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Malaysian government plans for a media council to enforce by law journalists compliance with a code of ethics have moved ahead with a second round of discussions yesterday between editors and journalists and the attorney-general (AG) and his team.

The governments moves are described as part of reforms in the name of press freedom, following on from the prime ministers announcement in September to end annual newspaper licences.

In April, amendments to the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA) replaced annual licences with a one-off licence good until cancelled, and slightly curbed the home ministers powers over the press, opening his decisions to challenge in court.

However, these reforms do not move Malaysia forward towards greater press freedom but merely return to the regime of control that had existed before 1988, and before Operasi Lalang.

(That was when the Mahathir government, locked in a vicious internal power struggle over the proceeds of privatisation, locked up dissidents and critics and closedThe Star, WatanandSin Chew Jit Poh. They were allowed to re-open six months later, under stringent conditions.)

The April amendments to the PPPA merely restored thestatus quo ante. The difference is that press editors agreed to submit to self-regulation in return for withdrawal of annual publishing licences and the government has expanded the scope of self-regulation to include broadcasters and online media.

A new regime of media control is thus taking shape, and journalists are being co-opted into this process by being part of the governments consultations. These discussions are expected to include the mechanisms of the new regime: how to control, who to control, and how to punish.

Although the government views this favourably as self-regulation, control of the media lies at the heart of the governments as yet unseen proposals, and editors and journalists have become part of the process.

It is common knowledge that:

Public backlash anticipated

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A new regime of media control taking shape

Matthew Makowski FOX 17 Producer

5:16 p.m. EDT, May 29, 2012

LANSING, Mich.

Privacy is a big word when it comes to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Now, Michigan lawmakers are making strides to give employees and students more privacy when it comes to social networking sites.

The House Energy and Technology Committee took testimony on Tuesday on legislation that would create the Social Network Account Privacy Act. The bill would ban employers and schools from requesting that employees and students provide their passwords related to their social media accounts.

Employers would be prohibited from asking an employee or job aplicant for their user names, passwords or other access information. Educational institutions would face a similar ban related to students and prospective students. It would also be against the law for employers to discipline employees or fail to hire potential applicants for refusing access to their social media accounts.

The committee hasn't voted on the proposal, but could at a future meeting.

Representative Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, is sponsoring the bill. He views his proposal as a way to ensure a similar type of protection in an age where that information is often stored on computers or smart phones through social media accounts.

Some lawmakers, while mostly supporting the bill, want to explore the option of allowing law enforcement agencies to screen potential employees through social media sites as part of the proposed legislation.

The National Federation of Independent Business said the majority of its Michigan members would support a bill that bars access to workers' social media accounts. The Michigan of Commerce opposes the bill.

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Proposed Bill Could Limit Access To Social Networking Passwords

May 28 2012

People in Scotland use online social networking sites more than any other part of the UK, a study has shown.

The survey by BT revealed that about 48% of those using the internet in Scotland regularly access social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, compared with 20% in Northern Ireland and almost 43% in Wales.

In England, the figures are 33% in the North East, 39% in the South West and 45.7% in London.

Social networks are equal to news and current affairs websites in terms of popularity north of the border, with those sites also regularly accessed by just over 48% of Scottish internet surfers.

These sites were closely followed by information websites, such as Wikipedia, at almost 43%, and online shopping at just over 41%.

The survey, involving more than 2,000 people earlier this year, also showed that women are twice as dependent on social media as men, with 18% of women compared with 7% of men admitting they would miss social networking sites the most if the internet no longer existed.

BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said: "This research makes it clearer than ever how Scotland and the UK as a whole have embraced the internet across all aspects of life and, in particular, shows the different way UK men and women use the internet.

"People now take for granted that they can manage their life all in one place, from shopping and banking to entertainment and social media."

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Scottish News: 48% 'regularly use social networks'

Despite large-scale successes by Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, innovation in the social networking sector is alive and well.

Reid Hoffman at D

Reid Hoffman, LinkedIns co-founder and executive chairman and Silicon Valleys so-called start-up whisperer appeared onstage today with LinkedIns CEO Jeff Weiner at D: All Things Digital to speak about social networking and his investments at Greylock Partners.

I think the Valley declares old trends dead before they should be, Hoffman said. In particular, he said, with the success of various social networks, investors and entrepreneurs think its dead.

Hoffman says hes still seeing a lot more opportunities. In fact, his last two investments qualify as social: Wrapp participates in the social gifting space, while Edmodo allows teachers to create secure classroom communities.

In terms of the overall investment scene, Hoffman voiced the criticism that theres so much money chasing the same deals in Silicon Valley that, as a result, valuations are artificially high and unsustainable.

AllThingsDs Kara Swisher asked what the long-term impact of that will be, but Hoffman said he didnt know.

Im living in this boat along with you, he said.

No, Swisher corrected, shes not in the same boat. Im on land, waiting to see if you sink.

Originally posted here:
LinkedIn's Co-Founder Reid Hoffman Says Social Innovation Isn't Over

Indian cos prefer face-to-face meetings over social networking Press Trust of India / New Delhi Mar 09, 2012, 19:00 IST

Social networking sites might be catching the public's imagination but Indian companies still feel face-to-face meeting will be the most effective way to lure customers in the next two to three years, says a survey.

A study by global workspace provider Regus, conducted among over 600 senior business managers, has found that a majority of companies (62%) in India believe face-to-face networking will be the most effective way to find new customers over the next two to three years.

"Face-to-face networking remains the top new business technique, despite a 10% fall over the previous period ... The rise and rise of business social media networks mean that today they are as essential a tool to finding new customers as face-to-face interaction," Regus Global Director (Product and Business Development) Andre Sharpe noted.

However, the increasing importance of professional social networking sites such as BranchOut, Viadeo and Xing stands out in the research, also witnessed by increasing user volumes, with LinkedIn having reached more than 135 million members.

Interestingly, small businesses (65%) believe that face-to-face networking will be key to recruiting customers over the next three years, compared to only 57 of large businesses.

Besides, 59% of respondents also declare online advertising to be one of the top channels to find new customers in the next three years, up from 49% in the previous three years.

Attending trade exhibitions (46%) and public speaking at key events (34%) are also regarded as significant tools for future customer recruitment, the survey noted.

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Indian cos prefer face-to-face meetings over social networking