Soac Media

11/24/2025

Should We Still Be Posting Photos of Our Kids Online?

“Investigators believe the suspect used artificial intelligence (A.I.) to alter images of children he knew for sexual purposes.”
– CTV News, Nov. 21, 2025/ "Police say Kitchener man used A.I. to create images of children for a sexual purpose"

It’s a chilling sentence, and unfortunately, it’s not fiction.

A recent arrest in Kitchener, Ontario, highlights a disturbing reality: even innocent photos shared online can be exploited. In this case, police allege that a man used A.I. tools to manipulate photos of real children into explicit material. It’s sickening, and it’s a reminder to all of us to be cautious about what we post online.

Even if your Facebook post is set to “friends only” or is a temporary Story, it’s not private. Anyone can take a screenshot. And once an image is out there, you lose control of where it goes next.

We used to share family photos freely - newborn announcements, summer holidays, Christmas parties - without a second thought. But that innocence is gone.

Before you post, ask yourself: Is it worth the risk?

Parents are now prohibiting any photos of their kids from being shared online, from grandparents to schools. Some parents are opting to show only the backs of their kids in photos, or cropping them out entirely. You’ll even see family influencers on Instagram and TikTok keeping their kids just out of frame. That’s not a coincidence, it’s a precaution.

There are safer ways to share with trusted family and friends. Google Photos, Apple Shared Albums, or even private WhatsApp groups are all better options for preserving control over who sees your content.

A.I. is helping us work smarter and connect faster, but it also gives bad actors powerful new tools. Until legislation and platforms catch up, we have to be our own gatekeepers.

If you wouldn’t trust someone with your child in real life, don’t trust them with your child’s image online.

11/22/2025

Online shopping scams spike around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and AI is making them harder to spot. Security experts warn that fake ads are flooding search engines and social platforms, driving people to convincing copycat stores. Their advice is blunt: skip search results and go straight to trusted retailers, watch the URL at the top of your browser, and monitor your credit card for odd charges. Shopping local reduces risk and keeps money in the community.

Red flags include “act now” urgency, prices that are far below normal, and unknown vendors—especially inside social apps. If you’re hit, tell a loved one and contact your bank right away; there’s no shame in reporting. Use credit cards over debit or gift cards because they offer better protection and a window to stop bad transactions. Be vigilant, not fearful.

📌 This is an AI-generated summary of an article by Sam Farley for CBC News. To read the article, Google “Online scams on the rise as holidays approach, security experts warn.”

11/15/2025

Can you fire an employee for posting something objectionable on their personal social media account? It seems like we have been fielding variations of this question on a regular basis since the dawn of social media.

However, the events of the past several months have turned everything up to 11, and there are multiple stories in the news of people being dismissed or disciplined for something they posted online.

Dismissing someone for their conduct outside of work, including their social media posts, is always going to be complicated. However, it may be possible to do so, potentially without having to pay the employee anything.

Learn more at https://www.hrreporter.com/opinion/canadian-hr-law/social-media-and-dismissals/393475

11/06/2025

Thinking of changing your Facebook Group from private to public? A new update makes it easier, but be careful before you click.

Meta just announced that group admins now have the ability to convert private Facebook groups into public ones. They’ve added privacy protections for past content, but there are still some things to consider before making the switch.

Here’s what’s changing:

▪️When a group is changed from private to public, only new content (posts, comments, likes) will be visible to the public. Previous content stays visible only to current members, admins, and moderators.

▪️Your member list remains hidden. Only admins and moderators can see it after conversion.

▪️Admins get three days to review and cancel the change.

▪️All group members are notified when the switch is happening.

If the group is changed back to private later, new members will be able to see all content, including what was posted while the group was public.

This change may help some groups grow and reach more people, but it also opens the door to unintended exposure.

A personal note: I tend to avoid posting in public groups. Why? Because what you post in a public group can show up in your friends' personal news feeds. That means if you ask something like, “Why is my toenail green?” all of your Facebook friends might see it, not just the group members you were hoping to ask.

Groups are supposed to be a safe space for real questions and honest advice. Make sure your group’s privacy settings match the expectations of the people using it.

If you’re an admin, it’s worth taking a moment to think about your community’s needs before switching to public. Growth is great, but so is trust.

Learn more at https://about.fb.com/news/2025/11/facebook-update-group-admins-flexibility-protecting-member-privacy/

10/31/2025

The Rise of Fake Job Offers: What Professionals Should Know

Over the past few weeks, I've noticed an uptick in job offer emails landing in my inbox. Many of them appear to come from well-known brands like Google, YouTube and Ferrari. On the surface, they look legitimate. They use proper branding, familiar language, and seem personalized. But make no mistake: they are scams.

As professionals with public profiles, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, we're increasingly being targeted by fake recruiters and HR departments looking to exploit our trust. These scams are becoming more sophisticated - and more dangerous.

What These Scams Look Like

The emails typically:
▪️Reference a real company and position title (e.g. Digital Marketing Director)
▪️Use real employee names or fake ones that sound professional
▪️Include links to application portals that mimic company branding
▪️Use flattering language: “Your profile really stood out”

But there’s no actual job. The goal is to collect personal information, push malicious links, or convince you to share financial or identity documents.

Red Flags to Watch For:

1. Vague or overly enthusiastic language
Statements like “we think you'd be an amazing fit” without specific context or reference to your work are red flags.

2. Unofficial email addresses
Recruiters from major firms do not use Gmail, Outlook, or masked URLs. Watch for misspellings or strange subdomains (e.g. -careers.biz).

3. Suspicious links
Hover over links before clicking. If they don't point to the company’s actual domain, steer clear.

4. No interview required
If you're offered a job, or invited to move forward without a conversation, it’s likely not legitimate.

5. Requests for personal information
Any early-stage request for your Social Insurance Number, passport, banking info, or home address should raise immediate concern.

6. Urgency and pressure
Scammers often use time pressure to stop you from thinking critically.

How These Messages Reach You
▪️Email: The most common format, often using legitimate branding and recruiter-style language.
▪️Text Messages: Usually containing short links and urgent requests.
▪️LinkedIn: Some scammers now impersonate real recruiters or create fake company profiles.

Tips to Protect Yourself
▪️Verify the recruiter on LinkedIn and cross-check their role and employment history.
▪️Go directly to the company’s careers page to check for the job listing.
▪️Use tools like WHOIS to verify suspicious URLs.
▪️Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

A Final Thought
We all want to feel seen and valued for our work. These scammers know that, and they exploit it. As we build our brands and grow our networks online, it’s critical to stay alert and protect both our personal data and professional reputations.

If you've experienced similar attempts or have tips of your own, feel free to share them in the comments. Awareness is our best defence.

10/27/2025

Meta announced last month that data collected from user interactions with its AI products will soon be used to sell targeted ads across its social media platforms.

The company will update its privacy policy by December 16 to reflect the change and will notify users in the coming days. The new policy applies globally, except for users in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, where privacy laws prevent this type of data collection.

Meta’s core business has long relied on building detailed profiles of Facebook and Instagram users to sell hyper-targeted ads. The company offers advertisers a way to reach specific demographics and user groups. Now Meta will also use data from conversations with its AI chatbot to build out those profiles, giving it another powerful signal to target its ads.

Learn more at

Meta plans to use data from your interactions with AI products to sell targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram.

10/23/2025

Meta flagged Cybersecurity Awareness Month with new data, tools, and advice aimed at helping older adults avoid online scams. Since January, it says it has detected and disrupted nearly 8 million scam-linked accounts across Facebook and Instagram, and removed more than 21,000 Pages and accounts posing as customer support. The company highlights fast-growing, cross-border scam operations (including centres in Southeast Asia and the Gulf) and cites rising losses among older adults. It also outlines three high-frequency scam types: fake home-remodelling and debt-relief “benefits,” bogus “money recovery” services that impersonate authorities, and fake customer-service reps who lure people into DMs or forms.

Practical guidance focuses on slowing down and verifying: treat unsolicited messages or calls with caution; never share sensitive info on demand; and contact companies only through official channels you look up yourself (not links sent to you or replies under brand posts). Families are encouraged to check in with elders regularly about online requests and help set up stronger security.

New and expanded safety features include: screen-share warnings on WhatsApp when you try to share with unknown contacts; upgraded scam detection prompts in Messenger (with an option to submit recent messages for AI scam review); support for passkeys on Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp; and guided Security/Privacy Checkups. Meta also points to wider anti-scam efforts with partners worldwide, creator-led awareness campaigns in Europe and India, and senior safety training delivered with public-sector partners in Thailand.

Learn more at https://about.fb.com/news/2025/10/cybersecurity-awareness-month-helping-older-adults-avoid-online-scams/

10/19/2025

What You Say Online Reflects Your Business - Everywhere

Today I witnessed something that reminded me how important it is to lead with values. A local business owner missed their opportunity and spewed hate instead.

I was scrolling through a public Facebook group for a community about an hour from where I live when someone asked a simple question:

"What would make a good Diwali gift?"

A local business owner - someone I recognized - replied with a racist comment.

It wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t a joke taken the wrong way. It was a hurtful, ignorant statement.

When I called them out about it, they quickly deleted the comment. But it was too late. I saw it. Others did too.

And here’s the irony:
This person represents a niche product shop. They had a golden opportunity to chime in with a kind, smart answer like, "We’ve got beautiful gift boxes of ###x that would be perfect for Diwali!”

But instead of welcoming potential new customers, they spewed hate.

🚫Racism Is Never “Just a Comment”

It doesn’t matter if it was a “bad day,” a “joke,” or a “private opinion.” If you say it online, especially in a public space, it’s not private. It’s public. It’s permanent. And it’s tied to your brand.

When we see something hateful and stay silent, we’re not being neutral. We’re enabling it.

As community members, neighbours, customers, and business owners, we all have a responsibility to speak up. Especially when the person speaking is in a position of local influence.

🚫A Reminder for All Business Owners

Facebook Groups: Public vs. Private

Public Groups: Anyone can see your comment, even people who aren’t members. These posts are searchable.

Private Groups: Only members can view the content, but screenshots happen in seconds.

No matter where you post, assume your words represent your brand - because they do.

🚫What You Say Online Is Your Brand

Whether you sell online or have a brick-and-mortar business, what you say matters.

Your digital footprint tells the world:

✅Who you are.
✅What you believe.
✅Whether people should spend their money with your business.

This isn’t about being “woke” or “politically correct.” It’s about being decent. And recognizing that words have weight.

Let’s do better.

Let’s speak up.

And let’s remember that kindness - just like racism - gets noticed.

10/14/2025

There are times when you may want to prevent videos and GIFs from automatically playing in your social media feeds. This could be because you’re trying to conserve cellular data, limit the addictiveness of these apps, or maintain better control over your viewing experience, as when a video is going viral that you don’t wish to see. Whatever the reason might be, here are the steps to turn off autoplaying videos and GIFs on popular social media platforms.

Facebook
To turn off autoplay on Facebook, navigate to your profile picture icon, which appears in the top right corner of the desktop version or in the bottom navigation bar of the mobile app. Then, scroll down to “Settings & Privacy,” then select “Preferences,” where you’ll find a menu option for “Media.” Within that menu, there is an option to toggle video playback in your Feed and in Stories. Select the “Never” option.

The quick path: Settings > Preferences > Media > Video Playback > Never.

Instagram
On the Instagram app, tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner. Once you’re on your profile page, tap the menu icon in the upper right corner of your screen (it’s the icon with three horizontal lines). Then, scroll to “Settings and activity,” then navigate to “Your app and media,” where you’ll find “Media quality.” From there, you can toggle on the option to “Use less cellular data.”

This isn’t as foolproof as a “don’t autoplay content” setting, but it will at least slow things down if you’re off Wi-Fi. Instagram also won’t autoplay sounds unless you click on a post with sound first.

The quick path: Profile > Settings and activity > Your app and media > Media quality > Use less cellular data.

Credit: Amanda Silberling/TechCrunch

10/10/2025

Wondering what counts as a “good” Instagram engagement rate? Buffer analysed 27M+ posts from 273k accounts and found the median is 4.3%, with big differences by size. Nano accounts (0–1K followers) average ~5.2% as close-knit audiences engage more; rates gradually dip through mid-tiers (to ~3.5–3.7% for 10K–500K) as audiences broaden, then tick back up around ~5% for 1M+ accounts. Posting frequency scales with growth (from ~3–5 posts/week at small sizes to 1–3/day at larger tiers), and growth naturally slows as you get bigger. Format matters: Reels drive the most reach, while carousels win on engagement versus Reels and single images.

What to do with it: Match your expectations to your tier and show up consistently. Early on, build the habit (3–5 posts/week) and experiment. At 5K–50K, optimise your mix—double down on the formats and themes that reliably earn saves, comments, and shares. Beyond 50K, systematise: batch, repurpose, and use repeatable series to maintain daily output without losing quality. At the top end, protect trust—prioritise content that builds loyalty over vanity spikes, and use collabs thoughtfully.

Read the report at https://buffer.com/resources/instagram-engagement-rate/

10/07/2025

Are Your Email and Messaging Apps Jammed With Scam Messages? Here's How to Avoid Getting Trapped

Consider the following messages that many of us are seeing pop up in our email, social media or messaging apps with increasing frequency.

▪️Judy from Toronto receives an email from her bank, advising her to change her password due to suspicious activity
▪️Tony from Vancouver glances at a text message that says his credit card was compromised and he needs a new one
▪️Mo in Montreal gets a phone call from Interac to say his last e-transfer didn’t go through, but that they can help

On the surface, each case appears to be legitimate. But all three are actually common scam messages aimed at prying out our passwords and personal and financial details.

Unfortunately, criminals are only getting more sophisticated and scams are getting harder to detect. Thanks to advances in AI, fraudsters can create authentic-sounding messages – and are even using “deep fake” technology to make it sound or even look like someone you know.

Continued at https://zoomer.com/zone-classifieds/editorial/2025/08/19/are-your-email-and-messaging-apps-jammed-with-scam-messages-heres-how-to-avoid-getting-trapped

10/02/2025

Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of Memories (saved snaps and stories). Those over the limit will see an in-app prompt to upgrade to a paid plan; Snap says most users sit under 5GB, but backlash has been swift from people with years of photos and videos archived. The company argues the shift will fund improvements to Memories and notes over one trillion items have been saved since 2016. Users who exceed the cap will get 12 months of temporary storage and can download their content locally if they don’t want to pay.

Pricing will roll out gradually worldwide; Snap didn’t share UK rates with the BBC. TechCrunch reports an initial 100GB plan at US$1.99/month, and 250GB included with the US$3.99/month Snapchat+ subscription, with higher tiers for Snapchat+ and Snapchat Premium. Snap recently said Snapchat has 900 million monthly active users, and some industry watchers say paid storage across social platforms is likely “inevitable” as people post less but save more.

If you’re a heavy Memories user: check your storage in-app, download backups you don’t need to keep online, and decide whether the paid tiers make sense for you before the 12-month grace period ends.

📌 This is an AI-generated summary of an article by Liv McMahon with BBC News. To read the article, Google “Snapchat to charge users for storing their old photos and videos”.