Problems on the Internet with New Technology The problem with people’s private information being released, children’s privacy, blogging and deception is on the rise. Companies such as Hershey Foods, Wal-Mart, Xanga, Chevy, Malibu Rum and Sony have all been involved with one of these issues within the past few years. The next two slides give examples of the occurring issues.

The Art of Deception Sony came out and confessed to creating a fake blog about the Sony PSP. Sony had teamed up with a viral marketing firm, Zipatoni, to promote the PSP. Brody Ruckus was a fictional persona that passed as an actual human being online. A fake profile of Ruckus was set up on Facebook and started a group. The group got 300,000 members to join. By starting the group and having members join, Ruckus was able to access the e-mail of every group member. Concept of Blogging & Wal-Mart was caught with a fake blog. Two people pretended that they traveled in an RV and spent the night in Wal-Mart parking lots across the country. They were underwritten by Working Families for Wal-Mart, organized by the Edelman public relations firm.

Sony came out and confessed to creating a fake blog about the Sony PSP. Sony had teamed up with a viral marketing firm, Zipatoni, to promote the PSP.

Brody Ruckus was a fictional persona that passed as an actual human being online. A fake profile of Ruckus was set up on Facebook and started a group. The group got 300,000 members to join. By starting the group and having members join, Ruckus was able to access the e-mail of every group member.

Wal-Mart was caught with a fake blog. Two people pretended that they traveled in an RV and spent the night in Wal-Mart parking lots across the country. They were underwritten by Working Families for Wal-Mart, organized by the Edelman public relations firm.

Privacy Issues Mrs. Field’s, Hershey Foods and Xanga, a social networking Web site, have all violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act in some way. This act protects children age 13 and under from private information being released into the internet. Xanga received a $1 million dollar fine for violating this act. AOL apologized for releasing user search data. America Online thought that by using identification numbers rather than user IDs or names that would be okay. They thought wrong and violated people’s rights to privacy.

Mrs. Field’s, Hershey Foods and Xanga, a social networking Web site, have all violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act in some way. This act protects children age 13 and under from private information being released into the internet. Xanga received a $1 million dollar fine for violating this act.