Social Networking Sites and Privacy Concerns

Google is the latest monster internet company to come under attack, this time for alleged violation of consumers' rights to privacy. The complaint to federal regulators involves a Gmail addition of "Google Buzz" just last week, which creates circles of friends for users based on the people they frequently contact through their Gmail account.

Since the concerns were expressed, Google has changed the software to "suggest" friends instead of being created automatically - which is another hangup. You are able to "disable" the service, but the fact it is generated without one's approval in the first place is problematic.

Secondly, I've read the disclaimers about the Facebook app that allows one to "see who is spying on their facebook account." My understanding is this app does not provide page view information, only assembling an account of which people interact the most with one's status updates, etc. Has anyone experienced information to the contrary?

Super Bowl May Have Set Super Mark

Early Nielsen ratings show Sunday's Super Bowl may have eclipsed viewership for the most-watched television show of all time, the series finale of M*A*S*H, in 1983.

Overnight numbers estimate 106.5 million people tuned in for the New Orleans Saints win over the Indianapolis Colts, compared to the 105.97 million that watched M*A*S*H leave the airwaves. There is a margin of error with Nielsen estimates, but to be this close to the M*A*S*H precedent says a lot for the NFL broadcast. The share of households watching the game was still below the M*A*S*H number (77% to 68%).

Advertisers purchased more commercial minutes in this Super Bowl than any other super Sunday game, which should be a boom for next season.