Online Privacy – an oxymoron? (Ethics News Item)
Facebook recently introduced Beacon, software that tracks data about Facebook users when they are shopping on certain external sites and shares that information with their Facebook friends as well as advertisers (See Computer World Article). Beacon has been controversial, as many believe Facebook provided misinformation. They failed to disclose that in addition to Facebook members, all users of the other sites were being tracked. Facebook has since allowed users to turn-off the feature.
A recent ComputerWorld OpEd points out the good that came from this: public awareness of the sophisticated activity tracking software already in use. Having worked in online advertising, there is pressure to grow online revenue by providing the most segmented and logical user-paths possible. It is a competitive advantage for retailers and ad spenders (whose next spend depends on performance of recent campaigns).
So what’s to do? Ironically the information that is typically the least useful is what is most private: name, address, kid’s names, etc. The biggest indicators of future performance are the ‘RFM’, recency, frequency, monetary variables. How online advertising is able to bridge this current divide and harness the software is an ethical question that will shape the direction of the Internet. Hopefully, a middle ground is reached where users can have some privacy, while sensible software tracking allows for targeted advertising.
A recent ABC article, “You’re Being Watched Right Now” summarizes just how powerful online surveillance will be in the very near future. Fascinating and Scary!
Negotiation
If the way people negotiated moved steadily to an online platform, I would be willing to wager many of those who are used to getting what they want through negotiating would resist such a movement.
It is fascinating to me is how much literature and coursework is available for improving negotiation skills. In a Forbes ‘In Pictures’ Article, the author lists out steps for effective negotiation and matches them up with their quotes. The 12 steps contain human elements (establish trust, understand the other side) that to me sound like ways to try to better understand what can’t be completely known (i.e incomplete or imperfect information).
In comparison to structured and strategic negotiation theories (like Game Theory) these are rather arbitrary. However, I do think the article points out how some people have a powerful understanding and ability for the art of negotiation. It is this human factor, talent or compassion, which I think online systems will lack.
Game Theory
As I was bouncing around the internet reading about negotiation topics, I came across this short clip about Game Theory.
Open Up
Having worked with programmers but without total understanding their jobs, I know how revered Linux and other open source platforms are for web development projects and how villified Microsoft systems can be but I haven’t known enough to formulate my own opinion.
I suspect that Verizon’s making its wireless standards open source will not curry this same positive opinion from programmers. As evidenced in this InformationWeek just how meangingful the standards will be is still in question and this was likely a move to stay competitive with Google/Sprint. Another interesting Op-Ed from Technology News points out this has a lot to do with hardware sales, as the popularity of the iPhone has changed everything.
It seems to me this is a major shift for the wireless industry. As Google comes in with an operation system, Android, that could revolutionize how people interact with their phones and with the iPhone, telecom companies might be better off focusing on how to get the most people sign up for their services(and keeping those customers!) rather than how their R&D will come up with the next big thing — gadget or functionality — that will win some market share in the short term. Maybe, even, cell phone service would become more robust and more economical as this becomes the primary differentiator or competitive advantage to be had. (more…)
Cyberventing
I took a trip to AdAge.com looking for some recent articles on online advertising and couldn’t help but notice this week’s cover story: Comcast Must Die! Definitely, a strong title. The author of the article has been frusterated to the point of alienation by the cable provider’s customer solution. His solution: create a blog comcastmustdie.com. And this is nothing new, this ‘criticism culture’ has been flourishing online and many companies must be bracing at past embarrassments. But can some good be made of this?
Why not. This is a great way for companies to monitor the successfulness of its customer service. With more customer service being outsourced and evenoffshored and or – as from my work experience – the obsession to turn call centers into revenue machines through the perfect mix of a great upsell and an aggresive rep or a well-played ‘saving a cancel’, companies should see this as a report card. Sure there’s some negative publicity, but its a way to monitor the effectiveness of their programs. Companies often staff a position to look for any references to the company within their PR Staff; maybe its time for companies to do the same from within the operations department.
Other sites for venting online: Complaints.com and Consumerist.com.
Looking for a plumber, here’s a neat site I found in the article that has a rating of local services: Angie’s List.
The Kindle
Amazon launched its new wifi ereader which allows for quicker uploading of books, free blog subscriptions and paid newspaper subscriptions. This was a topic of discussion in my New Product Development class where people generally panned the look and design of the product (it looks like Amazon’s attempt to mimic a book didn’t really work well) and people questioned who was the partner behind this. Definitely more negatives were listed than positives but undoubtedly this product will bring more publicity to ereaders in general and the easy-to-read/like-ink font design is definitely nice.
My thought, if I have to carry an ereader around, separate from my phone and my ipod, does it really matter how small it is. I’ve seem models larger and thinner and that’s what would make sense to me….unless my phone and my ipod and my ereader can become one. I am sure they will be within the next two years. Without knowing much about it, I’d say Amazon would be happy with the publicity of this project launch even if this foray into the merchandise business doesn’t pan out.
Kindle’s promotional video below:
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