Internet blog users have recently been advised to immediately change their password information due to a bug known as “Heartbleed.” The bug has been recently been discovered as gaining access to OpenSSL, a technology used by many online services, which may be leaving user data all across the Internet very vulnerable to hackers. This new information has caused havoc for Tumblr business – the company is urging users to change their passwords immediately, as hackers now have the possibility to retrieve code from websites, giving them access to user data and passwords, using the popular Open SSL security library. Not seeming to be so secure now! This lock icon has been a trusted method for using password storage, personal emails, safe credit card info, but unfortunately, was actually making all that private information accessible to anyone who knew about the exploit, which Tumblr blogged about.
The bug affects only 1 version of open SSL, and a fix for the problem has been issued. Tumblr is urging users to take a few minutes out of their day to secure their safety by changing their passwords. The bug was covered by Neel Mehta of Google’s security team and ones at Codenomicon, a security website created that also created a website with info about ‘Heartbleed.’ This vulnerability was only recently discovered – this affected version of OpenSSL has been around for a whole two years! On the bright side, there is still uncertainty around whether these hackers have even used the bug to steal data from any forms being used by open version of OpenSSL. In other words, though the hackers and bugs have been discovered, it isn’t necessarily positive that any data HAS been stolen or advantage has even taken from any forms being used by this open version of OpenSSL. This could be a big opportunity for loss of users and loss of business for Tumblr, whose users, uncertain for their prinvacy and Internet safety, may lose the trust in the blogging service and other OpenSSL services.

An infographic published recently from studies conducted by FinancesOnline.com show many differences in the way men and women use their mobile devices, in terms of the types and frequency of their social media consumption. The study examined user data showing men focusing on business or dating uses for social media, while women focusing more on relationships, sharing, entertainment and self-help. (I’m thinking shopping HAS to be included in one of those) Speaking of shopping, women and men respond to digital brand promotions differently as well – women like to connect through social media with a specific brand’s deals, while men prefer a quicker option and are more likely to scan QR codes and coupons for more immediate access to deals and promotions. Another important point I found – one that could be useful for social media companies to look at to help their marketing and advertising – was that though women are the top users of Facebook, the #1 social networking site, they ignore promotions and advertisements more often than men.

Infographics like these can be extremely beneficial for social media companies to target the right audiences with appealing media for the specific gender. It is also a helpful tool for social networking sites to be able to find the right kind of brands to advertise on a man or woman’s page. This information shows exactly what women and men are looking at – women go for sharing, camera, and gaming use; men go for video, news, and GPS. The most important part the infographic showed is the exact themes of advertisements that each gender is attracted to. Very stereotypically gender-specific – men prefer sports, action, sex, and women go for more sentimental and family-oriented ads. These seem like incredibly useful tools for marketers and advertisers and anyone trying to expand business and appeal of their social media or networking website, though once again with advertisement revenue as fuel for business, its something that will continue to create spreading news and posts that people WANT but do not the hard-hitting stories that consumers NEED to see.

Read more and see the infographic here: https://socialtimes.com/men-and-women-use-social-media-mobile_b146055