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How To Apply For Your Share Of Facebook’s Recent $725 Million Privacy Lawsuit 

Here’s a shocker: Facebook is being forced to pay a whopping $725 million in a settlement following a number of lawsuits claiming they violated users’ privacy. This is in addition to another class action lawsuit for $650 million for storing and collecting the biometric data of nearly 1.3 million Illinois residents without their knowledge or consent.  

The lawsuits allege that Facebook shared data from users and their friends with third parties without the users’ knowledge or consent and then failed to monitor or direct how these third parties accessed the data or what they did with it. 

The plaintiffs’ lawyers estimate about 250 to 280 million people may be eligible for payments as part of this suit. 

The money being paid to each person depends on how long they’ve had a Facebook account and how many people actually file claims. Users will get “points” for every month they’ve had an account between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022. The money will be split (after lawyers’ fees are paid, of course) based on those numbers, so don’t expect a financial windfall that will allow you to move to Beverly Hills. The only people getting rich here are the lawyers. 

If you had a Facebook account during the dates above, you’re automatically part of the settlement, but you must submit a claim by August 25 of this year using this website. If you do nothing, you won’t get paid and you’ll give up the right to sue or be part of another lawsuit against Facebook related to these claims. 

However, if you’re feeling ambitious (and have deep pockets to pay the legal fees), you can choose to opt out of this lawsuit and attempt to sue Facebook separately, under your own initiative.  

We should all be happy that big tech companies accessing, selling and sharing our data without our knowledge or consent are being held accountable; but it’s not enough to depend on lawyers or our government to protect our identity and personal information. Companies like Meta make far too much money from our data to turn away from selling it and using it. For example, Meta made over $116 billion last year from a FREE app. That money is coming from selling access and data. This lawsuit, while sizeable, only represents just 0.62% of the company’s total revenue – a rounding error. 

The entire dark web and the rise of hacking demonstrate how much money there is to be made from gaining access to personally identifiable information, so you need to be careful you don’t end up a victim of your data being stolen, shared and sold.  

One of the ways to prevent your information from being shared is by going into the privacy settings on Facebook and finding “Your Facebook information.” From there, click “Off-Facebook activity” and “Recent activity” to clear your history. 

You can also click “Manage future activity” and choose “Disconnect future activity” to disable this feature. Of course, if you like the ads you get from Facebook this will (should?) make all of that go away.  

Another suggestion is to check the privacy settings on your phone to ensure apps installed aren’t getting free access to your camera and microphone unless specifically given permission by you to perform those functions. Many apps will install with that access feature turned on and require you to opt out.  

Of course, as a business owner, YOU have to also think about how you are storing and using your clients’ data. As this lawsuit proves, the government is taking data privacy and protection seriously, which is why you’re seeing more regulatory compliance for data security and privacy hitting all industry sectors. 

If you want to make sure you’re not accidentally exposing your clients’ data and violating data protection laws, schedule a quick call with us to discuss your concerns and see if there are ways we can help you avoid exposing your clients’ and employees’ data by accident.  

Every business needs the right tools to get the job done and to keep your team on track. But juggling multiple apps and software can be a nightmare when trying to keep information streamlined and easily accessible. That’s where Microsoft Teams for small businesses comes into play.

In this article, we’ll explore the 10 best Microsoft Teams hacks so everyone in your company has everything they need at their fingertips.

The 10 Best Microsoft Teams Hacks For Small Businesses

1) Share And Co-Edit Files

The demand for coworking capabilities has risen in recent years. And while modern working conventions have dictated the need for more collaborative software, there are real statistics to back up the benefits of co-editing.

According to a study from Deloitte, “When workers collaborate, 73% do better work, 60% are more innovative, 56% feel more satisfied, and 15% work faster.”

Microsoft Teams understands this and has continued to develop its ability to share and co-edit files. With 10 GB of cloud storage per user, it’s easier than ever to work on documents with others no matter where you are.

You can also quickly share document files by attaching them to a chat within Microsoft Teams so there’s no need for extra emails to share information.

2) Filter Messages

Along with our previous point, running an efficient business often means having messaging software that can keep up. However, it can be overwhelming when you have a sea of messages and no way to mark or find what you’re looking for.

Not anymore. With Microsoft Teams, you’re able to filter messages and find exactly what you need. This replaces the need to use an additional messaging service, such as Slack, and keeps everything within one comprehensive platform.

This eliminates the headache of switching back and forth between platforms and having to have multiple windows open all the time to get work done.

3) Host Meetings

Hosting meetings is another huge capability of Microsoft Teams. The software allows you to schedule virtual meetings with hundreds of participants at a time. That means you have everything you and your team need, no matter the size of your business.

Recent updates have also expanded the ability for co-hosting breakout rooms as well. More features mean more ways for your team to connect!

4) Live Translated Captions

2023 updates for Microsoft Teams have increased accessibility as well. For example, there’s a new setting you can toggle on and off that will allow for live translated captions to appear during meetings.

The system will save your settings for every meeting, or you can simply toggle it off when you no longer need it. The choice is ultimately yours.

You can also get the meeting transcripts when done to quickly review just the one part you were looking for!

5) Chat Features

One of the best features of the Microsoft Teams experience is the chat. With unlimited chats and the ability to filter through them, as we mentioned earlier, your team can have important conversations while also getting work done in the same place.

New this year, the platform now allows you to delete chats on your end while leaving them open on the other person’s when you no longer need the information. In addition, you can easily add people to existing conversations, and AI technology can suggest who you might want to talk to next.

These features make it easier than ever to collaborate with others and keep everyone on the same page.

6) Picture-In-Picture Functionality

Not every meeting needs your full attention. Teams has picture-in-picture functionality that allows you to have a meeting playing while you are doing other things.

That means you don’t have to put down other work while you’re on less important calls and can multitask.

7) Do Not Disturb

In addition to picture-in-picture display options, there are other ways you can value your time with Microsoft Teams settings.

This platform allows you to toggle on “do not disturb” when you need to step away from your desk, are taking a vacation, or going home/logging off at the end of the day.

There are plenty of things that can wait until tomorrow, and you deserve to set healthy boundaries when it comes to getting work done and taking time for yourself and your family.

8) Data Encryption

When you’re using an all-in-one comprehensive platform, a lot of information is exchanged. Between attaching important documents to chat threads to day-to-day communications, you need to know that all your information and your clients’ information is safe.

Microsoft Teams has you covered. With data encryption, you don’t have to worry about private information leaking on the internet. That means peace of mind for you and everything you work with.

9) Multi-Question Polls

The last feature we’ll mention that’s new in 2023 is the ability to have multi-question polls within a meeting. This gives you more flexibility to ask the questions you need and gives you an easy place to collect that data.

It’s never been easier to run a meeting and gather information.

10) Save MONEY (Thousands a month!)

Most businesses already have Microsoft Teams included in their current software package and can save a lot of money by eliminating redundant services.

Paying for dozens (or hundreds) of employee licenses for Slack, Zoom, Monday, Basecamp and more may be a thing of the past using the features already included in Microsoft Teams.

Many companies we look at are needlessly spending tens of thousands or more on these other services and that money goes straight to the bottom line.

Microsoft Teams For The Win

 

Whether you’re looking for a solution to messaging, collaborative working, video calls, document sharing or accessibility features within your organization, Microsoft Teams can help your small business accomplish exactly what you need.

With these 10 features — and many more — you will be better equipped to work together as a team and won’t have to waste time cobbling together multiple apps along the way.

Compushooter specializes in working with small businesses to make them more productive and profitable, while keeping their data and business protected. To see what we can do for you, click here or go to: https://www.compushooter.com/discoverycall/  to schedule a quick discovery call.

They say, “You get what you tolerate” and now more than ever, we’ve been conditioned to tolerate worse service at higher prices. Companies get a ‘free pass’ simply by saying phrases like “the labor shortage,” “because COVID,” or “inflation.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

While you may be able to still do business even with some less-than-stellar vendors in some areas, if all your computers were to suddenly stop working, your network go down, your files gone, chances are you’d be dead in the water.

Your business depends on technology, and you need to make sure everything is up and running RIGHT and you’re protected ALL the time.

Here’s a list of ten common problems, complaints and just downright failures in service we hear of all the time…and I’ll show you how to eliminate them in your business.

1. When you call your IT company, your message goes to voice mail and you’re stuck waiting hours (or even days) for a call back so your problem gets resolved.
2. You often must reach out multiple times to get a problem resolved and you need to check back to see what the status is and get a time frame.
3. Your IT company doesn’t proactively monitor, patch and update your computer network’s critical security settings daily (or at least weekly) leaving your entire business vulnerable to attacks.
4. Your IT company doesn’t offer proof that they are backing up ALL your data, laptops and devices.
5. Your IT company doesn’t meet with you regularly (at least once a quarter) to report what they’ve been doing, review projects and offer new ways to improve your network’s performance instead of waiting until you have a problem to make recommendations.
6. Your IT company doesn’t provide detailed invoices that clearly explain what you are paying for.
7. Your IT company doesn’t explain what they are doing and answer your questions in terms that you can understand, NOT in “geek speak” and they don’t routinely ask if there’s anything else they can help with, no matter how small.
8. Your IT company doesn’t proactively discuss cybersecurity with you or make recommendations for protecting your network from ransomware and offer employee training videos, so they don’t fall victim to a scam.
9. Your IT company hasn’t provided you complete network documentation, and they hold the “keys to the kingdom” refusing to give you admin passwords so you’re totally helpless if something goes wrong and you can’t get a hold of them.
10. Techs arrive late and dressed like they just got out of bed, and you cringe every time you need to make that call because they’ll make you feel dumb or like they are ‘doing you a favor’ even though you’re paying them!

 

If you’re tolerating any of these common problems, know that you don’t have to! You could be paying for substandard support and worse, not be keeping your company protected.

This could jeopardize your data and your network’s security and cost you thousands in lost productivity because you and your employees are spending time dealing with problems that shouldn’t exist.

If that’s the case, then it’s time you see what else is out there and make sure you’re getting what you pay for.

To schedule a free 10-minute discovery call to see how we can get rid of your tech issues, go to www.compushooter.com/aspirin or call us at 480-464-0202.

Compushooter is a trusted IT Support provider in Arizona that specializes in Veterinary Hospitals & Clinics, Dental Hospitals & Clinics, CPA & Financial Firms, Construction, Non-Profit Organizations and Small and Medium Sized Businesses.