July 6, 2009 The Pan-Mass Challenge goes social; and who shouldn't be on Facebook Play video

(NECN: Ted McEnroe) - The Pan Mass Challenge is just four weeks away - and the PMC has relaunched its site with some new features. The PMC paceline is a way to give people a more visual way of looking at things, and let you be a rider yourself, just by donating.

Riders in the PMC can log into their profile page and create an avatar for themselves - and donors can actually do the same thing. When you donate, you are given the option to join the paceline of the rider you're sponsoring - creating your own rider who can be a part of the paceline... and then, taking it one step farther, you can reach out and get people to donate to you. Maybe you have a personal connection to cancer that would inspire you to raise money - but maybe you're not ready to bike 192 miles. You can note that connection with your avatar and then ask others to help support the fight.

The idea is to make the giving more social - because if each donor to a PMC rider got even one other person to donate, that would double the amount raised.

It's viral marketing at its essence - with a purpose.

And of course, you're always welcome to donate to Team NECN - just go to the PMC site and search NECN, and you can find our eight-member team. And of course, the Opening Ceremonies will be broadcast live on NECN Friday, July 31 at 7pm.

Meanwhile - when people ask me whether they should be on Facebook, I generally say, "Sure!" I may have to make an exception here.

There's a hubbub

in Britain after it was discovered that the wife of the head of MI-6 had posted information about the family's home and kids on Facebook. Lady Shelley Sawers had been adding photos and other information to her Facebook page even after her husband, Sir John Sawers, was named to head the overseas Secret Intelligence agency last month. Among the things posted - shots of Sir John in his Speedo.

Lady Shelley had no privacy protection on her account, which has now been removed. Some experts say it could cost millions to move the family to a new home and add security for the Lady Sawers and the children, but British Foreign Secretary David Miliband says it's all a bit overblown. He told the BBC - "It's not a state secret that he wears Speedo swimming trunks, for goodness sake," Miliband said. "Let's grow up."

And shadow business secretary Ken Clarke told Sky News, "I suspect that the enemies of this country do not wholly rely on the Mail on Sunday and Facebook."