Social Media Security - The Short Form

FIRST:

• Think before you click, post, share, or accept connection requests when using social media.

When you receive a link or download that you didn't expect...

NEVER:

• Trust unexpected messages, if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

• Click ANY unexpected links. Always go to the source and verify if it's real.

ALWAYS:

• Only install software and updates from verified sources.

• Go directly to the source for any links or updates sent to you in email.

When you want to share information on social media...

NEVER:

• Assume any application's default privacy setting will protect you from anything.

• Give away private or sensitive information.

• Share everything with the world.

ALWAYS:

• Review your security settings on apps and sites regularly (monthly or quarterly).

• Turn off geo-tagging on photos and videos.

• Only share with intended viewers.

When you receive unsolicited requests to connect EVEN FROM PEOPLE YOU *THINK* YOU KNOW...

NEVER:

• Blindly accept connection requests. You can't be sure who is sending it.

• Assume that the connection or profile is real. The profile could be FAKE!

• Use any social media to send sensitive or private information.

ALWAYS:

• Be cautious with connection requests. Assume they are suspicious.

• Verify the one attempting to connect by directly contacting them via trusted means. Contact them directly and make sure it's them. They may not even know they were hacked.

• Periodically review and remove unnecessary connections.

Reject Cultural Appropriation

In keeping with my February theme of rejection, I reject the idea of cultural appropriation as pitched and proffered by so many today in politics.

I don't know why the idea got started but it is a relatively recent phenomenon that people somehow think that if you so much as fix tacos for dinner, you are guilty of cultural appropriation. It's a nonsensical notion that not only is hypocritical to the idea of the globalists that are actually behind it but it runs completely counter to the idea of celebrating and sharing people's family and ancestral cultures.

And what really is completely stupid is the idea that one or two or a handful or even dozens of individuals from a particular culture could even dare claim they hold the rights to decide who gets to partake of the celebration and sharing of a particular culture. Was there a vote taken back in the "homeland" and they were elected the keepers of cultural sanctity? Are people going to treat their culture like the Scientologists and try to ban all publications and depictions on the Internet?

It's completely ridiculous. Little girls - of all colors - are told they can't wear a traditional outfit from some other culture even though their favorite Disney character may be wearing it because - God forbid - they would be accused of being little racist bigots trying to steal someone's culture. People are told they can't cook and sell ethnic food because - God forbid - someone may actually like it. We can't have that now, can we?

No, it's just stupid to pretend that anyone holds the trademarks, copyright, and intellectual property for another culture.

If anyone claims they do, then I have this to say: bluejeans are a white American male thing. If you are wearing bluejeans you are culturally appropriating my culture. See how stupid it sounds? That's because it is.

I reject the idea that people are not allowed to enjoy, partake of, and even copy other cultural distinctives.

No comments are necessary and may be summarily deleted at my discretion. This is a unidirectional broadcast message only. Those are my rules. 

Reject Globalism

In keeping with my February theme of rejection, I reject the idea of globalism as pitched and proffered by so many today in politics.

People have been vilifying the very idea of having pride in our nation. They have condemned the idea that we should protect our national sovereignty and instead yield control to a global community. I utterly reject the idea of that and the intent of that.

We are Americans and while we are not innocent of creating havoc in the world, no one can honestly doubt the good that America as the global superpower has done for the world. We have sent more food, more relief, and more aid to any other nation on Earth. We take in more legal immigrants every year than any other nation on the planet.

America has used its might for some questionable outcomes to be sure. However, we have used our might to enforce the security of weaker nations, protect other people from tyrants and their own corrupt leaders, and keep a much broader peace than the world has known in decades. Sure, we're not perfect but you know what? We're pretty good and pretty good is a lot better than most other powerful nations on the planet.

So when people, and especially our own citizens stand wag their fingers and tongues at the United States of America in mockery and talk about how embarrassed they are to be American, I say to them, leave. Unlike many other nations, there's nothing to stop you from leaving. If you don't like it, just go. We don't need you here bringing shame to our great nation with your self-righteous and pathetic pandering.

If we give in to the globalists, then what are we? We are nothing more than a fattened sheep to be slaughtered by the rest of the world that would feast on our carcass. The rest of the world only wants two things from America: our money and our subservience.

Globalism has its roots in envy and bitterness. Other nations are truly envious of our wealth. They see that as a problem. Perhaps if they were less socialist experiments and more capitalist, in other words just be freer, they could achieve similar success. But no. They don't want to succeed on their own. They want us to be torn down and deliver all our resources to them. If you can't see that is what is happening, you are delusional.

I have no desire to be a "citizen of the world." I have seen the world and it is ugly. I want to be a citizen of the United States of America and I want the US to remain a sovereign nation, having no strings pulled by globalist interests.

Therefore, I reject globalism and all political pandering to globalist interests and globalist promoters.

No comments are necessary and may be summarily deleted at my discretion. This is a unidirectional broadcast message only. Those are my rules. 

Rejection

Over the course of the next 28 days - or more - I am going to embark on a task to summarize my thoughts on a number of topics that in the current political environment could be considered divisive. To that end, these posts will turn some people off and ruffle some feathers. Why? Because I am going to state my rejection of a position on a current topic and summarize why I reject that position and what position I support.

I am not attempting to be offensive. I am not attempting to demean any one or imply that their value in the eyes of the God and Creator of the universe is any less than my own. I will point out immorality and sinfulness. I will point out what I see as serious issues and impediments to the successful united society. If at any time anyone feels offended I encourage them to examine themselves and determine why it is they cannot separate their own self-worth from a held position.

My purpose in all this is a very public withdrawal from an overindulgence of social media. It has been a time and energy drain - and has vastly slowed down my ability to complete my books - that has proven to provide only a tiny benefit with the majority of posts and ads and information being useless or worse, completely argumentative and divisive. The advantages of social media were completely overshadowed by the negative impacts. Therefore, I am withdrawing to a great extent. Much like an addict withdraws from a substance or behavior.

To that end, I am going to begin the posts with my first rejection: social media.

I reject the modern notion of social media. It has not, is not, and will not be a benign means of objective information sharing among friend groups. Instead, it has become a platform for social engineering and public shaming. It is used daily to self-promote one's own beliefs and seek validation. And because it is in a public forum and setting, those seeking self-validation - or condemnation of others - use language that attempts to emotionally compel people by guilt, shame, or fear of being "canceled", which is in effect, a rejection.

You can consider this post my own canceling of that use of social media. I simply don't care for those attempts of self-validation, particularly when a person deviates from the norms of society and norms of appropriate behavior. Note that one who deviates is a deviant. If someone doesn't like the label, they should reconsider being the deviant.

I reject the notion of big tech companies having such unfettered and enormous control over what is said and not said on their platforms. At the same time, I am a capitalist and I respect their right to control their own platforms per their own rules. What is missing is the appropriate parallel to services and products sold by brick and mortar stores. I'll just mention the situations that have occurred and were escalated to national news where bakers, florists, restaurants, etc. have been criminalized because they tried to assert control over their own business. That concept is well known by most intelligent readers.

If it is considered illegal for a public business to withhold business from anyone, it should be illegal for a public online social media platform or Internet hosting provider to withhold business from anyone. Period.

Therefore, I reject social media and big tech's stranglehold over it.

No comments are necessary and may be summarily deleted at my discretion. This is a unidirectional broadcast message only. Those are my rules.

Not A Rivalry At All

I was reading an article concerning a rivalry between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg and it struck me that there would even be a rivalry. Back in 2016, SpaceX had a launch failure and a Facebook satellite was destroyed. That didn't set well with Zuckerberg. He seemed to believe that spaceflight was not rocket science. Since then, the two billionaires have exchanged barbs from time to time.

But, I have to ask, why is this even a thing? On the one hand you have a tech billionaire who is a genius and on the other you have a meme-inducing billionaire that eerily resembles a robot. The genius built a technology company through sheer force of will, grand ideas, and hard work. The robot co-opted some software and came along at the right time and the right place.

I have great respect for Elon Musk. I think he's personally a jerk from all accounts but he is to be respected. Musk created a technology company that does exactly what people compare hard things to: rocket science. He has vision and drive and yes, he is a bit of a sadist as an employer for driving his people so hard. But that is actually more common in tech than you think. Ask any Facebook employees about working conditions on the coding floor.

Anyway, these two men - both jerks - are being touted as equals in that the media calls it a rivalry. I don't see it as a rivalry so much as it is a public exchange of criticism. These men are not equals, they do not innovate in the same industry, and all other ways, they are not to be compared save for their billions of dollars. To that end, I will not be calling it a rivalry.

And why would you call it a rivalry? Zuckerberg came along at the right time and place where people wanted something different in social media. Do not pretend, or allow him to pretend, that anyone predicted the phenomenal growth of social media. Do not pretend that Facebook is anything other than a monopoly needing controlled. In short, Zuckerberg's accomplishments pale in comparison to the successes and even failures of Elon Musk. The spectacular fireball of SN8 as it failed to nail it's vertical landing in December of 2020 was still far beyond the accomplishments of a social engineering platform like Facebook.

Consider what Musk has done. He has created an entirely new car company in the process he innovated a number of other technologies to support it. Namely charging stations, batteries, and advanced artificial intelligence for controlling the hardware systems. The AI efforts of Zuckerberg have resulted in new and aggressive ways of censoring ideas he doesn't approve of on his social engineering platform.

Not only did Musk create a car company and a new subset of the car industry out of nothing, he created the world's first commercial spaceflight company that has launched humans into space. The technical, economic, and political hurdles Musk has successfully navigated make the robot's water-sipping performance in front of Congress look like a casual break from making money.

Yes, I respect Elon Musk as an entrepreneur. He has created technology, industry, jobs, and increases in the economy. Furthermore, he has a vision that exceeds the selfish and personal vision of CEOs like Zuckerberg.

No, I do not respect Mark Zuckerberg. He hasn't created anything but a monopoly platform for social engineering. He has increased his personal economy at the expense of others. He brings about division, bias, and prejudiced censorship. Furthermore, his vision is simply more control and to make more money.

While the Zucks of the world are plotting how to keep your eyeballs busy while they take your money and hand over control to elitists, the Musks of the world are creating lofty visions of mankind's future. While Zuck is focused on himself here on planet Earth, Musk speaks of walking on Mars. And there is no reason to believe that he won't accomplish most of what he has set out to do. He is that kind of CEO and has that kind of drive.

Do I think I'd like to personally work for Elon Musk or hang out with him? Probably not. I don't think we'd get along. Musk is probably too demanding and too high strung for me. I would like to meet him though. It would be nice to have a few hours over lunch and listen to his predictions and thoughts. I could learn a lot. It would probably be tiring.

Do I think I'd like to personally work for Mark Zuckerberg or hang out with him? Definitely not. I know we'd not get along. Zuckerberg is too much of a control freak and selfish tyrant for me. I definitely would not want to hang out with Zuckerberg. It would be the epitome of aggravation to have any time with anyone like him. I would learn nothing. It would be entirely too frustrating.

So, why did I write this particular rant? Because I have another thing to say but that will come in a separate statement. This was the motivation that pushed me over the edge to go forward with a significant decision.