Facebook to Buy messaging app WhatsApp for $19bn

The world's biggest social media platform, Facebook has said it will buy the popular app, WhatsApp for $19 billion (equivalent to 11.4 billion Pounds).

Ever since Facebook entered our lives, the company has not made any major buys at least not until now. Mark shared his thoughts on Facebook. Read more HERE.

WhatsApp is popular with people looking to avoid text messaging charges and has been cited as a rival to BlackBerry Messenger.

Today, WhatsApp has over 450 million monthly users.

For more information on this giant purchase, visit BBC News - Facebook to Buy WhatsApp for $19bn

Image: Screenshot from Facebook Mobile App

Internet giants Google, Facebook and Twitter threaten to block controversial snoopers' charter

Google, Facebook and Twitter are set to torpedo Home Office plans to spy on every citizen's emails and website visits.

The internet giants have threatened to block the so-called 'snoopers' charter', which requires them to store all data for a year so that security agencies, police and councils can request its disclosure.

Civil liberty groups claim the powers would create a surveillance state, but Britain's security and intelligence agencies insist they are vital to investigate crime and protect the national interest.

Google, Facebook and Twitter are set to torpedo Home Office plans to spy on every citizen's emails and website visits.

Now the frank testimonies of internet bosses have been released by a cross-party committee of MPs and peers that is scrutinising the draft Communications Data Bill.

They reveal directors from Google, Facebook, Yahoo!, Microsoft and Twitter believe the Bill would breach users' privacy and allow repressive regimes to spy on Britons. Facebook said it might go to court to resist the new law, while Google and Twitter executives said they could refuse to unlock encrypted data if the Government were to seek the information via third-party providers such as BT.

Facebook said it might go to court to resist the new law, while Google and Twitter said they could refuse to unlock encrypted data

Facebook director Simon Milner accused the Government of using a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut', and claimed the potential for nations with poor human-rights records to obtain data 'should be a real concern'. Nick Pickles, director of  civil-liberty group Big Brother Watch, said: 'How the Home Office thinks these plans are workable in light of such clear criticism is a mystery.' The Home Office said: 'We hope all major communications companies take their responsibilities to assist law-enforcement seriously.'

Story by  Robert Verkaik, Daily Mail 

Man celebrated his birthday by giving away free money

Doug Eaton wanted to idea for his birthday on June 11, so he asked for ideas  from his friends on Facebook and ended up marking the day with random acts of kindness, especially handing out free money to people passing by.

According to what Eaton told KFOR-TV, he got a long list of stuff. But one of his friends said, 'Why don't you do 65 random acts of kindness?'"

So that's exactly what he did, spending 65 minutes standing on the corner of NW 39th Street and May Avenue in Oklahoma City, handing out $5 bills to people who passed by. He told his Facebook friends that he handed out more than $375, but the response and the amount of good cheer he shared was priceless.

From a distance, Eaton looked a bit like any other panhandler holding a sign at a street corner. But instead of a plea for money, his sign read: "I have a home… and a car… and a job. Do you need a few bucks for some coffee?"

Some people drove by several times, wondering if they read his sign correctly. Many people murmured "I can't believe this" or "bless you" as he handed them the cash. Others were reluctant to take his money, and he had to tell them "It's OK, it's just a blessing" and explain that this was his way of celebrating his milestone birthday. "One obviously needy truck holding a family came around the second time after misunderstanding the first time, to give ME $2 just to bless ME for what I was doing," he told his friends on Facebook. "I took their money AND gave them a $5. We kind of traded blessings."

"I think this is the craziest guy I have ever seen in my life and it's fantastic!" one driver told KFOR. "I am enjoying the moment out here."

"It's just been fantastic," Eaton told the TV station. "Some people who don't take the money just say, 'Man, I love what you are doing. I won't take it but would you give it to someone who needs it'." 

Eaton's birthday inspiration echoes that of Robyn Bomar, who in 2010 celebrated her 38th birthday with 38 random acts of kindness and asked her family and friends to join in.

"I planned out 38 things ahead of time, just in case, but really was praying for opportunities to present themselves throughout the day," she wrote on her blog, Mix Mingle Glow. "My husband, three daughters, and my husband's parents joined me in the most favorite birthday of my life!"

She was so moved by the outpouring of support that she started "The Birthday Project," an online community of people who celebrate their special days by paying their good fortune forward.

The 65 minutes spent handing out money wasn't Eaton's only random act of kindness for the day. According to his notes, which he posted to Facebook, he also said "keep the change" when he paid $50 for his $12 haircut and $10 for his $1.09 cup of coffee, bought lunch for several diners at a local restaurant, and gave bus fare to a stranger and his daughter, among other things.

"This day has been one of the biggest blessings of my recent life," he told his Facebook friends. "I don't know if I can wait until another birthday to do this again. But what if it became a habit? Or what if everyone or a lot of people did their birthday number of random acts of kindness on their birthday? How good would that be?" 


Courtesy:
myjoyonline