People Paid to Post Misleading Information on the Internet Is a Global Practice
The practice of marketing companies paying armies of people to post misleading, false information on blogs, forums and social sites is expanding globally. While the practice can be used to post fake positive reviews for pay, for example, more often these paid posts are intended to destroy competition. I’ve been getting unsolicited calls from companies looking to hire people to do “SEO work” where the work consists of signing up for fake accounts and posting fake testimonials...
Read MoreDoes Technology or the Internet Make People LESS Connected?
I was recently witness to a debate at a local gathering that began when one man angrily claimed that people who live on their cell phones and laptops are “selfish” and “not connected with people”. His statement turned into a long discussion with people as young as a woman in her early 20′s to a gentleman in his 70′s speaking their opinions. Interestingly, the youngest one in the bunch was the most reasonable. She agreed that many behaviors are impolite. She...
Read MoreFacebook Sending Photos of You for Criminal Investigation
I learned today that unknown to most Facebook users is a facial recognition application used by Facebook that is sending information for criminal investigation use by governments. In the USA, the information is available for use at the state police level. The warning I got from my source was to get off Facebook. Knowing what he knows about how the software application is being used without public knowledge, is the reason his family will not use Facebook. I’ve been informed by other...
Read MoreThe Evolving Web and 16 Lessons It Taught Me So Far
Somebody asked on Twitter the other day how to explain what a blog is to a client. I replied with something like, “Online diary or journal. Easy way to put up a web site.” You get 140 characters to “talk” in Twitter. So I had to be brief. She thought her client would most understand the web site part. I agree. This is what blogs have become thanks to the ease of the software they’re based on. Daily thoughts are now found in Twitter and Facebook statuses. We...
Read MoreSearch Usability and Social Networking Reads and Discussions
I have a meeting to get to but wanted to share my latest article for Search Engine Land, called The Impact Of The Internet On Human Behavior. Are we worn out with social media? Do we really suffer from Internet fatigue? I think the answers depend on several factors, such as your age, where you live, personality, income, work life and personal values. To be sure, Internet marketers are having a blast and can’t quite figure out what all the fuss is about. And yet, in private, some of them admit...
Read MoreWho Wants to Hire Top Twitter Users?
Yesterday, during a live WebmasterRadioFM show where I was chatting with host, Jim Hedger, the topic of fame and personal safety came up. He asked if I’d ever feared for my life or safety due to my long-time presence on the Web. I said “yes”. Jim noted that people sometimes suddenly “turn on you”. We discussed how easy it is to be a “Troll” and drop vicious, ill-tempered comments throughout social networking sites and blogs. Having been online and...
Read MoreMaybe It’s Push Back Time for the Internet
Some days it feels best to yank the plug from the wall. When I hear about teens killing themselves on web cams, parents murdering their children for using social sites and adults pretending to be kids in an effort to torment young people online, I want to scream. And so today, there is word that fake net personas may become illegal. I work on the Internet and I know its insane. I’ve received hate email and death threats. I’ve had comments come in that are vile, ruthless strings of...
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