Capsule: Private Sharing on Social Network
In recent times, social media users have become more and more accepting of lax privacy settings. So much so, that it no longer remains a priority for many sites. Facebook itself over the recent years has changed their privacy policies so many times that keeping track of the current stance can be a nuisance. For the highly paranoid it can be nerve-wracking. One has to go through a lot of hassle to get the desired privacy settings and on occasion those setting get delayed or result in an error on some networks. Though some users may be okay with this, people in general are not at all willing to compromise on privacy and security. I’m quite sure that it is this feeling of insecurity that has many people weary of posting and sharing photos on social media giants like Facebook and Twitter, especially private or family photos.
But then again sharers can’t be blamed; they thrive on content meant to be shared with all. So what can be the solution other than going off the grid? There are other sites offering sharing features but with a greater focus on keeping their user’s photos and shared content from being misused or monitored. One such app for iOS and Android is Capsule. It may not solve all virtual security needs (iPhone spy apps and whatnot are still a threat) but guarantees safer sharing options than sites like Facebook.
So what Capsule users do is install the app on their iPhone or Android. After that they create a folder or ‘capsule’ for a certain event or album. Only those that the user has invited into the Capsule can view the content. The invited members can also upload their photos up to the Capsule. Capsule app allows group members to post comments on the posts and photos as well as comment with a photo themselves on the same thread. This is a fun feature known as ‘Inception’, giving you the option of creating photo essays in a secure environment. However, the feature has been known to malfunction and doesn’t always work. Perhaps we can forgive this in light of Capsule being a new app still working to expand and sort out all its glitches.
Capsule is also very easy to use even for those who consider themselves luddites. The Auto-Sync option makes life a lot easier, too. Uploading photos to Facebook requires the users to take the photos and then manually add the photo to an existing or newly created album. In Capsule, the Auto-Sync instantly uploads the photos taken. For those who wish to review their photos before uploading, the Auto-Sync simply needs to be turned off.
Capsule doesn’t have the option of visible accounts. People can be added onto your group just by texting their phone numbers. There is no need to go hunting for people through long winding contact lists through this app. You don’t have to worry about who is monitoring and tracking your photographs without you wanting them to, in other words no subscribing and following and sharing with people other than those directly added.
However, that doesn’t mean that by using Capsule you are free from threat. Information can still be leaked if someone has installed an iPhone spy app or some form of a mobile spy on your phone. Since Capsule links your photographs and posts to the cloud, that content may be unreachable. But the Capsule cam stores data temporarily in the directory of the phone in a folder on the SD card. So though you may protect yourself on the cloud, apps like mobile spy may still be able to access your photos through your iPhone or Android.
Capsule may not be very high tech or offer as many features as other social networking sites nor have strong anti-spyware options for phones yet but it does provide the promise that Facebook has broken years ago: privacy which can allow people to actually feel comfortable online.
Author Bio
Jane Andrew is the author of cell phone and computer security. She provides tips, tricks and news about spy software for iphone and mobile phone spy technology. You can also follow her on Twitter @janeandrew01 to get the latest tips.
I never, ever think anyone should ever lax on security settings. You should never risk having anything hacked, taken over, anything. You never know what you might lose.
great article, i think we cant be too careful these days, iv found that Facebook over the recent years has changed their privacy policies so many times that ive lost the plot keeping track with it all
You don’t say Mario. Why I thought that line was mentioned in the article. I would never have guessed that the line was originally yours.
Cool article, especially since many people have forgotten what privacy is after they left orkut for facebook (can you believe people still use that crap). People need to be reminded that its not all that safe. Especially people who have stalkers around 😉
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