"What's on your mind?"

Anything you post WILL be taken against you. The Internet is forever. Think before you post.

How to Become Unemployed Courtesy of Facebook

Who can forget last year's Ashley Payne, the former high school teacher in Georgia, who was forced to resign after a parent complained about the impropriety of one of her vacation photos?

Where this photo is from: "Straight from the A"

Looks harmless enough, don't you think? She was, after all, on a Euro trip, and you know what they say... "When in Ireland, do what the Irish do--drink a Guinness beer." Apparently, the school administrators thought otherwise.

Just recently, news of this kind broke out again, as an editor of a Fairfax newspaper was immediately terminated after a smart-ass and totally insensitive status update.

Where this photo is from: The Daily Telegraph

Seeing his post "there's nothing better than a death to lift circulation," people in his Facebook were aghast, as this was in reference to the death of a police officer who was shot and killed on duty.

Yet, there are stories of many others who have lost their jobs over Facebook that don't make it to the news. Here's a look at a few of them:

Where this photo is from: a Facebook group called "Fired Because of Facebook"

There are so many of them that a book called "Fired for Facebooking" is already in the works. It's going to be a collection of their stories, pretty much like Chicken Soup for the Soul--only depressing, scary, and more likely, an if-I-knew-then-what-I-know-now read. (For more Facebook phenomenon related books, click here)

WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO THIS.

Anyone with a Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking account is exposed to the risk of getting fired over Facebook everyday.

10 Ways You Can Lose Your Job for Facebooking

10. It's counter-productive, as I've already explained in My Facebook Hypothesis.

9. Your boss is on Facebook, and he/she is making very good use of the News Feed to check whether you're doing your job or not.

8. Whether you're ranting about your job or gloating over how you pulled a fast one on your boss, remember this: Anything you say can and will be taken against you. Read: Status Updates Spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E

7. Venting via your status updates or your Wall--no matter how unrelated to your profession--and "Like-ing" certain pages can get the honchos dishing the "conduct unbecoming of an employee of this company" memo. (Wait. Let me just Unlike "If you're talking about me behind my back, you're in a good position to kiss my ass." Okay. I'm back.)

6. Uploading a photo of you on a drinking spree--glazed eyes and all.

5. Uploading a photo of you with your head down the toilet after such drinking spree.

4. Posting a video of you and your friends in a compromising position.

3. Getting tagged by your friends in any incriminating photos.

2. Tagging yourself in (self)incriminating photos from your friends' albums.

1. Tagging your boss in incriminating photos and/or videos.

   

Who the Filipina Is

Of the Earth's creatures, only humans are fond of confining each other in boxes and sticking labels all over them. If there's one thing I feel  really sad about, it's that some people believe they can look down their nose at others. I am tired of Filipinas being typecasted as nothing more than domestic helpers and mail-order brides. Sure, many pinays aspire for better lives for their families by taking these paths, but they are more than just servants and marriage-for-convenience transactions. They are daughters and sisters. Women. Persons. For this alone, they deserve respect.

The average pinay is a woman of great value. She is someone who prizes family and loyalty--sometimes, even to the detriment of her personal dream. Yet, she is capable of opening her heart to new dreams, going beyond her comfort zone, and growing more resilient with each challenge. She is capable of rising above the stereotype, and this is what empowering the Filipina is all about.

"Over the years, Filipinas working overseas have been greatly stereotyped and put in a negative light. This documentary follows a collective group of global Filipinas who have been deeply affected by these issues and how they chose to respond by sharing the positivity, and the advocacy of a common mission -- uplifting the morale of Filipinas everywhere."

To those in Dubai, do catch the full length premiere on 27th March, Godolphin Ballroom, Emirates Towers. To my fabulously pinay readers and visitors, let's help this video go viral. You may tweet and link it on Facebook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4j6Z1htZi0 or get its embedding code from YouTube


The Empowered Filipina: A Woman of Substance


A Timonera Grafik Production
Produced by Lalaine Chu-Benitez, Ramon Benitez
Director: Kamil Roxas
Director of Photography: Kahlil A. de Pio
Gaffer: Franzty Magsakay
Sound: Ed Aquino
Art Director: Ramon Benitez
Production Assistants: Choi Dalocanog, Rony Aquino
Make-up: Ginno Alducente

Taser: From stun gun to spying tool?

The days when Taser is simply known as a law enforcement device are over. The Taser (an acronym for Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle) trademark has provided both young and old a sense of security since developing the stun gun in 1969. Its popularity resulted in the use of the word "taser" as a noun referring to any electroshock weapon, in general, and stun guns, in particular. The word has also become a popular verb. On Superpoke!, a Facebook application that allows you to "do" certain actions to a friend (or more appropriately, post these "actions" on a friend's Wall), it's featured under "mean" actions as a sort of joke (Read: "X has tasered Y"). 

In the days ahead, "taser" is yet to acquire a new connotation: from protection to privacy breach. This morning, I came across the Tech News that Taser has come up with a phone application called "Mobile Protector." It's designed to enable parents to monitor their kid's mobile phone use. With this application, parents can block contacts and screen the text messages and calls that their kids receive and send. Services like these have been around since 2007, but Mobile Protector levels things up by allowing parents to listen in on the phone calls! The people behind Mobile Protector say that when this happens, it's going to be announced to both parties that the call is being shadowed. Still, I can't get over the thought of having a parent eavesdrop on me as I indulge in girl-talk. Taser further claims that it's not spyware, but what else would you call an application that gives someone so much control over somebody else's communication system?


I can understand how much important it is to provide guidance and protection, especially to kids. I'm all right with the porn-blocking features and the GPS tracking, especially during emergency situations, but for the Mobile Protector to allow a parent to disable the phone for a specific period? Wow, that's remote grounding! Using the application, someone can pull up records from your phone, such as calls made, text messages received and sent, and last known location, among other data. That's like sending the FBI after you. Tough love, indeed!


Aside from the privacy issue, my main concern is this: what if the application falls into the wrong hands? Won't this endanger kids even more? Watching shows like CSI and Criminal Minds has taught me that perpetrators use the same strategies and tools that law enforcers do. Think about it: what if your Mobile Protector falls into the hands of a potential sex offender? Would it make you sleep better at night?


Taser's Mobile Protector will be out in the market by summer, and subscription rates will range from $10-$30. Let the buyer beware!



(Photo credit:  abcnews.go.com)