Email or social media hacked? Here’s what to do

Email or social media hacked? Here's what to do By Alvaro Puig Hackers target your email and social media accounts to steal your personal information. Like your username and password, bank or credit card account numbers, or Social Security number.  If they get it, they use it to commit identity theft, spread malware, or scam other people.  So, what are signs that someone hacked your account, and how can you recover a stolen account? Read more ->  https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/10/email-or-social-media-hacked-heres-what-do?

Email or social media hacked? Here’s what to do

PBS News reveals research that "social media is not an accurate reflection of society"

PBS News (@NewsHour) posted  Sun, Oct 27, 2024:

"Researchers at New York University have concluded that social media is not an accurate reflection of society, but more like a funhouse mirror distorted by a small but vocal minority of extreme outliers. It's a finding that has special resonance this election season.  @johnyangtv  spoke with @jayvanbavel to learn more

Go to the video report segment from PBS -> https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-a-small-but-vocal-minority-of-social-media-users-distort-reality-and-sow-division 

Shared from -> https://x.com/NewsHour/status/1850696489158201592

PBS News reveals research that "social media is not an accurate reflection of society"

Watch "How the US Is Destroying Young People’s Future | Scott Galloway | TED" on YouTube

Via TED Talks  

"In a scorching talk, marketing professor and podcaster Scott Galloway dissects the data showing that, by many measures, young people in the US are worse off financially than ever before. He unpacks the root causes and effects of this "great intergenerational theft," asking why we let it continue and showing how we could make it end. (Note: This talk contains mature language.)"

Video link -> https://youtu.be/qEJ4hkpQW8E?si=2jV_uweZKbYrNctM

For a more in depth version (albeit five years ago), Scott covers many of the same topics in this 30 minute version.

Video link -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Brp9DpJsEi4

For more about Scott, visit his TED profile page -> 

https://www.ted.com/talks/scott_galloway_how_the_us_is_destroying_young_people_s_future

Note: given the timed delivery nature of TED Talks, it is better to watch them multiple times, or stop after a point is made and think about it. Time is needed to digest the impact of the ideas presented.

Bonus link (a 14 minute talk Followed by a Q&A with TED Curator Chris Anderson) ->   https://www.ted.com/talks/scott_galloway_how_amazon_apple_facebook_and_google_manipulate_our_emotions?subtitle=en

Unexpected messages on social media about investing are almost always scams

Unexpected messages on social media about investing are almost always scams By Andrew Rayo With so many people on social media, it's no surprise that scammers are there, too. A scammer might, for example, send you a message on Facebook, LinkedIn, or WhatsApp offering a chance to invest in cryptocurrency.  But there's no investment opportunity — just a scammer trying to take your money. Read more ->  https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/06/unexpected-messages-social-media-about-investing-are-almost-always-scams

Unexpected messages on social media about investing are almost always scams

 

Watch "The Next Global Superpower Isn't Who You Think | Ian Bremmer | TED" on YouTube

"Who runs the world?  

Political scientist Ian Bremmer argues it's not as simple as it used to be. With some eye-opening questions about the nature of leadership, he asks us to consider the impact of the evolving global order and our choices as participants in the future of democracy. If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas: https://ted.com/membership"

Video link -> https://youtu.be/uiUPD-z9DTg?si=nKDKnYnreGTqmNO2

Watch "The Next Global Superpower Isn't Who You Think | Ian Bremmer | TED" on YouTube

Middle school program on Technology/Social Media at Horace Mann, Mar 26 at 6 PM

Technology/Social Media

"For parents of middle schoolers at HMMS (and I’m sure they’re happy to have all middle school parents interested).

Technology/Social Media Info Night with Officer Ayer, Tuesday 3/26 at 6pm

Officer Ayer and Principal Motte will be hosting an evening event for HMMS parents/guardians to learn more about the impacts of technology and social media on the lives of the middle school student. We will provide some information on what we are seeing in our roles as Principal and School Resource Officer, and will provide resources for parents to stay informed. 

We hope this can be an opportunity to share our experiences, raise awareness, and identify ways we can work together to help our middle schoolers live healthy lives. This event will take place in the HMMS Library."

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dnxX8qFYeLEVBi74/

Watch "The Anxious Generation Art Project" on YouTube (video)

"Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt believes childhood itself has gone missing. And he and artist Dave Cicirelli are teaming up to tell that story at the scenes of the crime.

Haidt argues that for a little over a decade, we’ve been raising children in an environment hostile to human development. Kids are spending upwards of eight to nine hours a day on their phones and very little time playing in the real world with other kids. Their mental health has suffered and their real-world childhood has been taken away from them.

Based on the essential findings of Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation, we're blanketing the centers of media, government, and tech in provocative images and installations that remove the filters from the phone-based coming of age.  

This guerilla art takeover is anchored by a ten-foot-tall “Missing Childhood” milk cartons in prominent public spaces. These cartons will not just tell the tragic story of youth’s mental health decline but also be a forum for passerbyers to share their personal experiences with this dramatic shift in childhood."

Video link -> https://youtu.be/Ztm8Hna4SBU

The Boston Globe has a Q&A with Jonathan Haidt on the Anxious Generation ->   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/03/24/opinion/jonathan-haidt-the-anxious-generation/

Clues to "Finding the Light" begin to appear on Wednesday (12/6/23) via social media

via Amy Adams, also known as Painting Venus 

"Greetings art lovers!  

Art gifts beginning on December 10th-31st, on deck! 

For the next 4 weeks, I will leave a piece of art at an undisclosed location for the Franklin community members to find.

This collection is called "Finding the Light" and it is the third annual gift away for Franklin inspired by the loss of my father. Imagining how many others are coping through pain and loss around the holiday season, sparked my need to share a little "light". 

In that same spirit, I mean for it to be uplifting, bring hope, joy and giving around the holidays.

I share clues each week by Wednesday, simple enough for all to join in. I then drop off a gift wrapped piece of art at the location the following Sunday morning. 

All I ask, is that the finder share a photo of the painting they’ve found.

Stay tuned for clues posted on Wednesday!"

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/C0aZBYKNgFV/

example of a public place where art (package shown at bottom of image) can be found

Franklin Food Pantry can use your help if you shop at Target

via Franklin Food Pantry 

Support The Pantry with Target Circle! 

You can vote for us and help direct Target's giving to benefit The Pantry. 

Here's how:
Step 1: Choose "My Target" in the Target app
Step 2: Tap on "Target Circle™"
Step 3: Select "Vote for nonprofits"
Step 4: Find us and vote! https://t.co/dkb2ZS9Vpc

Shared from -> https://twitter.com/FranklinFoodPan/status/1708919330732183862

Franklin Food Pantry can use your help if you shop at Target

"social media can have 'a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents'”

"Scrolling, posting, hoping to go viral — many children are absorbed by it nowadays. But is all that social media use harmful?

The US surgeon general’s office said Tuesday it might be — and it’s time to take action to protect those young minds glued to their flickering screens.

Here are five things to know about the surgeon general’s announcement:

The surgeon general says there is growing evidence that social media is harmful for young people"

Continue reading the article online -> (subscription maybe required)  

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/23/nation/surgeon-general-says-there-is-growing-evidence-that-social-media-is-harmful-for-young-people/

"social media can have 'a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents'” NOORHASWAN - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Revealed: the hacking and disinformation team meddling in elections | Technology | The Guardian

"A team of Israeli contractors who claim to have manipulated more than 30 elections around the world using hacking, sabotage and automated disinformation on social media has been exposed in a new investigation.

The unit is run by Tal Hanan, a 50-year-old former Israeli special forces operative who now works privately using the pseudonym “Jorge”, and appears to have been working under the radar in elections in various countries for more than two decades.

He is being unmasked by an international consortium of journalists. Hanan and his unit, which uses the codename “Team Jorge”, have been exposed by undercover footage and documents leaked to the Guardian."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/15/revealed-disinformation-team-jorge-claim-meddling-elections-tal-hanan

Tal Hanan and his colleagues met reporters at an office in Modi’in, about 20 miles outside Tel Aviv. Photograph: Haaretz/TheMarker/Radio France

Why did the US just ban TikTok from government-issued cellphones? | TikTok | The Guardian

"The US government has approved an unprecedented ban on the use of TikTok on federal government devices. The restrictions – tucked into a spending bill just days before it was passed by Congress, and signed by Joe Biden on Thursday – add to growing uncertainty about the app’s future in the US amid a crackdown from state and federal lawmakers.

Officials say the ban is necessary due to national security concerns about the China-based owner of the app, ByteDance. But it also leaves many questions unanswered. Here’s what you need to know.

Why did the ban happen?

The US government has banned TikTok on federal government-issued devices due to national security concerns over its China-based parent company, ByteDance. The US fears that the Chinese government may leverage TikTok to access those devices and US user data."

Continue reading the article online at The Guardian ->

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/dec/30/explainer-us-congress-tiktok-ban

This is the most recent step to prevent US data being exposed to China. A recap of the security and privacy issues involved can be found online

https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/blog/why-tiktok-is-the-latest-security-threat

   

The US Congress banned the use of the TikTok app on government-issued devices. Photograph: Florence Lo/Reuters

GBH Forum Network: "Meme Wars: how the internet changed politics from Occupy to the insurrection"

GBH Forum Network (@GBHForumNetwork) tweeted

Just published! 👉 https://t.co/kXqZEphvrK  or https://forum-network.org/lectures/meme-wars-how-internet-changed-politics-occupy-insurrection/ 

A talk with @ShorensteinCtr @BostonJoan and @brianfriedberg moderated by @BostonGlobe @anissagardizy8 on meme wars and their impact on American democracy. https://t.co/w7BAfa3fe3

Shared from Twitter ->   https://twitter.com/GBHForumNetwork/status/1604964817072279582

What did you consent to do? Use of social media tools getting riskier - links to 3 articles

Lensa is not a good thing, but if you submitted photos, it's too late now

"This week, millions came face to face with AI-generated versions of themselves thanks to the app Lensa, which uses machine learning to spit out illustrations based on photos you provide. People took to social media to reflect on how the portraits made them feel — and who stands to lose when AI art goes mainstream.

“I think I have a fairly decent self-image, but I looked at the images and I was like, ‘Why do I look so good?’” said James, a Twitch streamer who declined to give his last name to keep his social media presence separate from his day job. “I think it shaved off a lot of my rough edges.”

Continue reading the article (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/08/lensa-ai-portraits/

Lensa - article 2

"Sure, that drunk selfie you posted on Instagram might be personally embarrassing. Now imagine that selfie is also training fuel for an artificial intelligence system that helps put an innocent person in jail.

Welcome to the age of artificial intelligence. What you do with your face, your home security videos, your words and the photos from your friend’s art show are not just about you. Almost entirely without your true consent, information that you post online or that is posted about you is being used to coach AI software. These technologies could let a stranger identify you on sight or generate custom art at your command."

Continue reading the article (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/09/chatgpt-lensa-ai-ethics/

If you didn't know how you were being tracked, this lends some insight to the systems involved:

"Tens of thousands of websites belonging to government agencies, Fortune 500 companies and other organizations host Twitter computer code that sends visitor information to the social media giant, according to research first reported by The Cybersecurity 202. 

And virtually none of them have used a Twitter feature to put restrictions on what the company can do with that data, said digital ad analysis firm Adalytics, which conducted the study.

The presence of Twitter’s code — known as the Twitter advertising pixel — has grown more troublesome since Elon Musk purchased the platform."

Continue reading the article (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/08/twitter-data-tracker-inhabits-tens-thousands-websites/

So how can you protect your privacy in this new social media world? Two quick easy steps:

• Don't fall to any one of the meme's (What Game of Thrones character are you?) or tools like Lensa
• Install DuckDuckGo (https://duckduckgo.com) on your browser to prevent the tracking cookies from doing their thing

Lensa interpretations of reporter Tatum Hunter. These images were
created by AI. They were not taken by a camera.

   

Scam alert: parents be aware of kidnapping scam

"Boston Police issued a community alert Saturday warning parents of a kidnapping scam after at least three parents of students enrolled in Boston public schools received phone calls from someone who tried to trick them into paying ransom by falsely claiming their children were in danger or had been kidnapped.

“The scammers had information about the parent’s child, including their name, and demanded the parent send money through Western Union,” Boston police said in a statement. Police did not identify the parents or say whether any of them had paid money to the scammers.

Police said the scammers generally target parents and grandparents. Parents are being advised to be careful about posting information publicly on social media and to talk with their children about protecting their privacy online, police said.

“Scammers often look through social media for any information that would give them the ability to persuade you” police said."

Continue reading the Boston Globe article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10/15/metro/boston-police-warn-parents-kidnapping-scam/

The key takeaway, be careful what you do share on social media.

Stop and think about it Before you share it

"A Facebook post on the Franklin MA Virtual Yard Sale group has been brought to our attention alleging a potential child abduction yesterday. The Facebook post states the child ran away from the attempted abduction and the incident was reported to the police. This post had over 75 shares. After looking into the matter we can confidently say this post is a SCAM. No incident similar to this was reported to the FPD. The poster, Nobuhle Magutshwa, posted the same post on various Facebook groups all around the country. Other activity on her Facebook page is consistent with other social media scams. In the future, any urgent public safety matters like will be shared immediately by the FPD social media accounts."

Shared from Town of Franklin Police Dept Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/franklinmapolice/posts/pfbid0F7JUTp2qvp8phQNVEQuCPopFjGuFfWJLzaS5dFDVXyBBVc5GovHHhGTsCi8qyN3yl

Coincidentally, this type of post was covered in the recent session on "How to Spot Misinformation"

Misinformation & Fact checking resources

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/07/misinformation-fact-checking-resources.html

If you missed the session, you can take the MediaWise course on your own

https://www.poynter.org/shop/fact-checking/how-to-spot-misinformation-online-july-2021/

 

How to Spot Misinformation Online

Reminder: first session of "How to Spot Misinformation Online" Monday, Jul 18 at 1 PM

Join Steve Sherlock to walk through an online course from the Poynter Institute and MediaWise on how to spot misinformation online. 

Sign up at the Senior Center to participate for these session whether in person or via Zoom. 

When: 

Monday, July 18 - 1 PM (part 1)

Monday, July 25 - 1 PM (part 2)

“This free short course from MediaWise for Seniors will teach you how to tell what’s true and false on the internet. By looking at examples of political, health, travel and climate misinformation, you will learn techniques for identifying false information and how to seek out trustworthy sources. 

Christiane Amanpour, Joan Lunden, Lester Holt, Hari Sreenivasan and Dave Jorgenson — MediaWise Ambassadors — will also pop in to share their advice as experienced journalists to help you navigate information on platforms like Google, Facebook and more.”

The online course is listed as taking 1-2 hours. We have scheduled 2 one hour sessions to allow for discussion and following links to research current examples along the way.  

How to Spot Misinformation Online - 2 sessions at Franklin Senior Center

You can register with Poynter Institute and take the course on your own 

https://www.poynter.org/shop/fact-checking/how-to-spot-misinformation-online-july-2021/

If you want to attend via Zoom please use the form here ->   https://forms.gle/QzD4b9qwZayM42cv9

How to Spot Misinformation Online - 2 sessions at Franklin Senior Center - Jul 18 & 25

Join Steve Sherlock to walk through an online course from the Poynter Institute and MediaWise on how to spot misinformation online. 

Sign up at the Senior Center to participate for these session whether in person or via Zoom. 

When: 

Monday, July 18 - 1 PM (part 1)

Monday, July 25 - 1 PM (part 2)

“This free short course from MediaWise for Seniors will teach you how to tell what’s true and false on the internet. By looking at examples of political, health, travel and climate misinformation, you will learn techniques for identifying false information and how to seek out trustworthy sources. 

Christiane Amanpour, Joan Lunden, Lester Holt, Hari Sreenivasan and Dave Jorgenson — MediaWise Ambassadors — will also pop in to share their advice as experienced journalists to help you navigate information on platforms like Google, Facebook and more.”

The online course is listed as taking 1-2 hours. We have scheduled 2 one hour sessions to allow for discussion and following links to research current examples along the way.  

How to Spot Misinformation Online - 2 sessions at Franklin Senior Center

You can register with Poynter Institute and take the course on your own 

https://www.poynter.org/shop/fact-checking/how-to-spot-misinformation-online-july-2021/

Register for the MetroWest Arts & Culture Symposium - May 14

Via Representative Jeff Roy:

"There is still time to register for the MetroWest Arts & Culture Symposium in Franklin. Lunch is provided with the $15 ticket from our local Birchwood Bakery. So sign up soon by clicking the link before it fills up! Hope to see you there."

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1518336877388087296 

Yes, I am delighted to be leading a session for this event - "Sharing your Arts Identity through Social Media." I plan for it to be a collaborative session. I'll share the lessons I have learned and use regularly and solicit examples from participants.

Register for the Symposium via Eventbrite -> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/metrowest-arts-culture-symposium-tickets-270070025717

Register for the MetroWest Arts & Culture Symposium - May 14

Critical Conversations: The Impact of Social Media (video & slides & resources)

Missed our last Critical Conversations: The Impact of Social Media event?  

It's now available on our YouTube channel along with the presentation slides and resources pamphlet which are linked in the bio.

https://buff.ly/3jjHZf6

"On March 24, 2022, the Franklin Substance Abuse Task Force held the second installment of the Critical Conversations series. The night focused on the impact of social media on the social-emotional wellbeing of youth. Keynote speaker, Georgia Wells, tech journalist for the Wall Street Journal, kick off the event speaking on how the tech companies behind social media and the effects on young people. The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, Karyn Polito provided additional remarks addressing state-level initiatives regarding social media usage. A panel was curated to offer various perspectives on the topic of social media and was followed by an audience question and answer session. You can access the slideshow here: https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/critical_conversations_social_media_3_24_2022.pdf

Resource list for parents can be found here: https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/cc_sm_trifold_v2.pdf