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UK Government Pledges To Combat Internet Piracy

News today that the government is pledging to combat internet piracy in the UK with a series of new measures, including £50,000 fines for those found guilty of illegal file-sharing. The Guardian says that the move is being pushed through by Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, in a bid to deter the estimated seven million...

FTC Continues Investigation Into Apple Relationship With Google

Despite Google’s Eric Schmidt tendering his resignation from Apple’s board of directors, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plans to continue its investigation into the relationship between the two companies–and you can blame the apparent greed of one man. No, not Eric Schmidt. Not Steve Jobs. Nope, it’s Arthur Levinson.




Canada Warns Facebook On Privacy Concern Standards

It wouldn’t be a day in business any more if the main focus wasn’t government intervention, would it? It appears that all of the freedom that the Internet was supposed to offer is maybe a little too much for the folks to our north. The Canadian government has issued a report that tells Facebook that many areas concerning privacy for the social networking site don’t meet the standards of Canadian privacy law.

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More States Veto The Affiliate “Amazon Tax” Increases

It’s somewhat hard to keep up with which state is passing the so called “Amazon Tax,” which have vetoed it, and which retailers have pulled the plug on their program–just in anticipation of it.

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FTC To Focus On Professional Blogger Sponsorship Liability

It appears the Federal Trade Commission is continuing its sloth-like race to enact new standards for bloggers that don’t currently disclose compensated endorsements.

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Local Governments Are Beginning To Use Twitter For Service Announcements

What a great initiative announced a few days ago by the city of  San Francisco – enable citizens to use Twitter as one of the means through which they can use the city’s 311 online information and services network.

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New FTC Guidlines To Hold Brands And Bloggers Liable For Misguided Claims

In the eyes of imaginative and opportunistic advertisers and marketers, bloggers and online influencers are the new celebrities and athletes. Brands are showering them with endorsement deals rich with products, cash, trips, exclusive access to information Read More…

The FTC Looks Into Antitrust Charges Against Google

I can’t quite figure out why the Federal Trade Commission has decided to investigate Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s role on the boards of both Google and Apple.

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FTC Warns Further Action Against Behavioral Tracking Without Consent

We looked at the SEC and its involvement in the world of social media. The impact of even the thought of raising a big government agency’s eyebrow in this environment is enough to send the most daring social media companies to the corner for a time out to think about what they are doing. Read More…

FTC Sets It’s Sights On Social Marketing

The main reason that they killed the dating ads was that people were using copyright images as well as girls under 18 to advertise for CPA sites. It got to a point where the ad approval team couldn’t police them anymore. The dieting ads were killed cause the FTC is just starting to crack down on the fake blogs that promote the diet offers. Read More…

Government Sites Have Some Unique SEO Challenges

In times like these, when companies are cutting costs, not many are hiring SEO services. But governments aren’t cutting back (quite the contrary, but that’s a rant for another time). I am just putting to bed a major SEO audit of a government website, so I thought I would share with you some of my observations. Read More…

The UK Still Searches For A Director Of Digital Engagement

The closing date for applications for what I called one of the most interesting communication jobs anywhere in the world, passed a few days ago. This is the search for a Director of Digital Engagement, a senior UK  Civil Service position in the Cabinet Office, at the very heart of government. Read More…