As education professionals, it’s hard to be on top of everything. So, to help kick-off your week we’ve compiled a short list of last week’s most relevant technology updates. This way you can begin your week informed and ready.
4 Tech Updates You Can’t Overlook:
1) Google’s Comprehensive Privacy Policy
Google is merging data from all its products and services. Previously siloed information spread across YouTube, Gmail, Search and the Android OS among others will all link to one end user. While this does make Google’s wealth of information creepy, it can provide better insights when developing Search and Display Ad campaigns.
2) Facebook’s Implementation of Timeline
This glossy new mandatory profile change is forcing users to upgrade over the next few weeks. Timeline creates a chronological scrapbook from all your activity on the site. Facebook claims this does not reveal more information than previous profiles. It does, however, emphasize major life changes and may bring up old wounds and past regrets. If Facebook begins to extend Timeline to companies, organizations and schools, then we need to be aware that past PR fiascos may resurface if updates are not monitored properly.
3) DMARC
This new white-list system will block emails from phishing scams by authenticating only legitimate companies. This system has heavy backers such as Google, Microsoft, Bank of America, and AOL. If DMARC is standardized by the Internet Engineering Task Force we may see better results from email campaigns as users begin to trust their inboxes.
4) ACTA
While the SOPA legislation went down in flames early last week, ACTA, Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement is so big not even congress can touch it. This global copyright protection and intellectual property treaty signed by the U.S. last year mimics many of the same concerns we had with SOPA and PIPA at an international level. Perhaps, an international protest similar to “Stop SOPA” will ensue, but regardless institutions need to prepare themselves now. You don’t need to begin revamping your whole site, but take note of where your school’s site does not comply with ACTA. This way you’re prepared if the treaty stands.