Joshua Guffey

Posts Tagged ‘Facebook’

I’m writing this post because an increasing number of friends appear to be getting their Facebook accounts hacked. I hope it will prevent some people from falling prey, while helping others to recover. This is just a pointer post since people seem to be having trouble finding the “what do I do now” post in Facebook’s help section.

If your Facebook account has been hacked and you can still access the related email account (the one you used to signup for Facebook) then Facebook has some specific instructions for you here:

this link

Basically, if you still have access to the related email account they ask you to perform the “I forgot my password” reset.

If you cannot access that email account any longer, then contact via Facebook via this link for possible resolution.

Additionally, I’d just briefly like to mention one simple thing you can remember that will prevent most hacked accounts from ever happening. If you are EVER asked for your credentials for ANY website, it is just good practice to visually confirm that the URL in the browser’s address bar is, in fact, the website that you would expect to be asking for those credentials.

Please pass this along freely and be careful about clicking on links and entering your account credentials.

Happy computing!

Just yesterday I posted “How To: Block Facebook application invites from specific friends“.  Today I thought I’d point out that apps that you DON’T authorize can still access your information if you don’t fix it.

To fix this go to:
http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy&section=applications&field=friends_share

You know that person that invites you to every app they find on Facebook?  You think you must be their bff on Facebook, right?

How’d you like to just go ahead and block all of their application invites at once?  …I thought so.  Here’s how:

Go to:
http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy&section=applications&field=ignored_invites

…and start blocking!

This doesn’t block them as friends, only their midnight adventures in Farmville, Best Friend Quiz and whatever else they decide you should be playing.   Ugh!   =P

Social Network Connections

When you’re new to Social Networks

If you’re getting started in social media from a business standpoint
you may feel inclined to join Facebook, Twitter and every other
social network you find and become active on each. This impulse is
good and I would argue that doing so will help you to stay current,
relevant and accessible for your customers and in your industry;
however, I would offer a few words of caution and some direction for
what may not yet have revealed itself to be an rather ambitious task.

Many people think of these networks as “So I put up my profile and a
picture and then friend a bunch of people to get exposure.” Umm, no.

Consider that each of these networks are really new forms of
communication. They go both ways. Yes they are powerful. Yes you could
get great exposure. And yes they can even be fun ways of growing your
business. But remember, if you are to use them effectively, they are
also work. I know many of you shuddered just reading that. Sorry to
burst your bubble.

Think about it…every new network is a new point of contact, a new
‘inbox’ to manage. And each social network comes with it’s own
technical learning curve. So without totally frightening you away from
social media as a new channel for communication between you, your
current and potential clients and your industry as a whole, I’d like
to offer a few suggestions about how to begin; because I do believe
that in most cases the benefits outway the hurdles.

Focus your social efforts:

Don’t try to learn more than one major social network at once. Give
yourself enough time to learn one well enough to maintain it and to
move forward with it before you take on another. This may be a month
or two for you or it may be a longer or shorter process. You’ll know
when you’ve got it handled. You’ll be engaged and responsive on that
network. You’ll be in relevant conversations and you’ll be expanding
your connections all the time. Just don’t be ‘that guy’.

Engaging in multiple social networks simultaneously can be a bit
overwhelming, especially if you’re just learning the ’social ropes’.
There’s a new language to learn, etiquette to grasp and mental
bandwith to appropriate.

Here I’m mostly referring to Facebook and Twitter. Yes they’re both
very big, very busy and potentially a great place for you to setup and
begin building a reputation, a sense of ‘authority’ (I’m not super
fond of this term as it seems to be used frequently in a matter as to
suggest deception or subverting the natural process of becoming
recognized in a giving space, but you get the point) and also a sense
of connection with an interested community. Notice I didn’t say
audience; that isn’t what social media is about. It’s about actual
interaction. Forget that and you’re in trouble.

I would go ahead and grab your username at each major site so as to
secure brand integrity, but I wouldn’t actually become active on each
until I’m ready to integrate a new inbox and a new community of
individuals into my social media efforts.

I know that I just got finished saying essentially “don’t do this
unless you’re going to do it right” and now I seem to be contradicting
myself, but there’s actually a really simple solution. What I would
suggest is that on whichever social networks you’ve decided are less
relevant for your intial social media expansion (more on this in
another post) simply make a statement that tell people where you ARE
focused right now.

Your “Sorry, I’m out” message

It may read something like this:

“Thank you for visiting me (or your business name) on Facebook. It’s
important to me that I’m able to respond to you so I’m choosing to
focus only on Twitter at this time. I’d love to connect with you there
(I’m @JoshuaGuffey) or feel free to send me an email. Thank you!”

It doesn’t have to be long, elaborate or particularly elequant. Just
tell them what’s up and where to find you and express an honest
appreciation. I’ll get more into choosing a network to focus on later.

Until then, you can go grab your name in the places you think you
might setup shop and write a little blurb directing people to
somewhere to connect. Even if that’s just email address or blog. At
least you’re being straight-forward and making an effort.

Add your thoughts!
I’m sure there are important points that I missed.
What would you like to add to the comments section?

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/marc_smith/

Me thinks Facebook should sell DVDs of a user’s stream for the past year. Like a yearbook, but all media included.

How cool would it be to be able to watch a stream flow by on your TV showing all of your and your friend’s status updates, pictures, videos, comments, etc…?

I imagine an initial offering that is simple and standard which evolves into the ability to fully customize your DVD by picking and choosing user streams, types of media, date range, comment depth, etc…

I’d pick one up with all of my family without thinking twice. Then it’d be so nice to sit back and watch it to see what we were all doing throughout the year.

If they do it, I’d love a modest commission. :-) Say 0.8%?
No harm in dreaming right?

Would you buy this?

Keep innovating,
Joshua Guffey

Posted via email from joshua’s quickblog