnership with Citibank and Visa.

We can only assume that Citi and Visa signed on because, at this point, the MySpace name is more trusted than that of the almost bankrupt Citibank and, well, almost any credit card company (which is just plain sad). The card works in conjunction with the "Generation Forward" program, which will reward card holders for spending wisely, going green, and giving back to their communities.

Of course, with a standard annual percentage rate (APR) of 14.24-percent, one of the most responsible things someone could do would be to avoid this card. But really, regardless of the APR, it'd be smart not to trust any credit card offered by the folks that brought us high-angled cell phone self-portraits and endlessly re-posted surveys about people's secret crushes. [From: ReadWriteWeb]

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SwitchedMySpace Offering Credit Card (Seriously. Stop Laughing.) originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesscitibankcredit cardcredit cardsCreditCardCreditCardsfinancefinancialfinancial crisisFinancialCrisismyspacesocial networkingSocialNetworkingvisaFri, 06 Mar 2009 07:09:00 EST<![CDATA[21 Places to Go When You're Sick of Facebook]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/02/27/21-places-to-go-when-youre-sick-of-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/27/21-places-to-go-when-youre-sick-of-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/27/21-places-to-go-when-youre-sick-of-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Remember the days before MySpace, Facebook, and the like, when online social networking was considered kind of odd? Now that everyone from kindergartners to grandmas have online profiles, these Web sites are officially part of our reality. Obviously, MySpace and Facebook aren't for everyone, so where can you go for your online mingling? As it turns out, there are Web communities that cater to almost every imaginable interest, from film to pets to knitting and so on. We've collected a whole world of options for those of you looking for a place want to meet people that are more like you, and not like the weirdos you'll find on Hoffspace. Click through to see our full list.

Switched21 Places to Go When You're Sick of Facebook originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookfeaturedfeaturesmyspacesocial networksocial networkingsocial-networkingSocialNetworksocialnetworkingwebFri, 27 Feb 2009 23:45:00 EST