#88 'Facebook TechPrep’ Will Help You Learn To Code

Facebook was created in a dorm of Harvard University by some students to help build connectivity in the campus. Later, with the same goal in mind, one man with his team was able to attach over 2 billion people to his idea today. But Facebook doesn’t want to limit itself to just another successful business model. Instead the ever-expanding Black Hole of the Internet wants you to be aware, learn and generate cognitive curiosity towards computer science.

PowerTech & Powertechmation: Facebook has launched its learning initiative in the form of Facebook TechPrep, which will help the students and parents to develop a strong computer cognizance. 

In order to create an inclusive culture, Facebook wants to connect the maximum number of people with the technology and break the walls of ignorance. For that purpose, Facebook has announced to provide free Internet from space as well, starting from Africa.

Facebook, is thus offering its new initiative Facebook Tech Prep which will help to quench the curiosity of the students, expose parents and guardians to the computer science and create an environment of computer learning in the under represented groups by providing resources to all these people.

The resource hub, Facebook Tech Prep will curate to the users the solutions to their requirements as per the individual skills such as the age of the learner, skill level and what kind of education they are interested in.

The TechPrep program specifically targets the unaware public and the parents who find themselves helpless in guiding their children in the field of computer learning.


TechPrep is quite an appreciable effort on the part of Facebook as more and more students and parents in the developing countries would get an opportunity to learn and prepare themselves for the competition awaiting.

Watch the video posted by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Via: Facebook Newsroom

Having something to add? Tell us in the comments below.

#86 Black Hole of World Wide Web: Facebook Is Sucking The Internet In

When Zuckerberg said that “Facebook was not a created to be a company, but to accomplish a social mission”, little did people expect that in quest of the humane mission of ‘openness and connecting’, the social media platform would try and even succeed to some extent in engulfing the World Wide Web in itself.

PowerTech & Powertechmation: Facebook is fast becoming a one-stop store for all your needs of the Internet by assimilating everything into itself. Is Facebook really sucking the Internet – read more to find out.

Well, objectively it is not possible for any company even as big as Facebook to absorb the Internet, but, assimilating your favorites make it relatively easier. And after doing that, you are trapped in the indefinite Gen Jutsu of scrolling down and watching cats or conspiracy theories (whichever you like).

But the matter of fact is, you just can’t get out. When you have everything you like at one place, from numerous shopping stores to the latest gossip, logging out seems to land us in a predicament.

If you are skeptical about how Facebook is becoming the one stop store and sucking the Internet, then these facts would tell you the truth. The last thing Facebook wants you to do is sign out and here’s how it prevents that.

Targeted And Suggested Videos

The sole difference between YouTube and what Facebook is planning to do is: On YouTube you watch what you want to watch, On Facebook you will watch even if you don’t give a damn about it. And after you have watched one, Facebook will pamper you with more.

And with the current pace, Facebook’s strategy to topple 

YouTube’s video monopoly might win. On Jan 2015, Facebook video streams were watched over 4 billion times in a day.

Quick-Loaded Instant Articles and Instant Ads

If you like an article, there are chances that you might leave to the official website. Therefore, Facebook caches the articles for you and displays for the app users reducing the loading time. So, just read and come back.

Similarly, Facebook is relying on the fast load more click behavior of its users while displaying multi-media ads as well.

Add A Link Directly

Specifically targeted for its mobile users, Facebook has given the provision to ‘Add A Link’ directly while sharing. Facebook would use its own keyword search for the purpose. So, no more copy paste from other websites.

What’s Trending

Yes, Facebook also helps you in getting up to date. Why bother with news sites!

Shopping via Facebook

Most of our shopping knowledge and awareness is a gift from Facebook. New online stores with amazing offers and latest fashion trends. Well, now you get everything on the Dedicated Shopping Feed.

For the small businesses who can’t afford a pretty website, Facebook has created a Shop and Services section on their Facebook pages itself. So, if you like their product or services you can instantly opt for one. (Quite philanthropic..)

Facebook Doodle

You liked scribbling your photos on Snapchat, so Facebook gave you a dose of that as well.

Picture-In-Picture Video

Now, instead of links to YouTube for your favorite music, video, Facebook has offered a music label better deal for their videos and show them via the social media. Also, while you are watching, you can use picture-in-picture feature to create a new small tab for it or shrink it down and continue the scrolling. (Well, you must scroll!!)

Facebook Live

Live-streaming is fun, isn’t it. So, Facebook has brought “Live” streaming video feature which is exclusively meant for celebrities. 

Now, you can watch your favorite stars’ live broadcast in your news feed.

Hmm, now where did they get the hint from? Ever heard of Periscope and Meerkat.

Buy/Sell on Facebook

If you don’t trust strangers on, other such sites, maybe you would trust them more if they were on Facebook. A new feature was rolled out a few months back that allowed members of a Facebook Group to sell their items and making the deals easier.

Video Calling

You don’t need a hint for this one. Facebook has brought the free video calling feature to its messenger app and one thing is for sure, it would avoid the hassle for downloading other video chat apps.

M-Assistant

Another AI personal assistant in the competition now, Facebook’s M Assistant helps you easing your tasks. Siri, Cortana, are you hearing this?

Well, I don’t care, I want Jarvis! :p

On This Day

Facebook plans to make you nostalgic if you ever got bored anytime with the social media. The on this day feature will make you realize why Facebook is so special!

Pay Through Facebook

Splitting the bill was never so easy! Just go to the new and free friend to friend Payments in Messenger option, open your digital wallet and settle the deal with your friends. All Facebook asks is your credit card information.

GIF Messages

Emoticons, are the things of the past, GIFs are a new rage. Facebook has built a GIF browser and a search engine into its messenger. So, don’t just LOL, send something better.

Virtual Reality

“Virtual Reality is the obvious next step“- Zuckerberg, and Facebook has started taking small strides towards the future with its VR-style videos in the News Feed.

Now, it is not much as becoming the Internet rather than taking over it. Facebook is sucking the Internet by assimilating the best features of other ventures and immersing them into one single platform. Now, no doubt it is a brilliant business strategy, but it is choking out the competition and that is never a healthy scenario.

What is your opinion on the subject? Tell us in the comments below.

#65 Facebook Will Tell You if Your Government is Trying to HACK You

Did you recently suspect some suspicious activity on your Facebook account? Well, many of you would be aware of the fact that Facebook snooping using phishing scams is on the rise these days. Along the similar lines, the state-targeted attacks are on the rise on the world’s largest social network.

So, to keep its users safe, Facebook has announced that it will soon start to send banner notifications to the people whose accounts show hints of being compromised by your government or someone else.

“The security of people’s accounts is paramount at Facebook, which is why we constantly monitor for potentially malicious activity and offer many options to proactively secure your account,” Facebook writes in an official blog.

Starting from today, if Facebook believes that your social media account is being targeted or compromised by an attacker working for a state, it will show the following message on your desktop:

With this step, Facebook is taking the user security more seriously. Facebook security chief Alex Stamos describes the state-sponsored attacks as more advanced and dangerous than others.

Along with the warning message, Facebook suggests to activate the two-step authentication methods. The post also mentions that these notifications don’t mean that your whole Facebook account has been compromised.

We, at Powertechknowledge & Powertechmation, promote the best security practices. We advise you to go through our steps to effective security guide and make your online life more secure.

Well, getting a warning from Facebook isn’t the best thing to expect, so to make your Facebook account more safe, just go to your account settings and turn on 2-step login method.

Have something to add to the story? Let us know in the comments below.

#62 Facebook clarifies on Digital India profile picture allegations

Facebook says that it was a mistake from one of the engineers, and the division class 'Internet.org profile picture' in the code is not linked to Internet.org.

Facebook has issued a statement clarifying allegations, stating that the Internet.org profile picture debacle was a mistake on one of its engineers' end, who had used the string ‘Internet.org profile picture’ as an image descriptor. The code is now being changed to clear the confusion. The allegations put on Facebook claimed that the company’s profile pic changer tool for people to support the Digital India campaign is actually to support the Internet.org platform.

The official statement was given by a Facebook spokesperson to Huffington Post India, which says, “There is absolutely no connection between updating your profile picture for Digital India and Internet.org. An engineer mistakenly used the words “Internet.org profile picture” as a shorthand name he chose for part of the code. But this product in no way connects to or registers support for Internet.org. We are changing the code today to eliminate any confusion.”

Yesterday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced a tool which lets users change their profile picture to a photograph bearing a tri-colour filter to show support for the Digital India initiative. Many used the tool to show due support. But, soon after its introduction, various reports appeared on the Internet, stating that using the tool directly resulted in supporting Internet.org, instead of the Digital India initiative. The reason behind the claim is a screenshot of the source code of the page which shows a style class in the code, named as "internetOrgProfilePicture".

At the moment, Facebook is defending itself and denied the reports, although it has been part of numerous controversies surrounding the Internet.org platform. Earlier, it was reported that Facebook users in India were seeing a pop-up asking them to support Internet.org. The controversial issue surrounding the pop-up was that it gave users options to select ‘Yes, I’m In’, and ‘Not Now’, instead of ‘No’. There have also been allegations on Facebook that Internet.org is against Net Neutrality, as it allows a user to access only those websites and services which are selected by it. Incidentally, Facebook has renamed the Internet.org to Free Basics, and opened its platform for all developers in order to make it more transparent. 

#59 Internet.org is Now “Free Basics by Facebook”, Zuckerberg Launching “Special” Wi-Fi in India

The social networking website Facebook has struggled to create an environment of consensus among the masses for its free internet initiative Internet.org. The company has said that it is working on new ways to enhance the internet connectivity in India.

Along the similar lines, the company has renamed its controversial Internet.org app as Free Basics. With the help of its app, Facebook aims to provide certain free data services and websites to the mobile users.

A few months ago, amid widespread controversies, Facebook opened up the Internet.org platform to the developers. Currently, this moonshot project of Zuckerberg includes 60 new services focussed on productivity.

The new app Free Basics of Facebook is also equipped with stronger security measures and aims to get more users online all over the world.

“We’re making this change to better distinguish the Internet.org initiative from the programmes and services that Facebook provides, including Free Basics,” says Internet.org Vice-President Chris Daniels.

He adds, “Anyone currently using the app will be able to continue using the Android app though it will now be called Free Basics by Facebook in Google Play.”

The previous Internet.org web URL is now redirected to Freebasics.com.

In India, the social networking website is also piloting an Express WiFi service that will encourage the local entrepreneurs to set up WiFi hotspots in various areas.

“We help them in terms of technical solutions, business model and marketing,” said Munish Seth, Country Manager Facebook Connectivity Solutions India. Facebook has already set up such hotspots in partnership with ISPs in parts of Uttarakhand and Bangalore.

Are you excited to use these services? Tell us in the comments below.

Also read: http://powertechknowledge.blogspot.in/2015/09/55-stay-informed-stay-away-from.html

#55 Stay Informed, Stay Away from Facebook Dislike Button Scams

As a result of great anticipation surrounding the Facebook Dislike button (read empathy button), scammers are quick to find ways to fool the users. While Facebook users are anxiously waiting for the new feature, new scams are spreading, claiming to bring the Facebook dislike button earlier.

  Powertechknowledge: It’s reported that scammers are taking advantage of Facebook Dislike    button anticipation and they’re using the Facebook users. These scams trick the users into believing    that clicking on some links would provide them an early access to the dislike button.

For blog readers who aren’t aware, Facebook CEO announced that his company is working on some new feature like a “Dislike” button. Later, it was revealed that it would an Empathy Button that would be consisting of some popular smileys.

Hackread has reported that scammers are taking the advantage of this anticipation and they’re fooling Facebook users. These scams trick the users into believing that clicking on some links would provide them an early access to the dislike button.

Since this dislike button is soon going to be out for testing, scammers are seeing this as an exploitable opportunity to bring in the users to malicious websites. Each time scammers are able to bring users to those annoying websites, scammers get paid.

Besides these, the Facebook dislike button, scams are able to install malware, spyware, or adware on PCs.

At the end of some surveys, you are asked to enter your usernames and passwords. As a result, your profile is spammed with via private messages, or some shady links on your timeline.

Stay informed. Stay safe.