Just Google It: Search Result for Stephanie Murray

It's pretty sad when you have someone seeking political office in town and two of the first three results of a Google search come up with "official's home up for sheriff's sale" and "Federal tax lien on Middletown official's home".

Can ‪‎Goggle‬ Really Sway Voter Opinion? Apparently So.

I found this article and podcast fascinating and thought provoking. Could it really be this easy to potentially corrupt the electoral process?

From WhoWhatWhy.org:

Photo credit: WhoWhatWhy

Could Goggle Search Destroy Free And Fair Elections?

Google, it is said, has changed everything. Could it now be about to change elections — and therefore democracy? It could, says an expert interviewed by RadioWhoWhatWhy podcaster Jeff Schechtman.

The culprit is Google Search. According to Robert Epstein, a senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavior Research and Technology, Google has amassed far more power than we would ever guess — to control opinions, and beliefs, and even elections. In fact, high rankings on Google searches can, Epstein’s research found, shift the voting preferences of undecided voters by 20 percent or more. Learn how this development can affect all of us.

Click here to hear the podcast

And for more on this, read Robert Epstein's Study that says ‘Googlemandering’ Could Determine Winners of future elections.

Santa Is On His way: Track His Where Abouts With NORAD or Google's "Santa Tracker"

It's Christmas Eve and Santa left the North Pole a few hours ago to start making his deliveries but he won't be in our neighborhood for at least another 8 hours.

No to worry thought, if you would like to keep an eye out for him and track his whereabouts so as not to miss him, This year, as in years past, you can keep an eye on where Santa is all throughout the day by checking in on his travels with the NORAD Tracker (NORAD is the bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace and maritime defense of the United States and Canada). NORAD, has been tracking Santa since 1955 !

You can also use Google's Santa Tracker. Google started tracking Santa a couple of years ago and does a pretty good job of it as well.

Each site is interactive, fun and easy to use. The kids in the house will by kept busy, having a great time playing all the different games and watching videos of Santa's arrivals throughout the world. It's a great way to keep the kids occupied while you do last minute preparations for Santa's arrival.

A great feature of Google's website. Not only can you keep and eye on Santa's where about, there are many interactive games for the kids (or those young at heart) to play while waiting for Santa's arrival. In years past Google allowed you to send a special Santa recorded message personalized for your son, daughter or other loved one. Google would then have Santa personally call or email the greeting to your loved ones. I used it last year to call my nieces, nephews and own son. It was great! This year however, I haven't come across it but I'm still looking.


NORAD's Santa Tracker on Youtube

Pallone Participates in Internet Safety Event at Fords Middle School

WOODBRIDGE, NJ– Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) participated in Google’s Online Safety Roadshow, an innovative program designed to teach young adults how to stay safe on the internet, at Fords Middle School in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Congressman Pallone highlighted the importance of carefully considering what is being shared with others online and the lasting impacts that even seemingly small actions can have on the internet.

“In a world where technology is constantly evolving, it is important that we talk to our children continuously about being safe online,” said Congressman Pallone. “While the internet is a powerful tool that has profoundly changed the way we learn, do business and receive information, young adults should also have a healthy awareness of the permanence that comes with a simple click of a button. By having open discussions with our children about these realities, we can help them develop responsible behaviors online from an early age.”

Today’s assembly was one stop on Google’s Online Safety Roadshow, a program designed to educate both parents and students on how to stay safe and secure on the web. The program also aims to teach middle school students how to be smart about the content they share online. It focuses on important skills, like creating a safe and memorable password, understanding how to adjust privacy settings, and avoiding scams online.

Top Internet Sites Join Largest Online Protest Ever in Opposition to Pending Internet Censorship Legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
Tiffiniy Cheng, Holmes Wilson
press@fightforthefuture.org
Phone: (508) 474-5248


The internet is currently engaged in the largest ever online protest in opposition to internet censorship legislation moving in Congress, PIPA and SOPA.

Three top-ten sites in the U.S. -- Google.com, Craigslist.org, and en.wikipedia.org -- have blacked out all or part of their sites in protest of the bill.

As of 10 a.m. ET, eleven top 100 U.S. sites are participating in the strike (site rankings are from Alexa.com). Wordpress alone powers 16 percent of the top 1 million sites globally, and all of those sites are being blacked out.

More than 62,000 sites have signed up to join at sopastrike.com. The exact number of sites that are participating is unknown at this point, but we believe 10,000 to be a conservative estimate.

The protest is in response to legislation (S.968) scheduled for a vote in the Senate on Jan. 24th that would give the government and corporations new powers to block access to entire websites because of a single link in violation of copyright law. The website takedowns would effectively censor hosts of legal, constitutionally-protected speech, and the bill is considered to be in violation of the First Amendment by several prominent constitutional scholars.

Ultimately, the fight against these bills is about more than web censorship. It is a fundamental struggle about who has power in modern society -- the people with the means to communicate freely or the governments and corporations that want to lock down control. Today's action, and the corresponding drop-off in congressional support for these bills, is a raw display of power for the people at large.


About Fight for the Future

Fight for the Future is a new non-profit organization that works to defend online rights and personal freedoms. Fight for the Future organized American Censorship Day on November 16, 2011, the largest online protest in the past 5 years, with more than 4 million people contacting Congress and companies like Tumblr and Mozilla taking unprecedented steps to drive users to contact Congress.

fightforthefuture.org
americancensorship.org
sopastrike.com

Facebook to form its own PAC to back political candidates

According to TheHill.com people at Facebook has have filed paper work to form their own political action committee (PAC), possible calling their PAC either FBPAC.org or FBPAC.us.

In doing so, Facebook wishes to avoid the problems that other tech firms like Google and Microsoft have had in the past lobbying lawmakers.

Facebook confirmed it filed paperwork on Monday to start its own political action committee.

"FB PAC will give our employees a way to make their voice heard in the political process by supporting candidates who share our goals of promoting the value of innovation to our economy while giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected," said a spokesman via email.

The firm acknowledged the formation of the PAC after reports emerged of Facebook registering the domain names FBPAC.org and FBPAC.us. Creating a PAC is just the latest step in Facebook's continued expansion of its presence in Washington, but this is the first time the firm will back candidates.

Facebook is likely looking to avoid the type of Washington scrutiny that has affected other firms like Microsoft and Google, which is currently under a Federal Trade Commission antitrust probe. The perception Google was previously sympathetic towards Democrats hasn't helped with the GOP in charge of the House.

Facebook's lobbying spending has totalled $550,000 for fiscal 2011, a significant boost over he $350,000 spent in 2010 and $200,000 in 2009.

Antitrust Eyes Turn Toward Google

Could this be the begining of the end of Google as we know it? I, for one certainly hope not. 

The Hill is reporting that the Obama Administration signaled this week that they will be taking a closer look and a more aggressive stance againt monopolies, which will surely mean trouble for the internet giant, even though  it's executives and many of its employees have thrown huge amounts of cash  and support to Obama. 

Read all about it  from TheHill .com >>>Here

High-tech industry sees Obama as an ally

The Hill -

Lobbyists for the high-tech industry see Barack Obama’s victory last week as a boost to their interests.

Advocates are encouraged by how the president-elect embraced technology in his own campaign — by using the Internet to set new fundraising records, for example — and for his support of open access to Internet networks and tax breaks for research and development.

“The Obama position is the government has a role in promoting technology. It is a breath of fresh air,” said Josh Ackil, president of the Franklin Square Group. Ackil, a former Democratic Senate aide, now lobbies for Apple, Google and other tech interests.

Tech lobbyists have largely been disappointed by the Bush administration, which failed to deliver on the president’s promise that every American household would have broadband access during his second term....