That Hobby Looks Like a Lot of Work

Etsy is the popular site for buying and selling art, crafts, and vintage goods. The NYT recently explored the demands of success on some Etsy sellers. See That Hobby Looks Like a Lot of Work.

SC's Hearing of Texting Case Could Shake Up Workplace Privacy

Are an employee's text messages private when sent using an employer account? The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case that turns on privacy for employees in the workplace. A California police officer was fired after his employer read his "sexually explicit" texts. The officer sued the department for violation of his privacy alleging they had no right to read the texts. See SC's Hearing of Texting Case Could Shake Up Workplace Privacy.

Viruses That Leave Victims Red in the Facebook

If you see an odd posting from someone on Twitter or Facebook, it may not be genuine. The NYT reports that "Malicious programs are rampaging through Web sites like Facebook and Twitter, spreading themselves by taking over people’s accounts and sending out messages to all of their friends and followers." The program will send tweets or notifications to all your friends, inviting them to try products, visit sites, or watch videos. The Times reports that oftent "victims lose control of their accounts after clicking on a link “sent” by a friend." See Viruses That Leave Victims Red in the Facebook.

Buying, Selling and Twittering All the Way

I can't resist another post about Twitter. This article describes this holiday season as "America’s first Twitter Christmas." Retailers are using Twitter to publicize sales, solve customer problems, and even tell customers where to park. The immediacy of Twitter makes it a powerful social media tool for business. See Buying, Selling and Twittering All the Way.

A Friend’s Tweet Could Be an Ad

Some social media users are getting paid by advertisers for sending commercial messages to their personal contacts. I agree with the commentator who states such users "commercialize authentic dialogue and undermine people’s credibility." See A Friend’s Tweet Could Be an Ad.

Building an Online Bulwark to Fend Off Identity Fraud

'Tis the season for identity theft. There are new services available to protect your identity online. Several services search the Internet for signs that your personal information has been stolen. Other services use a variety of tools to protect your information from criminals when you are online. Protecting your identity has become an increasingly time-consuming and costly battle. See Building an Online Bulwark to Fend Off Identity Fraud.

Ed Hardy’s Tattoo Art Is Booty for Digital Pirates

The Ed Hardy brand is struggling against Chinese counterfeiters who create fake Ed Hardy web sites to sell their goods. The counterfeiters then fool Google into showing their sites high in relevant search results and buy ads words that get them exposure. They improve their site rankings by creating link farms and fake blogs that fool Google into thinking this site must be relevant because many sites link to it. See Ed Hardy’s Tattoo Art Is Booty for Digital Pirates.