Ethical Quandary for Social Sites

Social media sites like Flickr, YouTube, and Facebook are being used by political activists as a way to share information. How can those site stay neutral in political disputes and still maintain their policies? See Ethical Quandary for Social Sites.

When the Marketing Reach of Social Media Backfires

Social media creates new risks for business. A fustrated employee or celebrity spokesmen can send out a tweet that spreads quickly and embarasses the employer. The "amplified affect" of social media can spread such messages quickly as they are retweeted. See When the Marketing Reach of Social Media Backfires.

Amazon Pressured on Sales Tax

It should come as no surprise that a states facing huge budget deficits are trying to squeeze money out of Amazon by forcing them to collect state sales taxes. Amazon refuses to collect those taxes in states where they don't have a nexus, such as offices or another physical presence. Some states argue that Amazon's relationship with affiliates in those states is enough to compel them to collect taxes. See Amazon Pressured on Sales Tax.

The Footprints of Web Feet

Would you want to make your personal browsing history public? Start-ups like Dscover.me and Voyurl.com let you share where you have been on the web. See The Footprints of Web Feet.

In Social Media Postings, a Trove for Investigators

Your social media postings can make - or break - your alibi. Who knew that gangs are using Twitter? See In Social Media Postings, a Trove for Investigators.

The Dirty Little Secrets of Search

J.C. Penny cheats its way to the top of Google's search results by using link farms . . . and gets caught! See The Dirty Little Secrets of Search.

Web Words That Lure the Readers

Why would a new site publish an article that was two sentences long? If the topic is a "trending search term" (a popular search that day), then the site will caputure some traffic. This article explores The Huffington Post's use of this questionable search engine optimization technique. See
Web Words That Lure the Readers.