Facebook Privacy revisited.

Just to be clear. Posting a notice similar to the one below, in any form of it. is a waste of your time. I said this a few months ago and I say it again today. Whatever it reads like, it is the same situation. Here is the one I am seeing multiple times a day at the moment:

In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings, professional photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention).

For commercial use of the above, my written consent is needed at all times!

(Anyone reading this can copy this text and paste it on their Facebook Wall. This will place them under protection of copyright laws.) By the present communiqué, I notify Facebook that it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, disseminate, or take any other action against me on the basis of this profile and/or its contents. The aforementioned prohibited actions also apply to employees, students, agents and/or any staff under Facebook's direction or control. The content of this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of my privacy is punished by law (UCC 1 1-308-308 1-103 and the Rome Statute).

Facebook is now an open capital entity. All members are recommended to publish a notice like this, or if you prefer, you may copy and paste this version. If you do not publish a statement at least once, you will be tacitly allowing the use of elements such as your photos as well as the information contained in your profile status updates...


Like most spam, it has elements of what sounds like facts but its a misleading statement.

1. To start with: new Facebook guidelines?  Um What new Facebook Guidelines? Guidelines about what? There are not any new guideliens referring to your privacy.
2. Quoting the UCC ( The US Uniform Commercial Code which has nothing to do with privacy or data issues and everything to do with US commercial law) is meaningless. As is reference to the Rome Statute or the Berner Convention. It is as logical and meaningful as claiming the UN declaration on refugees as you are being thrown out of a nightclub.
3. Facebook are an open capital entity - so what? This refers to their status as a company. It means their shares are traded openly not your personal data. Facebook set the terms and conditions for their site not you and you agreed to those when you signed up
4. " If you do not publish a statement at least once, you will be tacitly allowing the use of elements " No you are not. You control who from the public sees your posts using the Facebook privacy controls.
5. "All members are recommended to publish.." No. I will be blunt: Do not post this message. Do not re-post this message. Do not like this message. Delete it off your page. It is cluttering your wall with false information.
6. How many people moving through the internet who see something they like on your  wall will then scroll through your hundreds of posts to see if you have posted a warning. If you must, put it in the Notes section or About Me section in your facebook. And even then who is going to look for it?
7. Facebook themselves have said:  We have noticed a recent status update that is being widely shared implying the ownership of your Facebook content has recently changed. This is not true and has never been the case. Facebook does not own your data and content. Please see our Terms of Service for more information. https://www.facebook.com/policies
8. Finally, how are you going to enforce this statement you have posted. Lets say someone from Armenia or Belgium or Fiji steals the slightly out of focus picture of Your Great Aunt Enid from your cousis's wedding. How are you going to enforce your rights? If you are an Australian or someone in France, how are you going to use the US Uniform Commercial Code or the Berner convention in the Armenian or Belgian or Fijian legal systems? Good luck.

See more on this as: http://cowlingreport.blogspot.hu/2012/06/facebook-privacy-notice-wasting-your.html

LIfe is like a Camera

Facebook Gifts

Facebook Gifts allows users to purchase gifts for friends through the social network.

The service allows people to buy a "gift" in the form of a charitable donation to one of eleven charities. The donation can be up to $25 and 100% of the money goes to the charity.

The platform allows the friends of the giver to see the charity they support with the aim of encouraging them to give too.

Eight million people have given through the Facebook "Causes" feature which is less than one per cent of all Facebook’s users so it will be interesting to see if ths tool fares better.

For more see: https://www.facebook.com/about/gifts

Cyberbullying

Have a look at this interesting article on cyber bullying amongst Youth Groups. Written for Christian based organisations but highly applicable for all sorts of groups. 

This week in my Travel Blog: Wild about Travel, I talk about:

•  medical tourism in Hungary
• how to use USA security lines properly
• an amazing flight with Turkish Airlines and 
• how to buy Hungarian citizenship 

Have a read and -please make a comment or two!

Thought this was interesting

http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/21108-the-moveon-effect-looks-at-advances-in-online-advocacy.html

Happy International Volunteer Managers Day

Love this collage from The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, Singapore. 

Check out the IVMD Facebook site or their website: http://www.volunteermanagersday.org/

Corporate Volunteer- Whats the value?

At a  recent training, a leader of a volunteer organisation said publicly that from time to time, her organisation has corporate volunteers who attend to perform a day of volunteering. She said "they all come along with their T shirts and cameras."  She said "I don't see them as real volunteers because real volunteers would come on a weekend" 

Further, she makes a point of telling each one that they are not a real volunteer (like her) because they are being paid by their company to be there. She aims to embarrass them into becoming a "real volunteer". She said none do come back which proves to her that they lack commitment.

Great welcome lady! There are a range of views about corporate volunteering but the time to debate whether it is a real volunteering opportunity is not by insulting someone who has come to help us.  

If instead, we said "Welcome and thank you. We run a Family Volunteering event on the first Saturday of the Month, would you like to bring your family along one time?". Having seen the volunteer work and the impact it makes on a community might prompt them (if they felt welcome) to return with family members.

How hard is it to make our organisations more welcoming?

the Adventure of Life!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”-Dr. Seuss

15 Reasons to be Magnetised

In November this year, I will be presenting: "Turn Your Organisation into a Volunteer Magnet" in locations across the UK with Rob Jackson. This topic will be presented in Exeter, Manchester.  Derby & Penrith. We are also doing our fantastic Social Media course in  Havering, London. 

 Over the next 15 days, I will be sharing reasons for attending this vital training.  Each day I will add a new reason to the list below.

I would be grateful for your comments, particularly if you have participated in this training in the past. If you could tweet or share this blog post in any way so we can encourage as many in the UK to attend as possible.

Reason Number #9: Participant feedback: Volunteer Magnet. something unique & different to the usual stuff we all trot off to.

Reason Number #8: Do you know what attracts and repels Volunteers? The Volunteer Magnet workshop will tell you. Check out http://bit.ly/MagnetReasons for more information on this organisation changing workshop.

Reason Number #7: Kickstart your Volunteer Management. Participant from 2011 Magnet Training says:
This is my new flyer based on what we did at the magnet training. I have set this up to be sent out immediately as someone enquires. I am determined not to be the 70% who do not get back in touch. I have acted on it all and established a Volunteer Council, our first meeting is next week. Please forward my thanks to Rob and Martin, they have kick started me again, I was going through a bit of a defeated slump. 

Reason Number #6: Last Year's Training was Highly rated

Reason Number #5: At the 2012 Volunteer Magnet Workshops being held in November, participants will depart with practical actionable goals.


Reason Number #4: After a recent training by Martin J Cowling, one Australian charity encouraged their employees and volunteers to travel 400km to benefit from his expertise at a second session. 

Reason Number #3: The most practical and dynamic volunteer management training- Volunteer Magnet 2012 will change your organisation. 

Reason Number #2: This is feedback from a recent training conducted by Martin J Cowling who will be presenting with Rob Jackson across the UK in November: "We had a training on Conflict Management delivered by a company two days after your Dealing with Difficult Volunteer Behaviours training. It was rubbish. You are by far the most effective, engaging and skilful trainer I have worked with. Your content is always relevant and evidence-based, your delivery in interesting, and the outcomes for participants are changed behaviour and integration of good ideas into existing practice. Feedback from your session has been overwhelmingly positive, and Regional Managers across the state are planning when we might book you for each region next year. Well done you!"

Reason Number #1: Feedback from a participant at a recent Recruitment training in Australia: "I am going away from this training with 21 new ideas and one alone was worth the registration fee". Get your value at the Volunteer Magnet 2012, a full day of training designed to build your recruitment. For more information click on the links above or click here