Facebook Virus and Hacking Passwords in Firefox

Sometime this afternoon I started getting mails from people asking me about a link I had mailed through facebook. I thought it was one of the links I put through twitter. Then I noticed it was a message I hadn't sent at all. Plus, it had sent it to practically everyone in my friends list. Some application, website, something somewhere had hacked into my facebook account and sent emails saying "Look at this" with a link to something called silvertag.be. As soon as I noticed I started replying to people saying it was not from me. Then I quickly changed my facebook and some other passwords. Fortunately I don't use the same passwords for facebook and twitter type sites. This makes it easier for me to make sure that even though one attack might get through on one of these sites or apps, it will not hit anything that can really make my life miserable. Like my paypal or banking passwords. It is a good idea to create a series of passwords that you can remember easy for different levels of security you would like on different sites. Here are some tips to good passwords.

One nice thing about the MacOSX is that it has a secure keychain for many passwords. However, what many people do not know is that Mozilla browsers are easily hackable if you do not secure them. One way to do this is to go into your mozilla browser (such as Firefox or Flock) and set a Master Password.

Firefox-> Preferences -> Security. This makes sure that all those saved passwords on all the different websites will not auto fill in when someone else tries to use your browser. By setting a master password, Firefox or Flock will ask you for your password at startup. If you enter it, then it will auto fill and auto login to all those sites you use most often. If you do not set it, then no passwords or sites will be logged into. It's not the be all end all of securtiy measures, but it does help.

I am sorry I got tagged with this virus on FB, and am sorry to any friends that it inconvenienced. Sorry folks.

update: I just saw on Mashable Pete Cashmore talking about it. He said " Today my Facebook inbox shows there’s another attack underway that’s suckering even some of the most tech savvy users:". Now I don't feel as bad at being suckered in.

Interview at Webcom

At Webcom I gave an interview after my talk about the virtual immortality project. It goes on for a while, but it was a fun interview to do.

webcom : Gabe McIntyre by amicalmant

For More interviews from Webcom check Christian Aubry's page.

Social Network fatigue? Proxy Networking the answer

Last week at Webcom in Montreal I met a lot of great people, and saw some old friends. One of the friends I got to catch up with is Marc Canter. Now Marc has always been ahead of the curve. He was making the first synthesizers himself. He created Director to be able to create his multi-media musical extravaganza art pieces and performances. Director later became Flash and then Macromedia (now Adobe). Since then he's been doing a lot as well as building the first social networks that we know today.

Marc has been a Paul Revere when it comes to open information, and allowing the users to choose what information goes where rather than the networks we give the information to. When I traveled to MIPTV a couple years ago we shared a cab from Nice to Cannes. While in the cab I asked him why he was doing so much work for Open internet and information. He told me that because he made Flash proprietary, he was paying for his sins now by going the other way. I guess it is kinda like when a smoker stops smoking, they are worst non-smokers than the people who never smoked.

In any case, we got to have dinner in Montreal together with Patrick Chanezon from Google. Marc was talking about all kinds of stuff with me and Patrick. One of the stories that really got me excited was the idea that his wife did with the teacher and class using BroadBand Mechanics tools. Broadband Mechanics is the current company Marc has built which is a Social Network tool set and service. The service is being used by a number of big clients such as some government groups, education institutes, media corporations, and non-profit organizations, as well as ordinary people because it is free. Although if you want to custom stuff, that will cost money. Which is a sound business plan as long as there are not too many glitches in the source matrix.

In any case Marc explained this idea using his wife's story as an example in what I can only refer to as "Proxy Social Networking". I'll try to explain. Imagine I start a Social Network for some of my classes. I know that a number of my students understand the social networks, but maybe not all want to get on it right away. On this social network I could be placing assignments, links, photos, a knowledgebase in a way. Other students could be uploading the homework, interacting with each other on assignments, etc. etc. Now when I create the network, I add all my students in with a profile. After a while those students who didn't want to be on the network at the start, can evaluate the added value and then decide to join on. However when they do join on, they already have thier profile setup with credits in assignments, videos, etc. Half the work was already done for them.

Now this becomes even more interesting when you think of a talk that (I think Robbert Scobble but I could be wrong) did at Next Web last year. He explained that sites like twitter, facebook, and other social media sites are no fun if you have no friends. Kinda like in life I guess. Well except for freaky porn sites. You don't really want to have too many friends on theier when you first enter. Along the way fine, depending on your preference. But I digress... But there is a point that twitter, and the like only become fun once you have a few friends already.

Now to get rid of a lot of Social Network fatigue that people are getting nowadays, this could be the solution. I mean, to go and invest in porting sections of my firends to a new social network service is a big undertaking nowadays. I mean, do I really have too? That's what a lot of people think. At least in an older generation. It turns into Social Network Fatigue. However if I join and there are already friends there filled in as well as stuff I was in, such as in the example when my students decide to join, that fatigue goes down real fast.

So by allowing people to create Social Networks with the ability to Proxy members, this could be a way that prevents the fatigue that users experience when entering the network. Now if I could only find a way to do this with new girlfriends and meeting my family, that would be excellent! Or as as Marc van Woudenberg says, integrating illegitimate brothers and sisters.

Here is an interview with Marc Canter at Picnic

ATTN Universal Music Group, Lady GAGA wants 2 be Open 2 Viral!

I really loved the new campaign that Universal Music Group has put out. It starts with a segment from Lady GaGa "Poker Face". When you see the video on youtube it explains very easily that you must try to play the game. What is the game?

Watch 20 sec. of Universal Music Videos of artists and answer a trivia question of what you saw.

There are some great roots in the Viral and I suspect that the agency saw some viral hits like this awareness test video.

Test Your Awareness: Do The Test

Did you enjoy that? UMG feels it can capitalize on that idea and sell records. Great, do it. However It would be a HELL of a lot easier to spread this if they allowed people to at least embed the first video (the entry level) onto thier blogs, facebooks, etc. I'll put it in old school marketing terms for ya UMG so you understand. The first video in this sequence of interactively linked Youtube videos which create a game needs to have a point of entry. Not just people search Lady GAGA on youtube. Allow the mebed and it turns into an old school banner! You will not endanger the copyright more, you will not be loosing out. You will gain by opening up. Of course I admit I am proud of you for taking these first steps. Very good, you have your training wheels on now. Time for dad to take them off and push you down the hill. What are you afraid you will get hurt UMG?

Interview from Vincent Everts

Vincent Everts is a trendwatcher and tech guru here in Holland. Last week I went over to his house to "catch up". I've got a video interview of him is coming as well. Just need to finish some videos for The Next Web first.

GabeMac, how much he learned from his Vodcast business errors?

"Gabemac is one of the first passionate vodcasters I know. He started in 2003 and has been an video enterpreneur since 9 years. He build huge audiences with his XoloTV, started to build a software platform for videocasting, that failed, he went to spain and did a daily show on www.mobuzz.tv which drew millions. Now he is back in amsterdam, does Viral Video Creative Consultanting, creates video's (for thenextweb amoung others) and plans his next show & exciting venture. What did he learn from his mistakes since he said he made many. It was a little hard because he continiouly talkes about his strength (passion, creativaty etc) rather then his lessons learns but in the end they show up. Who is Gabriel"

Conference tours

Well it looks like there are a lot of conferences coming up in the next couple of months. So far I will be attending and speaking at the following conferences. If you are in the area, drop me a line on twitter or email. Always looking to meet up with people. Israel: (March 26-31) Kinnernet 2009 COM. Vention 2009 Speaking about Viral Marketing, showing off my Wii VJ project and some more fun stuff.

Spain, Bilbao: (April 24,25) Nonick conference Moderating a panel for Online Video with Pim Betist (sellaband.com), Nir Ofir (iamnews.com), Marc van Woudenberg (Amsterdamize) and others.

Montreal: (May 13) Webcon 2009 Talking about Virtual Immortality and our digital identities from a digital anthropological viewpoint.

I hope to see you at one of them at least!

Mobuzz runner up for Fiasco awards

Apparently Mobuzz.tv was one of 9 nominated companies to win the Fiasco award in Barcelona. No, this doesn't make me feel like a failure at all! Thank god Vista came out.

Microsoft’s Vista wins Fiasco Award - Apple 2.0

A quirky, slightly tongue-in-cheek project of the Catalan Association of Telecommunications Engineers, the Fiasco Awards are designed not to “criticize” or “engage in public derision,” according to their website, but to recognize that “technological advance is not a straight path” and that “success and fiasco are … head and tail of the same coin.”

“God rewards fools,” reads the award’s logo.

Using a balloting system weighted to ensure that “an opportunity was given to local projects,” a consolation prize went to SAGA, the Administration and Academic Management System of the Catalan Government.

The nine finalists were all over the lot, mixing the famous, the local and the obscure. The list included One Laptop Per Child’s $100 computer; Linden Lab’s Second Life; Google’s (GOOG) Lively; the DAB digital radio system used in Europe; the Madrid-based Mobuzz.tv project; Maresme Digital, a project for bringing digital television to Catalonia; and some Linux-based free software packs distributed by the local government administration.

Here is the video. Mobuzz is number 4. Well at least we are with some big names. :-)

Mobuzz is closed

So it is now sprung out on the internet. Last week Mobuzz closed it's office. We were told that we would be able to continue, but as things go, that turned out not to be the case. There will be an official message from Anil today about what happend. All I can say it was a really great experience being here in MADrid, and now I am wondering what to do next. So yes I am looking for something new to do. Maybe something that was already offered, maybe start something new myself, maybe continue doing old projects with friends. So first thing I will do, what I am doing now, is take some time off, see family, friends, relax after the roller coaster ride of the last year. Being in Spain I have grown so much, although you wouldn't tell from all the party pictures it is true. I am not worried or sad about what happened. It is the way things go sometimes. It is time now to decide crap or cone folks. I decide cone.

I know a lot of people are worried at the moment about finding a job, there are lots of things going on out there. I am not worried. Being worried moves my focus to the negative. So I am going to probably be doing some traveling, hitting some conferences and putting up some of my own videos like I usually do. I am a vlogger at heart and will remain so till the end I think. I will miss working with my new friends like Meriam, Osi and Cedric a lot. But who knows what the future may hold. In any case life is an adventure, and with every door that closes a new one opens. Want some more cliches? Ok. here it is, "Fuck it Dude, let's go bowling!"

So now I am trying to figure out where to go. Back to Amsterdam, stay in Madrid, maybe Australia, Ethiopia, London, San Fran, Toronto, who knows. There are lots of options I have open. I will land on my feet somewhere. Curious to see where. Only thing is now I really should get some biz cards made. Hmmm.... Or maybe not. ;-)

Whatever happens

Whatever happens with Mobuzz and it's future, I know one thing is sure. I will continue with teaching, educating, fighting and spreading the word of internet tv, video blogging, and the freedom of expression in the audio visual form without borders and censors. It has been my passion for the last 8 years and I do not see it stopping anytime soon. I am not saying that Mobuzz is dead. Quite the contrary, I am seeing how powerful and beautiful this campaign to Save Mobuzz, and the affect for positive it has had. The comments and the support has brought me to tears more than once. Whatever happens, I thank you all. It has given me more than you can imagine.

Peace, love, and keep on buzzn!