#IllRideWithYou

Terrible tragedies can bring out the best in people.

A gunman held people hostage in a Sydney coffee shop, which resulted in the death of two innocents. Because of the perpetrator's cultural makeup, the event created an environment of anti-Muslim sentiment. To protect herself, a woman took off her hijab, but was told to put it back on because that person would walk with her. A simple gesture that became a viral movement.

Most of us who use common sense know that the actions of one person does not make a race or demographic. #IllRideWithYou celebrates the people who choose to turn tragedy into something positive.

When we collectively disregard the hate in lieu of love, WE decide how we want to live. We don't allow the bullies to reign. We don't even acknowledge them. Instead, we can make the world a better place, one gesture at a time.

‘It’s F–king Stolen’

Yes, Sony was hacked and it was bad. Do you want to know what is worse? The media publishing the material they received as a result of the hack.

Just because it is Hollywood and too good to pass up on learning the dirty little secrets behind closed doors, somehow it is okay for even the most trusted news sources to publish private emails and material for all to see because it involves A-list public figures.

Target and Home Depot were hacked, too. Did the media publish the social insurance numbers and internal communications from those executives? Will they do it if a bank or insurance company gets hacked? 

Seth Rogan is right. It stinks and with regards to the material being published: "It's F--king Stolen."

This is no different than publishing the hacked photos from the private files (that were not publicly shared by the subjects) of Jennifer Lawrence and other celebrities. It's slimy and if hacking is a crime, perhaps publishing hacked material is also a crime. 

Sony Takes A Bit of Heat Over Its Hacking Scandal

It hasn't been a good week for Sony Pictures Entertainment, especially for its upper management. Due to a serious hack, which may have been done months ago, intellectual property details and embarrassing emails have been leaked publicly.

Media outlets could be criticized for piling on and furthering the impact of the hack by publishing some of the more salacious details. If the hack didn't involve A-list entertainment, and instead the Coca-Cola or Chevron hierarchy, would the intimate details be released? Maybe. Maybe not.

Here are some of the numerous story links about the hack that have flooded my inbox:

Lisa Kudrow Rips Sony Execs Over Leaked Emails

Sony Hackers Leak New Data, Threaten 'Christmas Gift' To Put Studio In 'Worst State'

Amy Pascal on Whether She's So Damaged She Can No Longer Lead Sony

Sony Hackers Flash Disturbing New Warning on Staffers' Computers

Sony Employees' Medical Records Among Hacked Data

Sony Had Evidence of Server Hack in February According to New Leaked Emails

New Sony Hack Attack Theory Suggests North Korea Was Involved But Had Insider Help

No Interviews at 'The Interview' Premiere Amid Sony Hacking Fallout

Sony Hackers Sent Top Execs Threatening Email Days Before Attack

Sony Hack Attack: FBI to Hold Employee Cybersecurity Awareness Briefings on Studio Lot

Celebrity Business and Cyberbullies

Something about a part of this discussion makes me squirm. It seems like they are blaming the victim because they feel hurt about being cyberbullied. 

There is no one-size-fits-all for how a person FEELS when they discover they are the target of a cyberbully. Celebrities feel the same pain as the rest of us feel. One cannot just get over it. It is a process. 

While there is some good in this clip, part of it doesn't sit right.

By the way, cyberbullying isn't a trend. It's a reality.

181 Charges of Cyberbullying Impacts Businesses Worldwide

“Imagine you’re a small-business owner or any business owner and somebody posts information to your clients that is false.”

A forensic investigation that stemmed from Canada to the United States to the United Kingdom ended in charging an Ottawa man with 181 counts of cyberbullying. The crime spree victimized 38 people over a dozen years. The charges reigned from identity fraud, criminal harassment, defamation libel and each of his attacks were targeted.

For more, read here. 

Cybersecurity Is A Start Against Business Cyberbullying

Project Blitzkrieg

When is the last time you updated Windows, Mac, your software, antivirus, checked your firewall, did a Disk Cleanup, or cleaned out your Internet history? At the bare minimum, these are your basic tasks to securing your system.

Leaving all of these items unchecked means your computer is at risk for outside hackers, your performance will suffer, and your laptop and desktop may ultimately shut down when it collects too much cache.

If you are still running on Windows XP (which Microsoft no longer updates as of early this year), you have now put your entire network at risk. Merry Christmas, you just invited hackers into your company and clients' computer systems.

If your company has not updated its computers, system, or security since they were purchased in 2010, you have just put all your suppliers and their suppliers at risk.

You can no longer afford to drive the Internet without up-to-date insurance. If you do, it's like leaving the doors to your house and your car wide open as you head out for a Hawaii vacation. Your not understanding technology isn't an excuse. Find or hire someone who does.

The stakes are high. We've seen many examples of late, including Target, Winners/TJ Maxx, and Home Depot. They put all their customers at risk for identity fraud and financial hacks.

While in the back of our minds, we might expect that something could happen with retailers whose investment in computer systems is so far down the line of priorities, it may not exist. Where we are surprised is when it happens to a digital savvy firm, one that produces digital content and products that we view our digital content on. This is why the Sony attack is huge. If it can happen to that organization, it can happen to any of us.

Can A Facebook Threat Be Considered Free Speech?

How to deal with a Facebook bully

The Anthony Elonis v. United States case is one you need to keep your eyes on. The Supreme Court is determining whether the threats Elonis made to his ex-wife constitute criminal behavior or freedom of speech. The decision will have major repercussions across the digital hemisphere.

John Hayward discusses +Pew Research Center's point of view on this topic in his piece: Free speech vs. cyberbullying. It's worth a read.