Post Before Uni Starts and I Get too Busy to Write

Hey People. 
This week is O Week for my Uni, so it starts real soon. With work and whatever else I have on, I'm starting to wonder when I'll have time to sit down and write - with anything, not just this blog. 
I thought then, that I should write a quick post before I put my nerd glasses on and hit the books. 
So what to write about? 
A few things come to mind: 

The first is that I'm going out tonight :D yay. I would be more excited if two people hadn't of bailed. I get the feeling that the others will as well and I'll be stuck at home drinking cider and watching Bridget Jones' Diary under my bed covers. 

Second was the news story about the two Canadian boys killed by a giant python. I don't want to dwell on such a horrific story (if you wish to take a look you can view the story by clicking this text) but I was shocked to find out that the snake was *quote news reader* "destroyed". I couldn't understand how they could kill a snake for doing what a snake does. If anything the handler should have been 'destroyed' for being so stupid and reckless. 

Thirdly there's Uni. Unit Outlines are out, classes are sorted, and we go back next week. I'm both excited and nervous! I know I freak out about everything and when I get back into the swing of things it will get better, but for now I'm freaking out! 

Neopets is my most used tab. Not exactly an exciting fourth topic to talk about, yet for me it kind of is. It's overtaken Facebook and Gmail (which has held the top spot for months now) which I thought could never happen. That shows how addicted I've become to the game! 

Er, I think that's about it for now. 
I don't know when I'll be posting again (though now I've said that, it will probably be tomorrow) but hopefully I wont be gone for too long and there will be a post occasionally through Uni semester. 

<3 Daydreamer. 

Dangers Of Technology: Instagram

I'm not one who is attracted to the app, Instagram. 
Mainly because people my age use is to take 'selfies' (pictures of themselves) and post them for people to see. I never look good when I take a selfie - I think it's my short arm span. 
It has attracted 100 million users as of May 2013, with 4 billion photos. 

Like any piece of technology, if you're a user you need to check your privacy settings, amongst other things. 
Blocking - if you find someone is taking your images and using them for use you don't like, you can block them. You can block anyone who you don't wish to be viewing your profile. 
Geotagging - it is turned off by default, but if turned on it automatically sends out the location of where the picture was taken to your followers and the public (if you don't have privacy settings). 
You can also report a photo - more info for protecting your privacy can be found here. 

While Instagram is used as a tool to take and manipulate amazing, beautiful photos and share them with the ones you love, there are always going to be people who abuse the app. 
With the certain 'anonymity' that comes with Instagram (well the Internet in general, really) it's not surprising that it is used to display sexual photos and content. 
There are even hash-tag terms #instaporn and #instasex, for people who want to find and spread the content of these types of images. 
More about this can be found here.

Then today I read an article on NineMSN. It can be found right here. 
Reading the title, I thought it was going to be about a teenager who was abusing the app to get attention from boys, but was horrified when I read what it was really about. 
This scares me more than anything. That there are some sicko's out there who would steal pictures of a baby/child and use them for a 'sexualised role-playing' game. Urgh, the thought sends shivers up my spine. 
This is a complete new danger that isn't thought about. It's one that is so sick, the thought that someone would create this (then have people play it) is just....urgh, again I'm disgusted. 
The creators of Instagram have since deleted the sicko's account and search and delete others they find.  

I believe it is unfortunate that an app like this, which is clever, popular, fun and easy to use gets manipulated and abused, becoming an app used for the wrong reasons (by some). 

While I may not have Instagram I believe it's still a great tool, and if used correctly a total time consumer of entertainment. 
If you have Instagram remember to check your privacy settings on occasion (and make sure geotagging is turned off!)
If you're a parent remember to warn your teenager of the dangers - of the Internet in general really. Also I read that the terms of use say that if you're under 12 you can't actually join anyway; something to ponder. 

I believe people need to be wary of the dangers that Instagram (along with other Internet sites) pose.