Last but not least: nudge, cuddle and comfortably smoke a packet

 As everyone knows, community platforms are currently very popular. Practically every student and an increasing number of other people maintain their profile on one of the many different networks on a daily basis, "add" or "ignore" other members, "poken" and "cuddle" around in world history or give each other nicknames. For the users, the whole thing is a fun and easy way to stay in touch with countless people without much effort (keyword: "networking"). For the operators, of course, the fun is first and foremost a hard-hitting business. The fact that operators and users are not always on the same wavelength has been shown more often in the case of the German network StudiVZ - supposedly not at all intimidated by the imminent market entry of the American giant Facebook, Werbewoche reported (see ). Now, however, the online edition of the German news magazine Der Spiegel has allegedly tried to construct a story all of its own from this. An interview with StudiVZ boss Marcus Riecke, titled "Thank God we are now allowed to release data during investigations," is currently causing a lot of hype. If you read the interview, you practically get the impression that the network operators are now proactively taking action against users who do not act in accordance with the law and, for example, squealing directly to the police about people who are pictured smoking pot in their private pictures. "The fact that we give pictures and data to the police because you are lighting up a cozy little bag on it is completely made up and a lie. We don't do such things!" the operators write in a message to all their users. One asks the users such journalism no breeding ground to give. "The fact is: You want security. (...) In order to guarantee you a safe platform, all participants have to adhere to some important rules. These do not come from us, but are valid and binding paragraphs of German legislation for all." Of course, even a community network is not a law-free zone. A few days ago, the new owner of StudiVZ, the Holzbrinck Group, launched another network, MeinVZ. The aim is to appeal to those who neither go to school nor study. The network craze continues. And so do the discussions about data privacy.