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Mark Zuckerberg gets married but forgets to invite 900 million friends

21 May 2012

Mark Zuckerberg marries Priscilla Chan. From Facebook.

What a week it was for Mark Zuckerberg. It started with him a penniless, hoody-wearing geek running a start-up and ended with him a multi-billionaire, chief executive of a public company and a married man. Yes, he got married and didn't invite us!

Sneak had thought that when the Zuck and his long-time partner Priscilla Chan got married, he'd set up an event on Facebook and invite all his friends, all 900+ million of us, to the big day, so we could celebrate together.

Think of all the poking and tagging and checking-in that could have taken place.

It wasn't to be, though, with the happy couple having a small, private ceremony with friends and family, many of whom didn't even realise was a wedding reception. They had been told it was just a ‘party', according to numerous (probably drunk) sources.

One could ask Chan, "so what first attracted you to multi-billionaire Mark Zuckerberg," but the 27-year-old has been dating the Facebook founder for several years, so could probably never have known she'd enter a union blessed by untold wealth.

There was no word on a pre-nup, though, so whether Zuckerberg comes to regret the union years down the line remains to be seen. But Sneak would like to wish these two kids all the best in the big, fun, exciting adventure that is marriage...he imagines.

Still, one shocking revelation did come from the big day - Zuckerberg does own a suit!

Joey Barton uses Twitter's promoted messages tool to apologise for sending off

14 May 2012

Football boots left on grass

Sneak’s never been the biggest football fan: all that greenery, sunlight and fresh air just seems so, well, unhealthy.

However, even he was caught up in the mayhem of the final weekend of the Premiership season, which all came down to the final few seconds when Manchester City won 3-2 against Queen’s Park Rangers to clinch the title ahead of rivals Manchester United.

Sneak was enthralled by the drama of it all, with the pantomime villain played by someone called Joseph Barton, who was sent off for what can only be described as brawling with another of the players – it would never happen at coding academy.

On being sent off Barton was labelled all manner of nasty things, with many claiming his career at the club would be over, but Barton himself, a well-known member of the Twitter clan who quotes everything from lyrics by The Smiths to philosophers, looked to appease his detractors.

Taking advantage of the firm’s Promoted Tweets tool he issued a publicly apologise for his actions, although the tone is hardly one ringing with remorse.

It’s a novel idea, a footballer – or any public figure – taking to Twitter to issue an apology - perhaps we should demand it more often of those we believe to have erred.

However, this could mean Twitter would become nothing more than an endless stream of pop-starlets, middle-aged politicians and aging rock stars forced to confess to their indiscretions.

Facebook facing "hoodiegate" over Zuckerberg's apparel

11 May 2012

Technology billionaires have never been ones for ties. Whether Steve Jobs infamous turtleneck or the Mark Zuckerberg hoodie, it seems Silicon Valley lacks a dress code. That's why it's kind of funny to hear from potential Facebook investors who are taking umbrage at the chief executive of Facebooks choice in attire.

"I think that's a mark of immaturity," said Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter when asked about Zuckerberg's choice in clothing by Bloomberg.

"I think that he has to realise he's bringing investors in as a new constituency right now, and I think he's got to show them the respect that they deserve because he's asking them for their money."

Dress codes have never been a major part of Silicon Valley. Dating as far back as 1970, places like the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) were offering a no dress code environment. Technology has always been a sector of substance over style.

Whether it's the West Coast sun or the fact that technology executives tend to start out younger, it seems tech people care more about their work than their look. So while Wall Street types may continue to wear Armani suits, it looks like billionaire techies will continue to wear whatever they want.

As long as it isn't pyjamas. Zuckerberg did that once and it didn't take.

 

Facebook organ donation drive gives Sneak the creeps

01 May 2012

NHS surgeons at an operating table

Sneak isn't the healthiest chap around. He enjoys the odd cigar, a splash of brandy, and a dustbin lid-sized fry-up far too much and while he often means to take up some exercise, he somehow never finds the time. Next year, though, definitely.

The news, therefore, that Facebook is launching a creepy, organ-harvesting programme to assess the health and fitness of its 900m plus members was one Sneak noted with alarm, bringing back memories of the school locker room and the mad glint in his PE teacher's eye before being sent on a freezing cross-country run.

Well, organ harvesting is perhaps a description too far, as the site really just wants to encourage its users to sign up for organ donation should the worst happen, to ensure those awaiting a transplant could survive.

"More than 114,000 people in the United States, and millions more around the globe, are waiting for the heart, kidney or liver transplant that will save their lives. Many of those people - an average of 18 people per day - will die waiting, because there simply aren't enough organ donors to meet the need," said brain-eater-in-chief Mark Zuckerberg.

"Medical experts believe that broader awareness about organ donation could go a long way toward solving this crisis. And we believe that by simply telling people that you're an organ donor, the power of sharing and connection can play an important role."

While the motives are noble, and the outcomes could save lives, there's something undeniably creepy about the idea of using Facebook, a site that started as a way to poke random acquaintances and share hilarious drunk photos, has turned into a place where you can sign away your organs if you die.

Gives the term Facebook a whole new, sinister meaning.

US cops' humour fail sees UK pair sent home for Twitter jokes

31 Jan 2012

Policeman in front of no entry sign representing high security

Anyone who has been to the US will know that passport control is serious. Sure the UK takes it seriously too, but there's something about the officialdom of the US that makes you instinctively add "sir" to every question you're asked as you try to enter the Land of the Free.

So perhaps it is not surprising a message posted by an Irish citizen on Twitter proclaiming his desire to "destroy America" was interpreted rather literally as a terrorist threat against the good old US of A, rather than as a colloquial term for having a good time. It resulted in him and a friend being ejected from the country.

According to The Sun, Coventry resident Leigh Van Bryan's messages were written several weeks before he left for Los Angeles with a friend, Emily Bunting, but on arrival he was subjected to almost five hours of interrogation, held overnight and then sent back. Imagine the jetlag, urgh.

That wasn't the only message which got the pair in trouble, with one that noted Bryan's desire to dig up the corpse of Marilyn Monroe - in a reference to joke in so-called comedy show Family Guy - also under scrutiny.

Homeland Security reported, with Orwellian tones, that "Mr Bryan confirmed that he had posted on his Tweeter [Tweeter? - Ed] web site account that he was coming to the United States to dig up the grave of Marilyn Monroe".

Because whatever someone writes is always The Truth and can never be interpreted in any other way.

The po-faced nature of this message would be laughable if it wasn't actually so serious an issue and related to what were clearly a couple of light-hearted, highly public messages by a 26-year-old bar manager.

However, the situation is clear: before you write anything on Twitter ask yourself, would I want an overzealous law enforcement official to read this? If the answer's no, best not tweet. Sneak had better quit Twitter then.

Rupert Murdoch admits buying MySpace was a waste of time

13 Jan 2012

rupert-murdoch

Sweet, docile old man Rupert Murdoch is having a lovely time on Twitter, keeping his merry band of followers entertained with tales of his daily exploits, including why buying MySpace was one of his Worst Ever Decisions, the silly fool.

In a message on the site he admitted that there was nothing in the purchase that had gone right but at least he'd learnt a few life lessons along the way.

"Many questions and jokes about My Space. Simple answer - we screwed up in every way possible, learned lots of valuable expensive lessons," he wrote, with refreshingly candid honesty.

Expensive isn't even close: he bought MySpace for $580m in 2005 just a year before Facebook launched and within five years was selling the company for a paltry $35m, a staggering loss of $545m.

What Sneak is more interested in, though, is a Tweet that appears to show Murdoch sent a personal message to Twitter by mistake. How else do you explain the cryptic message, "Jack. Tokyo sounds great but be careful of that full moon".

The full moon? Why, is this Jack character a werewolf of some kind? Or is the media mogul perhaps a closet fan of Japanese author Haruki Murakami?

We can only hope this is indeed what happened and that in future a more racy, or indeed, incriminating text is sent to the wrong location.

Internet explodes as Rupert Murdoch joins Twitter

03 Jan 2012

rupert-murdoch

It is fair to say Rupert Murdoch had a pretty hectic 2011, with his firm involved in the huge phone hacking scandal that led to the closure of the News of the World and the ongoing Leveson enquiry.

This also saw Murdoch grilled relentlessly by MPs at a Commons Select Committee in which he proclaimed it was the "most humble day of my life", before being hit in the face by a foam pie - by "comedian" Jonnie Marbles, not the MPs.

Now, in a move even the most daring Hollywood scriptwriter wouldn't have tried to pull off, Murdoch has joined that most public of forums, Twitter, in order to share his thoughts and opinions with the world, which mainly involves him praising Fox.

One message reads:

while another proclaims:

Sneak isn't sure where to begin really: the utterly appalling grammar (perhaps he needs an editor, is Andy Coulson available?), the brazen bias, the willingness of Rups to open himself up to an almighty online backlash, or his chutzpah in joining Twitter when you'd have thought he'd be keen to stay out of the headlines for once.

Then, as if things weren't bizarre enough, his wife Wendi Deng - her of Commons-pie-attacker-hitting-fame - apparently joined up too, and not only started defending Rups (obviously) but also flirting with Ricky Gervais.

However, it sadly became clear this was a hoax account, despite Twitter giving it the blue tick of verification for a short while.

Sneak would like to think it is all some form of April Fool's stunt, but sadly it is most definitely still early January and Rupert Murdoch really has joined Twitter. Happy New Year - 2012 is off to a flier.

North Korean despot's grandson joins Facebook

07 Oct 2011

Sneak isn't too hot on world politics - he hasn't really got the time in between trolling Justin Bieber fans and making hilarious Downfall videos - but even he knew that the grandson of barmy North Korean despot Kim Jong-il appearing on Facebook was odd.

But, yes, it's true, Kim Han-sol has apparently been found on the site complete with wacky photos and flirtatious messages from a young lady friend - no doubt they poke regularly.

That the direct descendant of a man who runs a nation according to slavish obedience to the state, where no dissent is tolerated and no independent thought cultivated, is on Facebook must surely make for some awkward family dinner times.

Or does it? Facebook is a sort of North Korean state in some ways - all changes are enforced on the population with no heed given to their views, the leader is fairly unfussed by issues such as privacy and even the colour scheme is somewhat totalitarian.

However, the fact that Han-sol asked his Facebook friends whether they prefer communism or democracy (cool kid!) and himself picked democracy - "You are no grandson of mine!" - suggests he may be a more modern man than his grandfather.

Then again, perhaps Mr Jong-il is just mellowing in his old age and doesn't want his grandson to be as "ronery" as he has been all his life.

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V3.co.uk's undercover reporter offers odds and ends from the odd end of technology.

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