TechBytes Weekly

Not all trolls live under bridges. One of social media's hallmarks is the way it gives everyone a voice. Unfortunately, that's also one of its biggest drawbacks. Thanks to social media trolls and bots, it is becoming increasingly difficult to know which posts are legitimate and which are specifically manufactured to sway our opinion while serving a hidden agenda. Sheera Frenkel of the New York Times reports on the emergence of trolls on the image sharing site Instagram. Many of these trolls have direct ties to Russia. In fact, the Internet Research Agency is reported to be a Russian troll farm that employs hundreds of people to specifically spread misinformation and propaganda on various social media sites, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. One of the concerns with trolls on Instagram is the ease with which images can be shared and the impact these images can have. It's truly a case of a picture being worth a thousand words. Supporting Web Links Video:

Facial recognition - is it convenient or creepy? Facebook is stirring the Internet up once again. In an attempt to help alert Facebook users when an image of themselves has been posted, Facebook is using facial recognition technology. It's not the first time this technology has been used, and it probably won't be the last. John Constine of TechCrunch reports on Facebook's announcement regarding their new use of facial recognition . Chances are pretty good that we all have at least one or two unflattering pictures of ourselves somewhere on Facebook. And that's probably the best case scenario. What happens if the picture is even more problematic? You know, that photo of you on the beach when you were supposed to be in class, or the one of you at that party that your best friend didn't get invited to? If the friend that posted that picture didn't tag you, you may not even know it's on Facebook. With Facebook's new Photo Review feature, facial recogn

  There's lots of choices out there. Millions of people are listening to music via a streaming service. And, there are plenty of choices available. Spotify and Apple are the most popular, but Amazon and Google are contenders too. And now, an early music streaming pioneer is making their move to get back in the game. Kris Wouk of Digital Trends reports that Pandora is making a change to their newly introduced premium service. The new Pandora Premium costs users $10 per month - but the user response was not quite what Pandora had hoped for. So, they are making some changes. Now anyone can take advantage of Pandora's premium service - for free. What's the catch? You need to watch a 15-second ad before the music kicks in. But, once you've done that, you can listen for as long as you want and it's ad-free, unless you decide to search for something different. Searching for a new song, album, or artist will require you to view another 15-second ad. Supporting Web Li

Writers duel over a recent novel. Plagiarism doesn't just affect students and their professors. It can also impact politicians, musicians, and writers, among others. A recent example is the lawsuits surrounding a former New York Times bestseller, "The Girls." Written by Emma Cline and published in June of 2016, the book spent 12 weeks on the bestseller list. However, CBS News reports that Cline's former boyfriend, Chaz Reetz-Laiolo, believes that portions of the book are based on his own writing. Reetz-Laiolo alleges that Cline utilized spyware to access his computer and email and used this information to write her novel. Both authors have filed lawsuits in federal court to address the situation. Supporting Web Links Novelist Emma Cline Is Counter-Suing Her Ex Over Plagiarism Claims John Lewis plagiarism row gives Christmas sales boost to Mr Underbed Plagiarism.org The Weaponization of Plagiarism Experts: Methodology used by Worcester State professors

Before there was WiFi, there was Ethernet. Wireless Internet connections have become so commonplace, we sometimes forget that there are other options. Sure, WiFi is easy to use and convenient, but there's something to be said for old-school Ethernet connections too. In the article from Lifewire, Bradley Mitchell explains Ethernet networks and shows you how to identify the components you need. Mitchell discuss Ethernet ports, LANs, MANs, WANs, and Ethernet adapters. He also provides troubleshooting information for those times when your Ethernet connection may not be working properly. Supporting Web Links Video: Powerline vs Wireless vs Ethernet Networking Networking 101: LAN Vs. WAN Merge the worlds of wired and wireless connectivity by connecting sensors to the cloud with new TI SimpleLink™ Ethernet MCUs 5 USB-C WiFi adapters to connect your computer to the Internet USB-C Gigabit Ethernet adapters: Here are 6 great options for 2018 Roku Stick Plus vs. Chromecast vs. F

Nobody likes a slow Internet connection. When things aren't working right, especially when it comes to computers, many people assume they probably need to buy new equipment. While that may be true - especially if your hardware is more than several years old, it should never be your first thought. In this article, Jim Martin of Tech Advisor discusses some of the steps you can take to help speed up your wireless access within your home. Some of his suggestions include looking at where your router is currently situated. If it's not positioned in a central location, it may not be working as quickly and efficiently as it could. Making sure your router isn't encountering interference from other devices, such as microwave ovens or cordless phones, and that it's using the best antennae possible can also help improve your Wi-Fi connections. Check out the article for additional tips. If all else fails, Martin also has suggestions on possible upgrades for new routers. Suppo