HAH! So You Think It’s ‘Deleted’?

I found this article on Yahoo! Tech I think it’s interesting. It’s always fun to write about research that you can actually try out for yourself and according to Cristopher Null, it does.

Try this: Take a photo and upload it to Facebook, then after a day or so, note what the URL to the picture is (the actual photo, not the page on which the photo resides), and then delete it. Come back a month later and see if the link works. Chances are: It will.

Facebook isn’t alone here. Researchers at Cambridge University (so you know this is legit, people!) have found that nearly half of the social networking sites don’t immediately delete pictures when a user requests they be removed.

In general, photo-centric websites like Flickr were found to be better at quickly removing deleted photos upon request.

Why do ‘deleted’ photos stick around so long? The problem relates to the way data is stored on large websites: While your personal computer only keeps one copy of a file, large-scale services like Facebook rely on what are called content delivery networks to manage data and distribution.

It’s a complex system wherein data is copied to multiple intermediate devices, usually to speed up access to files when millions of people are trying to access the service simultaneously. (Yahoo! Tech is served by dozens of servers, for example.)

But because changes aren’t reflected across the CDN immediately, ghost copies of files tend to linger for days or weeks.

In the case of Facebook, the company says data may hang around until the URL in question is reused, which is usually ‘after a short period of time.’ Though obviously that time can vary considerably.

Of course, once a photo escapes from the walled garden of a social network like Facebook, the chances of deleting it permanently fall even further. Google’s caching system is remarkably efficient at archiving copies of web content, long after it’s removed from the web.

Anyone who’s ever used Google Image Search can likely tell you a story about clicking on a thumbnail image, only to find that the image has been deleted from the website in question – yet the thumbnail remains on Google for months.

And then there are services like the Wayback Machine, which copy entire websites for posterity, archiving data and pictures forever.

The lesson: Those drunken party photos you don’t want people to see? Simply don’t upload them to the web, ever, because trying to delete them after you sober up is a tough proposition.

PS: Gosh, makes me want to think twice now if I ever want to post my nudes..erk.. SNAP!

Burger King: Dump 10 Friends And Get A Whopper

Dump friends and get a whopper

Burger King said Friday that pressure from Facebook has caused it to yank an application that gave members of the hot social networking website a Whopper for every 10 friends they dumped, reported by The AFP.

Before the Whopper Sacrifice Campaign was halted, 233,906 friends were ‘sacrificed’ by Facebook users more interested in relationships with the global fast-food chain’s specialty hamburgers, according to Burger King.

‘While Facebook was a great sport, they did ask for changes that would have resulted in a different approach to our application,’ a Burger King spokesperson said. ‘Ultimately, based on philosophical differences, we decided to conclude the campaign.’

The Burger King application could be installed free by Facebook users, who were then rewarded with a Whopper for every 10 names they removed from their rosters of friends at the website.

Changes sought by Facebook reportedly included ditching an application feature that sent deleted friends messages informing them that an online pal preferred a hamburger over them.

‘We encourage creativity from developers and companies using Facebook Platform, but we also must ensure that applications meet users’ expectations,’ said a spokesperson for the social-networking service.

‘After constructive conversations with Burger King and the developer of the application, they have decided to conclude their campaign rather than continue with the restrictions we placed on their application.’

The Whopper campaign website on Thursday offered an ‘Angry-gram’ service that people could use to send animated insulting burgers to ‘let someone know they annoy the hell outta you.’

Angry-grams are meant as jokes and not to be used for harassment, Burger King notes on the website.

P/S: NICE marketing strategy by Burger King!

We’re Strong, Honey…

I stumbled on this when I was browsing through and thought it would be a good idea to share with you.  If you’re looking for the right one, this is the advance tip for you but if you are currently IN one, this is the best thing yet to come for your relationship.  Whether you’re in a normal relationship or even in a long distance relationship, infidelity can occur in either way but if you stay strong and put your trust in it, you will succeed. So here they are, 5 essential tips to prevent infidelity and to a better communication with your beloved. Hope it helps! 🙂

I love you

Be each other’s number one confidante
You shouldn’t be sharing private thoughts with others that you’re not sharing with your beloved.

Make time to connect on a regular basis
Daily moments of connection help you build a sense of togetherness and shared purposes. Think SMSing, e-mails, webcams, friendster, facebook or other such accounts. For a more ‘touched’ action, try the original ‘snail mail’. Aren’t like the electronic alternatives, snail mails can be recorded and the best part is, they won’t ‘dissappear’ because some virus just ate all of the documents… except if you have a dog that likes to eat papers of course, hehe~

Don’t let family time squeeze out just-the-two-of-you time
Family yes, they are VERY important. But seriously, do you want to spend ALL your dates with your beloved WITH, your family constantly watching behind you? Err~ I think I want my privacy with mine yes, thank you.

Recognize when you’re temporarily attracted to someone else
It doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with your relationship…or that you have to act on it. My advice au contraire, let your inhibitions out when you’re with your beloved and flirt with’em like you never did before.

Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your relationship
If you’re ever tempted and don’t feel like you can tell your mate, you’ll have someone else to confide in who will steer you straight. And if one of you does stray, you’ll have a strong support network to help you put your relationship back together.