Skype’s age display policy for minors
Sometimes people find it extremely annoying that they can’t search for users younger then 20. Skype received many requests on the Forum to lower the age limit to 14 or 12.
Unfortunately there are people out there who take advantage of minors. And not with the best intentions!!
There is a whole topic about this subject on our Forum. MuppetMaster copied and posted a terrifying story
Still it happens. Another example is the the 12-year-old girl from the UK who started using Skype to chat to her father but inadvertently switched on a setting that displays customer details to all other Skype users: the SkypeMe mode.
She received a chat message from another Skype customer which she ignored. However, according to the girl's father, within seconds the same person started a video call via a webcam and his daughter was faced with a man exposing himself to her.
It is impossible for Skype to protect every minor but limiting the age search range to 20 is a good start.
Both articles must be read as a huge warning; as well for children as their parents. There are still big bad Wolves out there, often dressed in sheep clothes….
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Skype on a stick
Using Skype in an Internet Café can be tricky. Your Skype name remains on the computer. Of course you can delete it after logging off from Skype by copy - paste "%AppData%\Skype" into your web browser and then deleting the folder with your Skype name.
And don't panic when you suddenly realize that you kept your account running in the Café. Log on to your account page aSkype, change your password and log on to your Skype account. The other account will shut down.
Much safer is Skype on a USB stick. My colleague Beta Tester Tami blogged about how to do this in “Skype on a Flash”
But there are other solutions like the Flashphone F4K from Mplat.
The FlashPhone F4K is a USB personal communicator for internet VoIP software, the FlashPhone has embedded the audio device, Bluetooth dongle and flash driver in small size. You can download and install softphone in the flash driver, make/receive the free internet call at FlashPhone, save your chat history and transfer files to your flash driver.Transfer the Skype call to your bluetooth headset.
A great tool!
Using Skype in an Internet Café can be tricky. Your Skype name remains on the computer. Of course you can delete it after logging off from Skype by copy - paste "%AppData%\Skype" into your web browser and then deleting the folder with your Skype name.
And don't panic when you suddenly realize that you kept your account running in the Café. Log on to your account page aSkype, change your password and log on to your Skype account. The other account will shut down.
Much safer is Skype on a USB stick. My colleague Beta Tester Tami blogged about how to do this in “Skype on a Flash”
But there are other solutions like the Flashphone F4K from Mplat.
The FlashPhone F4K is a USB personal communicator for internet VoIP software, the FlashPhone has embedded the audio device, Bluetooth dongle and flash driver in small size. You can download and install softphone in the flash driver, make/receive the free internet call at FlashPhone, save your chat history and transfer files to your flash driver.Transfer the Skype call to your bluetooth headset.
A great tool!
How Good Is VoIP Call Quality? It Depends On Who You Ask
Does VoIP offer better, equal or poorer quality than traditional phone service? It definitely depends on who you ask.
Two surveys provide very different views of VoIP service acceptance. The earlier study, commissioned by Brix Networks, concluded that almost 20 percent of all VoIP calls made during the past 18 months were deemed to be unacceptably poor. Moreover, during that time the quality of VoIP calls got continually worse.
The other survey found essentially the opposite. Commissioned by VoIP test equipment vendor Minacom, the study found that the mean opinion score (MOS) of VoIP calls has risen from 3.9 to 4.2 during the past year. MOS is a standard telephone companies use to measure perceived call quality.
Carl Weinschenk reports on IT Business Edge
Does VoIP offer better, equal or poorer quality than traditional phone service? It definitely depends on who you ask.
Two surveys provide very different views of VoIP service acceptance. The earlier study, commissioned by Brix Networks, concluded that almost 20 percent of all VoIP calls made during the past 18 months were deemed to be unacceptably poor. Moreover, during that time the quality of VoIP calls got continually worse.
The other survey found essentially the opposite. Commissioned by VoIP test equipment vendor Minacom, the study found that the mean opinion score (MOS) of VoIP calls has risen from 3.9 to 4.2 during the past year. MOS is a standard telephone companies use to measure perceived call quality.
Carl Weinschenk reports on IT Business Edge
Skype accounts used to conduct miscreant business?
Fraud can be a very hot item on Skype’s Support Forum.
Either users don’t understand Skype’s Anti Fraud Policy or they are furious because Skype has “stolen” their money, taken from their bank for their non existing Skype account.
Of course Skype does not steal money. No money is taken from any (bank)account without the permission of the owner. If money is taken, it is Fraud committed by someone else.
Yes, Skype’s Fraud restrictions are tight. Not without reason….
This article originally appeared on SearchSecurity.com.
According to the keynote speaker at this year's Conference on Email and Antispam (CEAS), spam is still driven by bands of underground Internet miscreants driven by a lust for money and mischief.
Rob Thomas, CEO and research fellow with Internet security think-tank Team Cymru, opened the third annual gathering of antispam researchers and software engineers with a lively presentation on the 'underground economy.'
Thomas said in his work with clients he has come across villains who are driving a mature and robust economy that continues to expand.
"It's grown well beyond [credit] cards, warez and porn... now you can get everything; credit cards, CVV [credit card verification numbers], bots, bot code, DoS nets" and even U.S. visas, birth certificates and passports, which can go for as much as $500 each.
Thomas talked about the communication methods used by these miscreants to interact including a variety of different instant messaging, peer-to-peer and stolen Skype VoIP accounts. He said the Skype accounts used to conduct miscreant business are usually used in pairs and, once used, are disposed of..
The whole article can be read on Computer Weekly
Fraud can be a very hot item on Skype’s Support Forum.
Either users don’t understand Skype’s Anti Fraud Policy or they are furious because Skype has “stolen” their money, taken from their bank for their non existing Skype account.
Of course Skype does not steal money. No money is taken from any (bank)account without the permission of the owner. If money is taken, it is Fraud committed by someone else.
Yes, Skype’s Fraud restrictions are tight. Not without reason….
This article originally appeared on SearchSecurity.com.
According to the keynote speaker at this year's Conference on Email and Antispam (CEAS), spam is still driven by bands of underground Internet miscreants driven by a lust for money and mischief.
Rob Thomas, CEO and research fellow with Internet security think-tank Team Cymru, opened the third annual gathering of antispam researchers and software engineers with a lively presentation on the 'underground economy.'
Thomas said in his work with clients he has come across villains who are driving a mature and robust economy that continues to expand.
"It's grown well beyond [credit] cards, warez and porn... now you can get everything; credit cards, CVV [credit card verification numbers], bots, bot code, DoS nets" and even U.S. visas, birth certificates and passports, which can go for as much as $500 each.
Thomas talked about the communication methods used by these miscreants to interact including a variety of different instant messaging, peer-to-peer and stolen Skype VoIP accounts. He said the Skype accounts used to conduct miscreant business are usually used in pairs and, once used, are disposed of..
The whole article can be read on Computer Weekly
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Nailbiting event: 7.000.000 users on-line
My nails needed a manicure. Thanks to Skype this happened today.
Jean and I have, together with all other Skype Lovers in the world, been monitoring the users on-line. Today would be The Day of the 7.000.000 simultanious on-line users!!
Stony from Austria captured it, Jean blogged about it and Jaanus reports about celebrating!!
My nails needed a manicure. Thanks to Skype this happened today.
Jean and I have, together with all other Skype Lovers in the world, been monitoring the users on-line. Today would be The Day of the 7.000.000 simultanious on-line users!!
Stony from Austria captured it, Jean blogged about it and Jaanus reports about celebrating!!
Happy Birthday Skype!
Today is Skype’s 3rd birthday. Jaanus mentioned this already in Skype Blog on Friday.
Time is flying; soon it will be my personal 3rd birthday with Skype.
Jean Mercier, a Skype Nestor, designed a special birthday card.
Varras Consultancy is proud to be part of the development of Skype’s future. For sure this will make our business grow!
Happy Birthday Skype with many innovating years to follow.
Today is Skype’s 3rd birthday. Jaanus mentioned this already in Skype Blog on Friday.
Time is flying; soon it will be my personal 3rd birthday with Skype.
Jean Mercier, a Skype Nestor, designed a special birthday card.
Varras Consultancy is proud to be part of the development of Skype’s future. For sure this will make our business grow!
Happy Birthday Skype with many innovating years to follow.
Books
I love books, they are everywhere in my house. A dream is a library with rolling stairs….
Books of all sorts: novel’s, historical, (forensic)-detectives, medical (blame my Paraveterinarian degree), antiques, cook books and much more.
Unfortunately I don’t have much time to read books. That is why they are spread through the house: where I can sit, I can read. Of course I don’t have enough time to browse bookstores which is a shame. But I ususally catch up wit this during my short brakes in the UK.
Bless the Internet where I virtually can walk into every bookstore. Browsing, reading and ordering. Can you imagine my joy when I read that soon the Oxford Bookstore can be contated via SMS?
Mobile 365, the global leader in mobile messaging and data services, today announces a strategic initiative with Oxford Bookstore, to launch an interactive SMS service across India. Mobile 365 has launched this unique SMS service for Oxford Bookstore to instantly update book lovers on new releases and bestsellers via their mobile phones.
Mobile 365 leads the world in the global delivery and settlement of mobile messaging and data services, including SMS, MMS, and WAP. With reach to nearly 700 mobile operators around the world, Mobile 365 is at the forefront of mobile interoperability messaging and the distribution of premium content and value-added services. Headquartered outside of Washington, D.C., Mobile 365 has offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, New Delhi, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, and Taipei. Major operator customers include Verizon Wireless, Vodafone, Cingular Wireless, T-Mobile, Telcel, Orange, Telefonica, O2, China Mobile, China Unicom, Hutchison, and Airtel. Major brand customers include Skype, Volvo, Sony Pictures, MSN, Citibank, Siemens, Ogilvy, Yahoo!, and Dunkin' Donuts. For more information, visit Mobile 365
I keep you updated about similar services in Europe!
I love books, they are everywhere in my house. A dream is a library with rolling stairs….
Books of all sorts: novel’s, historical, (forensic)-detectives, medical (blame my Paraveterinarian degree), antiques, cook books and much more.
Unfortunately I don’t have much time to read books. That is why they are spread through the house: where I can sit, I can read. Of course I don’t have enough time to browse bookstores which is a shame. But I ususally catch up wit this during my short brakes in the UK.
Bless the Internet where I virtually can walk into every bookstore. Browsing, reading and ordering. Can you imagine my joy when I read that soon the Oxford Bookstore can be contated via SMS?
Mobile 365, the global leader in mobile messaging and data services, today announces a strategic initiative with Oxford Bookstore, to launch an interactive SMS service across India. Mobile 365 has launched this unique SMS service for Oxford Bookstore to instantly update book lovers on new releases and bestsellers via their mobile phones.
Mobile 365 leads the world in the global delivery and settlement of mobile messaging and data services, including SMS, MMS, and WAP. With reach to nearly 700 mobile operators around the world, Mobile 365 is at the forefront of mobile interoperability messaging and the distribution of premium content and value-added services. Headquartered outside of Washington, D.C., Mobile 365 has offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, New Delhi, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, and Taipei. Major operator customers include Verizon Wireless, Vodafone, Cingular Wireless, T-Mobile, Telcel, Orange, Telefonica, O2, China Mobile, China Unicom, Hutchison, and Airtel. Major brand customers include Skype, Volvo, Sony Pictures, MSN, Citibank, Siemens, Ogilvy, Yahoo!, and Dunkin' Donuts. For more information, visit Mobile 365
I keep you updated about similar services in Europe!
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