Top digital media list… Backpackers bearing gifts… How to keep your data safe

• Top digital media list
• Backpackers bearing gifts
• How to keep your data safe

Adweek names hottest digital media players of 2007

Adweek has released its third annual Media Digital Hot List, which names web destinations that performed exceptionally well this year.

Topping the list is social-networking site Facebook, with a unique audience of 16.5 million, growth of 110% and time per person of 1:07:56 (up 24%). Although it’s much smaller than MySpace, it is attracting big brands. Adweek says it is betting Facebook’s “social graph” will form the underpinnings of a targeted ad system with placements based on user interests.

Next up is MySpace, which holds second place for the second year in a row, and YouTube, which has slipped from first.

The rest of the list is dominated by video websites:

4. TMZ.com

Unique audience: 9 million, up 101%.
Web pages per person: 9 (up 125%).
Time per person: 0:13:01 (up 212%).
The AOL-owned site has benefited from the growth of celebrity and video.

5. Disney.com

Unique audience: 13.8 million, up 28%.
Web pages per person: 15 (up 7%).
Time per person: 0:11:20 (up 21%).

6. Veoh.com

Top YouTube wannabe.
Unique audience: 2.5 million, up 253%.
Web pages per person: 16 (up 33%).
Time per person: 0:10:31 (up 75%).

7. Funnyordie.com

Unique audience: 1.9 million.
Web pages per person: 6.
Time per person: 0:06:19.

8. Discovery.com

Unique audience: 5.4 million, up 23%.
Web pages per person: 23 (up 35%).
Time per person: 0:09:00 (up 50%).

9. Digg.com

Unique audience: 4.1 million, up 154%.
Web pages per person: 9 (up 125%).
Time per person: 0:08:02 (up 211%).

10. imeem.com

Unique audience: 1.6 million, up 143%.
Web pages per person: 53 (up 382%).
Time per person: 0:23:57 (up 588%).

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Advice for benevolent backpackers

Backpackers travelling in far-flung places often find themselves wishing they had brought along some simple item that would be a huge help to a local community, from books, a map or pencils to children’s clothes or toys.

According to Springwise, a new site called StuffYourRucksack hopes to solve that problem by showing travellers – before they leave on their trips – how they could help out in a particular region.

The concept is simple: local organisations around the globe can visit the site to register what they need, as can travellers who have been there and discovered the need first-hand. Travellers planning a trip can then search to see what they can bring along to help. There are no fees to be paid on either side, and a feedback section of the site allows for the exchange of tips and advice.

Although quite new, StuffYourRucksack already has quite a few entries: for example, an Indian school for street children needs children’s clothing, while an educational charity in Tanzania needs pencils and used mobile phones.

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10 steps to make sure your data doesn’t walk out the door

The rise of wireless technology is really putting the pressure on businesses to ensure their data security is watertight. TechRepublic has 10 tips to help you make sure your valuable business information doesn’t find its way into the wrong hands.

1. Practice the principle of least privilege: Don’t presume that all data is available to everyone unless you explicitly restrict access. A safer approach is a “least privilege” policy, which operates on the assumption that all data is off-limits to a given user unless they are explicitly given access to it.

2. Put policies in writing: Don’t assume that employees know not to copy important company information and take it home or e-mail it outside of work without permission. Put it in writing, and make sure everybody knows about it.

3. Set restrictive permissions and audit access: Set the appropriate permissions on data files and folders and give users the lowest level of permissions possible for them to get their work done.

4. Use encryption: Put a barrier between your information and unauthorised entrants to your system. Laptops in particular need solid encryption to protect information in case of theft.

5. Implement rights management: Use rights management software to prevent users from forwarding, copying, and otherwise misusing e-mail messages and documents that you send to them.

6. Restrict use of removable media: USB thumb drives and flash memory cards are cheap, easy to hide and can carry a bucket load of data. Consider restricting their use in the workplace or disabling the USB ports on PCs.

7. Keep laptops under control: Laptops can likewise be used to make off with data. Maintain control over what computers connect to your LAN, not just remotely but also by plugging directly into a hub or switch onsite.

8. Set up outbound content rules: Firewalls can be used to both keep undesirable traffic out of your network and keep certain traffic in. Set up your firewall to block relevant types of outbound traffic.

9. Control wireless communications: A determined person may be able to connect a company laptop to a different wireless network within range, one that doesn’t have blocking mechanisms in place, to get information out of the workplace. If possible, keep track of wireless networks that may be available from your company premises.

10: Beware creative data theft methods formats: Remember that your data can walk out in many different formats. Even if you’ve implemented a technology such as rights management to prevent copying or printing documents, a person could take a digital or film photograph of the content onscreen or even sit and copy the information by hand. Keeping on top of the technology is vital.

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