Fewer people than ever are members of political parties, but growing numbers are only too happy to sign up to single issue campaigns.
From the smallest local protest against a bypass to mass movements sThe rise of single issue campaignsuch as Make Poverty History or the Countryside Alliance it seems the public has not fallen out of love with politics or activism.
And thanks to the internet, it has never been easier to join or set up a campaign, raise funds and make a splash in the media on a tiny budget.
The growth of 24 hour TV news means there is always a ready market for campaigners' opinions.
Few TV news producers or newspaper editors can resist the combination of good pictures, interviews with "ordinary people" and a handy dossier resulting from a campaign group's detailed research.
Right-wing radicals
By definition the single issue campaigner's stance is normally clear - so they are less likely to have their motives or funding questioned than a professional politician making the same point.
Little wonder that politicians on all sides have been trying to get in on the act.
At one time, activism was largely the preserve of the left - the very word conjours up visions of university campus sit-ins and bearded, placard-waving students marching against the bomb or the Vietnam war.
But since Labour came to power in 1997, what might broadly be termed the right has taken to political activism with a vengeance, through groups such as the anti-Euro No campaign and the Countryside Alliance.
The recently launched I Want a Referendum campaign, although scrupulous to stress it is a cross-party group, is planning to organise a vote on the EU Treaty for half a million voters in marginal seats to put pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with the enthusiastic support of prospective Conservative candidates.
Other independent groups, such as the Taxpayers Alliance, which receives much of its funding from Tory donors, have been able to make a splash in the media with the sort of message the party leadership can not - or will not - deliver themselves.
A good example was Thursday's newspapers - and this website - which report the Taxpayers' Alliance survey finding that the number of local authority middle managers on £50,000 or more has risen more than nine times in the past 10 years.
Co-option fears
At the other end of the political spectrum, former left wing radicals have gradually found themselves being absorbed into the New Labour establishment.
Many of Labour's high command have their roots in protest movements - the most obvious example being former pensions secretary Peter Hain, who led campaigns against the apartheid regime in the 1970s and helped found the Anti-Nazi League.
Kirsty Milne, author of Manufacturing Dissent, a study of single issue groups, says: "Gordon Brown still likes to think of himself as a radical. That is one of the differences between the Brown and Blair eras."
But she argues that the era of large-scale mass demonstrations of the type seen during the early years of the Blair era may be over for now, as Brown does not dominate the political scene to the same extent as his predecessor did - and the Conservatives are now stronger, making Labour's opponents feel they have a voice.
There are also concerns among some voluntary groups that the Brown era might see further attempts to co-opt protest movements - through consultation exercises and juicy government contracts - into blunting their attacks or even delivering policy messages by proxy.
"It is plainly a risk for governments of all hues. They are very keen to encourage external voices which are calling for things the government itself wants to do," says Adam Sampson, chief executive of homeless charity Shelter.
"There is a lot of pragmatic advantage for governments to encourage campaign groups to call for change that they are already intending to make, to win political space for them to occupy."
Government pressure
Shelter, which was founded in 1967, on a wave of public outrage following the transmission of Cathy Come Home, a documentary drama about homelessness, pioneered many of the techniques used by today's single issue campaigns.
It now receives about 25% of its funding, about £12m, from the government, mainly in the form of contracts to deliver services such as housing advice lines.
Mr Sampson insists it keeps lobbying and service provision separate, adding that Shelter has been a thorn in the side of ministers on several issues, such as anti-social behaviour orders.
Cabinet Office
"The aim it seems to me is to bite them often enough to understand the consequences of not being friendly to you."
But he is also candid about the pressure that can be brought to bear, particularly on smaller, less well known groups, to toe the government line. He cites cases of charities being threatened with a cut in funding by local authorities unless they drop certain campaigns.
Shelter is big enough to resist such crude attempts to silence it, he stresses, but adds: "You do still get informal pressure from individual arms of government."
Envious politicians
There is also a danger, he argues, that politicians are increasingly using charities as "proxies" to speak - and listen - to the public in a way that parties are no longer able to do.
"Some politicians look at campaigners and envy us - our ability to speak the moral and pragmatic truth no matter how uncomfortable that is.
"Trust in politics is at rock bottom, voting levels have never been lower.
"Politicians are looking for ways to engage the public. They are looking for proxies - ways of getting back in touch with public opinion.
"They look at the relationship charities have with their beneficiaries with a certain amount of envy.
"They are increasingly using charities as a proxy."
Party politics
The danger for the charities, he says, is that "over the years we become indistinguishable from the institutions we believe we are in opposition to - there is a danger we may start to lose credibility with the public".
There were concerns in 2005 when Mr Brown and Mr Blair conspicuously allied themselves with the thousands of Make Poverty History campaigners who took to the streets ahead of that year's G8 meeting in Gleneagles.
Some within the campaign claimed it been "co-opted" by Labour, arguing that that criticism of Mr Blair's foreign policy had been stifled, although others saw that as a price worth paying for the cancellation of Third World debt.
The government is now the biggest funder of charities in the UK, outstripping individual donations - and it is not unusual for groups who campaign against government policy to receive much of their money from one arm of government or another.
The cash mostly comes in the form of contracts to deliver public services, in a process that began under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.
The Cabinet Office is also trying to encourage charities to ramp up their campaigning activities, through its Third Sector review, but it insists it would never attempt to compromise charities' independence or ability to speak out.
"The law is designed to ensure that charities cannot be used by government to act as a front for political parties," says a Cabinet office spokesman.
If groups want charitable status - and the all-important tax-exempt status that comes with it - they must stay out of party politics.
The Charity Commission shortly plans to relax the rules on campaigning - but not, it says, so groups can back particular parties, but so that they are better able to stand up to local and national government and be more vocal in pursuing their aims.
Many politicians remain wary about the influence of single issue campaigns, questioning whether, as unelected and often unaccountable bodies, they can truly represent public opinion.
Growing influence
Labour MP Paul Flynn recently launched an outspoken attack on single issue groups on his widely-read blog, accusing some of "bloated empire-building" and criticised Shelter ignoring good news in favour of carefully-orchestrated "sob-ins".
Attempts by government to open dialogue with groups who vehemently oppose their policies have also had mixed results.
Greenpeace and others walked out of the government consultation exercise on nuclear power, amid concerns they were merely being used to add legitimacy to a decision that had already been made.
But with MPs on all sides casting increasingly envious glances at the public support and credibility enjoyed by single issue campaigns, their influence can only grow stronger.
31 January, 2008
YouTube launches programme to make UK users money
YouTube users are being offered the chance to make money from their videos under a scheme being launched in the UK. The YouTube Partnership Programme is launched today (January 31).
The programme, which already exists in US, selects members that create original content and have a big following on the site to become "partners". An advert, which will run for ten seconds at the bottom of the screen, runs on all of the users' videos. If a viewer clicks on the advert, a share of the revenue YouTube generates from the ad is given to video's creator.
The Partner Programme has been localised in 18 countries and "partners" have to be resident in a country where the scheme is running. The UK is the first country in part of an international roll-out of the service.
The programme, which already exists in US, selects members that create original content and have a big following on the site to become "partners". An advert, which will run for ten seconds at the bottom of the screen, runs on all of the users' videos. If a viewer clicks on the advert, a share of the revenue YouTube generates from the ad is given to video's creator.
The Partner Programme has been localised in 18 countries and "partners" have to be resident in a country where the scheme is running. The UK is the first country in part of an international roll-out of the service.
30 January, 2008
Why you must have a website
By Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 30 January 2008
Sue Fidler explains why there are no excuses for not having your own website.
There is much talk about 'new' web tools, gimmicks and advanced ideas. But when you really look around the sector, there are thousands of charities that either don't have websites or have websites that don't really help them very much. Unfortunately, I still meet charities that say "why should we have one?" or "we can't afford it". I even know of one that wouldn't pay the few pounds a year to own its own domain name.
There are two essential points here. First, whether you can afford one or not, you absolutely should invest in your own domain name or URL. Think of it as future-proofing. This means that at some point you can set up a site branded in your name. If somebody else takes it, you will be stuck with a web name that is not your charity name or is not easy to find.
You may think there isn't anyone around who will want to buy your name, but with 180,000 charities and all the corporates competing for URLs there may well be somebody with your name in a different area. You can register a domain for as little as £2.50 a year. Can you really afford not to?
Second, you really should have a website. Despite all the hype, a website is a key marker in the sand. It tells people you exist, who you are and what you do. For many funders, donors, supporters, volunteers and clients it is becoming the first place to research an organisation.
More than 80 per cent of people in the UK now use the internet. Having a website is like having a postal address or a phone number. It allows people to find you, contact you and simply to know that you exist.
So having your own URL and website, however simple, is a basic and essential marketing tool, and these days none of us can afford to ignore it.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant
Sue Fidler explains why there are no excuses for not having your own website.
There is much talk about 'new' web tools, gimmicks and advanced ideas. But when you really look around the sector, there are thousands of charities that either don't have websites or have websites that don't really help them very much. Unfortunately, I still meet charities that say "why should we have one?" or "we can't afford it". I even know of one that wouldn't pay the few pounds a year to own its own domain name.
There are two essential points here. First, whether you can afford one or not, you absolutely should invest in your own domain name or URL. Think of it as future-proofing. This means that at some point you can set up a site branded in your name. If somebody else takes it, you will be stuck with a web name that is not your charity name or is not easy to find.
You may think there isn't anyone around who will want to buy your name, but with 180,000 charities and all the corporates competing for URLs there may well be somebody with your name in a different area. You can register a domain for as little as £2.50 a year. Can you really afford not to?
Second, you really should have a website. Despite all the hype, a website is a key marker in the sand. It tells people you exist, who you are and what you do. For many funders, donors, supporters, volunteers and clients it is becoming the first place to research an organisation.
More than 80 per cent of people in the UK now use the internet. Having a website is like having a postal address or a phone number. It allows people to find you, contact you and simply to know that you exist.
So having your own URL and website, however simple, is a basic and essential marketing tool, and these days none of us can afford to ignore it.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant
Why you must have a website
By Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 30 January 2008
Sue Fidler explains why there are no excuses for not having your own website.
There is much talk about 'new' web tools, gimmicks and advanced ideas. But when you really look around the sector, there are thousands of charities that either don't have websites or have websites that don't really help them very much. Unfortunately, I still meet charities that say "why should we have one?" or "we can't afford it". I even know of one that wouldn't pay the few pounds a year to own its own domain name.
There are two essential points here. First, whether you can afford one or not, you absolutely should invest in your own domain name or URL. Think of it as future-proofing. This means that at some point you can set up a site branded in your name. If somebody else takes it, you will be stuck with a web name that is not your charity name or is not easy to find.
You may think there isn't anyone around who will want to buy your name, but with 180,000 charities and all the corporates competing for URLs there may well be somebody with your name in a different area. You can register a domain for as little as £2.50 a year. Can you really afford not to?
Second, you really should have a website. Despite all the hype, a website is a key marker in the sand. It tells people you exist, who you are and what you do. For many funders, donors, supporters, volunteers and clients it is becoming the first place to research an organisation.
More than 80 per cent of people in the UK now use the internet. Having a website is like having a postal address or a phone number. It allows people to find you, contact you and simply to know that you exist.
So having your own URL and website, however simple, is a basic and essential marketing tool, and these days none of us can afford to ignore it.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant
Sue Fidler explains why there are no excuses for not having your own website.
There is much talk about 'new' web tools, gimmicks and advanced ideas. But when you really look around the sector, there are thousands of charities that either don't have websites or have websites that don't really help them very much. Unfortunately, I still meet charities that say "why should we have one?" or "we can't afford it". I even know of one that wouldn't pay the few pounds a year to own its own domain name.
There are two essential points here. First, whether you can afford one or not, you absolutely should invest in your own domain name or URL. Think of it as future-proofing. This means that at some point you can set up a site branded in your name. If somebody else takes it, you will be stuck with a web name that is not your charity name or is not easy to find.
You may think there isn't anyone around who will want to buy your name, but with 180,000 charities and all the corporates competing for URLs there may well be somebody with your name in a different area. You can register a domain for as little as £2.50 a year. Can you really afford not to?
Second, you really should have a website. Despite all the hype, a website is a key marker in the sand. It tells people you exist, who you are and what you do. For many funders, donors, supporters, volunteers and clients it is becoming the first place to research an organisation.
More than 80 per cent of people in the UK now use the internet. Having a website is like having a postal address or a phone number. It allows people to find you, contact you and simply to know that you exist.
So having your own URL and website, however simple, is a basic and essential marketing tool, and these days none of us can afford to ignore it.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant
London becomes most popular Facebook network
NetImperative
Members of a city specific Facebook network have today reached an all time high, as London becomes the first city worldwide to have 2 million members on Facebook.
The total number of UK residents now signed up to the social network site has reached 8 million, a clear warning to organisations that protecting your brand reputation on social media is more important than ever.
Henry Elliss, head of social media at Tamar, which advises brands on how to manage their reputations online comments, “Social networking sites like Facebook have clearly become an intrinsic part of British culture, much in the same way as Google.
“High profile cases of brands acting based on social network activity have demonstrated the growing power of social media – the Facebook campaign that led to Cadbury’s bringing back Wispa for example. As a result of this power, when it comes to brands liaising with social media consumers, the risks are high but so are the rewards if it is done well.” Elliss concluded.
Members of a city specific Facebook network have today reached an all time high, as London becomes the first city worldwide to have 2 million members on Facebook.
The total number of UK residents now signed up to the social network site has reached 8 million, a clear warning to organisations that protecting your brand reputation on social media is more important than ever.
Henry Elliss, head of social media at Tamar, which advises brands on how to manage their reputations online comments, “Social networking sites like Facebook have clearly become an intrinsic part of British culture, much in the same way as Google.
“High profile cases of brands acting based on social network activity have demonstrated the growing power of social media – the Facebook campaign that led to Cadbury’s bringing back Wispa for example. As a result of this power, when it comes to brands liaising with social media consumers, the risks are high but so are the rewards if it is done well.” Elliss concluded.
Why you must have a website
By Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 30 January 2008
Sue Fidler explains why there are no excuses for not having your own website.
There is much talk about 'new' web tools, gimmicks and advanced ideas. But when you really look around the sector, there are thousands of charities that either don't have websites or have websites that don't really help them very much. Unfortunately, I still meet charities that say "why should we have one?" or "we can't afford it". I even know of one that wouldn't pay the few pounds a year to own its own domain name.
There are two essential points here. First, whether you can afford one or not, you absolutely should invest in your own domain name or URL. Think of it as future-proofing. This means that at some point you can set up a site branded in your name. If somebody else takes it, you will be stuck with a web name that is not your charity name or is not easy to find.
You may think there isn't anyone around who will want to buy your name, but with 180,000 charities and all the corporates competing for URLs there may well be somebody with your name in a different area. You can register a domain for as little as £2.50 a year. Can you really afford not to?
Second, you really should have a website. Despite all the hype, a website is a key marker in the sand. It tells people you exist, who you are and what you do. For many funders, donors, supporters, volunteers and clients it is becoming the first place to research an organisation.
More than 80 per cent of people in the UK now use the internet. Having a website is like having a postal address or a phone number. It allows people to find you, contact you and simply to know that you exist.
So having your own URL and website, however simple, is a basic and essential marketing tool, and these days none of us can afford to ignore it.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant
Sue Fidler explains why there are no excuses for not having your own website.
There is much talk about 'new' web tools, gimmicks and advanced ideas. But when you really look around the sector, there are thousands of charities that either don't have websites or have websites that don't really help them very much. Unfortunately, I still meet charities that say "why should we have one?" or "we can't afford it". I even know of one that wouldn't pay the few pounds a year to own its own domain name.
There are two essential points here. First, whether you can afford one or not, you absolutely should invest in your own domain name or URL. Think of it as future-proofing. This means that at some point you can set up a site branded in your name. If somebody else takes it, you will be stuck with a web name that is not your charity name or is not easy to find.
You may think there isn't anyone around who will want to buy your name, but with 180,000 charities and all the corporates competing for URLs there may well be somebody with your name in a different area. You can register a domain for as little as £2.50 a year. Can you really afford not to?
Second, you really should have a website. Despite all the hype, a website is a key marker in the sand. It tells people you exist, who you are and what you do. For many funders, donors, supporters, volunteers and clients it is becoming the first place to research an organisation.
More than 80 per cent of people in the UK now use the internet. Having a website is like having a postal address or a phone number. It allows people to find you, contact you and simply to know that you exist.
So having your own URL and website, however simple, is a basic and essential marketing tool, and these days none of us can afford to ignore it.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant
29 January, 2008
Who has done the most to safeguard the planet in the past 12 months?
Lucy Siegle The Observer
Who are the champions of the world?
Welcome to the launch of the third Observer Ethical Awards, in association with Ecover. What started as a vague notion of highlighting efforts to progress social and environmental justice in the UK, seems to have somehow become a dynamic, growing, three-year-old fixture on the eco social calendar. It is equally thrilling and terrifying, especially when you look objectively at this year's rather stellar celebrity panel including one supermodel, one A-list actor, one pop star and one England footballer among its number.
Green awards are no longer an anomaly. Since we started quite a few green gongs have begun to be handed out - predominantly in the corporate and marketing worlds. But the Observer Ethical Awards are not just about attaching a green tag, but rather environmental and social justice. For us, the two notions are deeply entwined. And the awards break across sectors and communities, acknowledging everyone from campaigning kids to fashion designers.
Gratifyingly, previous winners tell us this is the award that really boosted their campaign, project or business. In this way, the awards are instrumental in progressing ethical thinking and ideas in the UK. With this in mind, we launch a new category for 2008: the Jupiter Big Idea award which joins the three other bursaries on offer this year, designed to really get initiatives moving.
Given what's at stake, the judging process should be daunting. But we deflect much of the pressure to you, relying on your votes and nominations to tell us who or what will and should make a difference to the future of our beleaguered planet.
The remainder of the responsibility is offset to a brilliantly expert panel - from eco designers to sustainability academics and eco architects - who have spent the majority of their professional lives (and probably most of their personal lives) mulling over eco footprints and development issues. In April our experts will present a shortlist to our celebrities over lunch at Andaz, the newly refurbished London hotel setting new standards for ecologically aware venues. The results will be announced in June 2008 in a special issue of the Observer Magazine. But for now, please get voting.
Major brands in green push to cut water usage
Alex Donohue Brand Republic
More than 20 major food and drink brands, including Cadbury Schweppes, Nestle UK and GlaxoSmithKline, have made a pledge to cut their water usage and improve energy efficiency, as part of measures outlined by the industry's trade body.
The Food and Drink Federation, which is the trade body for food and drink manufacturers in the UK, said the 21 brands that had agreed the measures had a combined annual turnover of £15bn and aimed to cut 2007 water usage levels by 20% by 2020.
The brands that have so far signed up to the voluntary agreement, known as the Federation House Commitment, have said that it could save the 140m litres of water being used by businesses each day within six months, and make a combined saving of £60m a year.
Brands that have joined the agreement will work with Envirowise, a government funded consultation service for companies aiming to cut energy usage, to develop ways of reducing their impact on the environment.
The brands involved have committed to find ways of reducing their water usage in the next six months and give Envirowise annual reports outlining their progress.
Callton Young, director of sustainability and competitiveness at FDF, said: "Last October FDF chose to be bold about the environment by targeting priorities where we can make the biggest difference through collective action.
"[The] signing of the Federation House Commitment by many of our largest member companies is an important demonstration of this commitment and their desire to reduce the environmental impacts of our sector through the widespread adoption of water efficiency best practice."
The full list of companies that have so far signed up to the agreement also include Britvic, Premier Foods, United Biscuits, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Apetito, Birds Eye Iglo, Kellog Marketing & Sales, Kraft Foods UK, Mars Snackgood, Muller Dairy UK, PepsiCo UK, UIN Foods, Unilever UK, Uniq, Warburtons, Weetabix and Young's Seafood.
More than 20 major food and drink brands, including Cadbury Schweppes, Nestle UK and GlaxoSmithKline, have made a pledge to cut their water usage and improve energy efficiency, as part of measures outlined by the industry's trade body.
The Food and Drink Federation, which is the trade body for food and drink manufacturers in the UK, said the 21 brands that had agreed the measures had a combined annual turnover of £15bn and aimed to cut 2007 water usage levels by 20% by 2020.
The brands that have so far signed up to the voluntary agreement, known as the Federation House Commitment, have said that it could save the 140m litres of water being used by businesses each day within six months, and make a combined saving of £60m a year.
Brands that have joined the agreement will work with Envirowise, a government funded consultation service for companies aiming to cut energy usage, to develop ways of reducing their impact on the environment.
The brands involved have committed to find ways of reducing their water usage in the next six months and give Envirowise annual reports outlining their progress.
Callton Young, director of sustainability and competitiveness at FDF, said: "Last October FDF chose to be bold about the environment by targeting priorities where we can make the biggest difference through collective action.
"[The] signing of the Federation House Commitment by many of our largest member companies is an important demonstration of this commitment and their desire to reduce the environmental impacts of our sector through the widespread adoption of water efficiency best practice."
The full list of companies that have so far signed up to the agreement also include Britvic, Premier Foods, United Biscuits, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Apetito, Birds Eye Iglo, Kellog Marketing & Sales, Kraft Foods UK, Mars Snackgood, Muller Dairy UK, PepsiCo UK, UIN Foods, Unilever UK, Uniq, Warburtons, Weetabix and Young's Seafood.
28 January, 2008
Marketers don't know the size of their carbon footprints
Antoinette Odoi Marketing
Marketers are still largely unaware of their companies' carbon footprints despite three quarters thinking their departments can do more for the environment.
Nearly 80% of marketers do not know to what extent their businesses were harming the environment, according to a survey by customer information management service, Acxiom. More than half of the marketing directors surveyed have no concrete environmental objectives in place.
Despite this ignorance, marketers must increasingly take a green approach as a key strategy to achieve their marketing goals, according to Keith Jones, group leader of multi-industry solutions at Acxiom.
Marketers have been increasingly keen to tune into the public's growing concerns about the environment with many high profile names such as Virgin Trains, Honda and Eurostar launching 'green' incentives and campaigns.
The desire for companies to engage on this front may be due to the fact many marketers believe companies with green credentials are more likely to retain customers in the future; the survey revealed 61% directors believe customers' awareness of green issues will later affect their interaction with a company. Only 2% of directors do not see this as an important issue.
But companies hoping to beef up their environmental initiatives should take note: the Advertising Standards Authority recently warned it would rigorously scrutinise all green claims after several members of the public voiced their concerns regarding the environmental claims made by some firms.
Marketers are still largely unaware of their companies' carbon footprints despite three quarters thinking their departments can do more for the environment.
Nearly 80% of marketers do not know to what extent their businesses were harming the environment, according to a survey by customer information management service, Acxiom. More than half of the marketing directors surveyed have no concrete environmental objectives in place.
Despite this ignorance, marketers must increasingly take a green approach as a key strategy to achieve their marketing goals, according to Keith Jones, group leader of multi-industry solutions at Acxiom.
Marketers have been increasingly keen to tune into the public's growing concerns about the environment with many high profile names such as Virgin Trains, Honda and Eurostar launching 'green' incentives and campaigns.
The desire for companies to engage on this front may be due to the fact many marketers believe companies with green credentials are more likely to retain customers in the future; the survey revealed 61% directors believe customers' awareness of green issues will later affect their interaction with a company. Only 2% of directors do not see this as an important issue.
But companies hoping to beef up their environmental initiatives should take note: the Advertising Standards Authority recently warned it would rigorously scrutinise all green claims after several members of the public voiced their concerns regarding the environmental claims made by some firms.
25 January, 2008
Facebook gets users to translate its site
Facebook has begun rolling out the site in local languages.
The network is relying on its users to translate the site into French, German and Spanish, using a translation application built by Facebook developers.
Users will also be given responsibility for monitoring the quality of translations, voting for the best and reporting the poor.
Facebook expects the local-language sites to be ready by the end of March.
Last week MySpace went live with its Russian site, featuring local content.
The network is relying on its users to translate the site into French, German and Spanish, using a translation application built by Facebook developers.
Users will also be given responsibility for monitoring the quality of translations, voting for the best and reporting the poor.
Facebook expects the local-language sites to be ready by the end of March.
Last week MySpace went live with its Russian site, featuring local content.
24 January, 2008
BBC Worldwide programmes available on MySpace
BBC Worldwide has signed a deal with MySpace to make its programmes available to the social networking site's users. Under the agreement a dedicated BBC Worldwide channel on MySpace's video service, MySpace TV, will show 150 clips of BBC programming.
The new channel will be divided into seven areas: comedy; drama; science fiction; weird and wonderful; love earth; famous faces; and the motoring programme Top Gear.
Users will be able to watch the clips on MySpace TV, share them with friends and add them to their MySpace profiles. The BBC content will be made available from today (January 24) in 27 countries.
Most of the clips will not appear for six months after airing on the BBC terrestrial channel. This is due to the first "rights window" for programming held by the BBC's iPlayer on-demand TV service.
The new channel will be divided into seven areas: comedy; drama; science fiction; weird and wonderful; love earth; famous faces; and the motoring programme Top Gear.
Users will be able to watch the clips on MySpace TV, share them with friends and add them to their MySpace profiles. The BBC content will be made available from today (January 24) in 27 countries.
Most of the clips will not appear for six months after airing on the BBC terrestrial channel. This is due to the first "rights window" for programming held by the BBC's iPlayer on-demand TV service.
23 January, 2008
Pingie turns your favorite feeds into SMS alerts
Josh Lowensohn
A lot of folks have discovered the wonders of going over their monthly SMS allotments due to the alert systems built into popular Web apps like Twitter. But what about getting SMS alerts for other sites too? A service called Pingie is doing just that, letting you plug in whatever RSS feeds you'd like to keep an eye on (like ours), and sending you a portion of the latest post as an SMS message. The service notes its usefulness for sites like Slickdeals and Woot (two of my personal favorites) as well as news sites for getting the most up to date info when away from your machine.
What makes the system nice is its feed management screen where you can see what feeds you're subscribing to, and add or remove others freely. You can also preview the feed once you've added it, which is a nice way to gauge if you're about to get RSS fatigue, or worse--a massive, overage-inducing SMS onslaught.
There are a handful of other services that do this including Yahoo's Alerts, ZapTXT, RSSFWD, and Web-Alerts.com. It's also worth noting that Pingie is US-only, and Sprint and Nextel customers may have trouble getting messages from Pingie delivered, although according to the devblog, a fix is in the works.
A lot of folks have discovered the wonders of going over their monthly SMS allotments due to the alert systems built into popular Web apps like Twitter. But what about getting SMS alerts for other sites too? A service called Pingie is doing just that, letting you plug in whatever RSS feeds you'd like to keep an eye on (like ours), and sending you a portion of the latest post as an SMS message. The service notes its usefulness for sites like Slickdeals and Woot (two of my personal favorites) as well as news sites for getting the most up to date info when away from your machine.
What makes the system nice is its feed management screen where you can see what feeds you're subscribing to, and add or remove others freely. You can also preview the feed once you've added it, which is a nice way to gauge if you're about to get RSS fatigue, or worse--a massive, overage-inducing SMS onslaught.
There are a handful of other services that do this including Yahoo's Alerts, ZapTXT, RSSFWD, and Web-Alerts.com. It's also worth noting that Pingie is US-only, and Sprint and Nextel customers may have trouble getting messages from Pingie delivered, although according to the devblog, a fix is in the works.
High Street brands enjoy merry Xmas online
Net Imperative
Whilst eBay and Amazon remain the most popular retailers online in the UK, the ten fastest growing are all high street brands, according to new research from Neilsen//Netratings.
The data showed that eBay was the most popular retailer online during the 2007 Christmas shopping period - visited by an average of 15 million Britons per month in November and December.
Of the ten most popular retailers, Asda (+68%) and Marks & Spencer (+54%) experienced the strongest audience growth since the 2006 Christmas shopping period.
Three of the five most popular retailers online were pure online players (eBay, Amazon and Play.com) whilst high street retailers accounted for seven of the ten most popular.
read the details at http://www.netimperative.com/news/2008/january/21/high-street-brands-enjoy-merry-xmas-online
Whilst eBay and Amazon remain the most popular retailers online in the UK, the ten fastest growing are all high street brands, according to new research from Neilsen//Netratings.
The data showed that eBay was the most popular retailer online during the 2007 Christmas shopping period - visited by an average of 15 million Britons per month in November and December.
Of the ten most popular retailers, Asda (+68%) and Marks & Spencer (+54%) experienced the strongest audience growth since the 2006 Christmas shopping period.
Three of the five most popular retailers online were pure online players (eBay, Amazon and Play.com) whilst high street retailers accounted for seven of the ten most popular.
read the details at http://www.netimperative.com/news/2008/january/21/high-street-brands-enjoy-merry-xmas-online
21 January, 2008
Fund for internet learning given to charity
BCS
A large donation is being given out by the Nominet Foundation to fund educational and research projects that deal with online learning.
The non-profit organisation will be putting £5 million into a fund that has been taken from the excess money that Nominet makes while managing its .uk domain.
Lesley Cowley, chief executive of Nominet, said the idea came about when excess money from the more than six million .uk domain names registered with the firm allowed it to donate the cash to a charitable cause.
"We are extremely excited about the types of work the foundation will be able to fund," she said, while explaining that the organisation had already received some suggestions about how to use the money and would ask for more proposals once the fund was fully set up.
Nominet is aiming to have the foundation set up and looking for its first projects to fund by this summer.
A large donation is being given out by the Nominet Foundation to fund educational and research projects that deal with online learning.
The non-profit organisation will be putting £5 million into a fund that has been taken from the excess money that Nominet makes while managing its .uk domain.
Lesley Cowley, chief executive of Nominet, said the idea came about when excess money from the more than six million .uk domain names registered with the firm allowed it to donate the cash to a charitable cause.
"We are extremely excited about the types of work the foundation will be able to fund," she said, while explaining that the organisation had already received some suggestions about how to use the money and would ask for more proposals once the fund was fully set up.
Nominet is aiming to have the foundation set up and looking for its first projects to fund by this summer.
WWF calls for Government action on carbon emissions
marketingweek
The World Wildlife Fund UK has launched a campaign calling on the Government to set tougher carbon emission cuts. In an open letter published today in national newspapers, the charity says cuts set out in the UK Climate Change Bill are based on out-of-date science.
The letter, which appears in The Times, The Guardian, The Independent and The Daily Telegraph, states that the latest science "clearly shows the need for the UK to reduce its CO2 emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050". It will also appear in tomorrow's Financial Times.
The UK Climate Change Bill is proposing a reduction of only 60 per cent, a target based on a report from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP) from 2002. The WWF-UK says that the development in climate change science shows this target is now insufficient.
The open letter is signed by some of Britain's leading environmentalists: Sir John Lawton, chair of the RCEP and president of the British Ecological Society; his predecessor at the RCEP, Sir Tom Blundell; Sir John Houghton, former chief executive of the Met Office; and Professor Norman Myers, member of the US National Academy of Science.
The World Wildlife Fund UK has launched a campaign calling on the Government to set tougher carbon emission cuts. In an open letter published today in national newspapers, the charity says cuts set out in the UK Climate Change Bill are based on out-of-date science.
The letter, which appears in The Times, The Guardian, The Independent and The Daily Telegraph, states that the latest science "clearly shows the need for the UK to reduce its CO2 emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050". It will also appear in tomorrow's Financial Times.
The UK Climate Change Bill is proposing a reduction of only 60 per cent, a target based on a report from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP) from 2002. The WWF-UK says that the development in climate change science shows this target is now insufficient.
The open letter is signed by some of Britain's leading environmentalists: Sir John Lawton, chair of the RCEP and president of the British Ecological Society; his predecessor at the RCEP, Sir Tom Blundell; Sir John Houghton, former chief executive of the Met Office; and Professor Norman Myers, member of the US National Academy of Science.
18 January, 2008
Paypal app on Facebook
You can now add a paypal app to facebook profiles and groups to ask for donations.
The application has only just launched and seems to be causing users some problems saving their 'button' from the design page, but this is definitely worth keeping an eye on until they add UK charitiy donations to the causes tool.
http://www.facebook.com/add.php?api_key=579a5f049920acb99f07c7a2ac98a79e
The application has only just launched and seems to be causing users some problems saving their 'button' from the design page, but this is definitely worth keeping an eye on until they add UK charitiy donations to the causes tool.
http://www.facebook.com/add.php?api_key=579a5f049920acb99f07c7a2ac98a79e
London freesheets begin recycling push
London’s free evening newspapers have started the roll-out of 70 recycling bins across the city centre today, following a ground-breaking agreement between News International, Associated Newspapers and Westminster City Council.
Starting with a bin outside 190 Oxford Street at 10am today (18th January 2008), Associated Newspapers, publisher of London Lite, and NI Free Newspapers, which publishes thelondonpaper, have paid for 56 bins to be placed across the capital’s West End.
Together they will be responsible for the emptying and recycling of nearly 400 tonnes of free newspapers a year.
The council claims the initiative will save the equivalent of 6,400 trees each year and comes as an addition to the 146 newspaper recycling bins already in use across the borough.
The newspaper groups have split the cost by taking ownership of two zones each; NI Free Papers will service bins near Oxford Circus and Charing Cross Station while Associated looks after Leicester Square and Victoria Station areas.
Both publishers agreed the measure as part of a voluntary scheme to help tackle the problem of waste papers in the West End. However, the green push only reached fruition after the council threatened to invoke its powers under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.
In a show of force that embarrassed both media companies, the authority said it would slash freesheet distribution points in central London by 30 per cent if a timely agreement could not be reached.
Councillor Alan Bradley, Cabinet Member for Street Environment, said: "As well as the importance of helping the environment through recycling, we also want to ensure that Westminster retains it enviable status as one of the cleanest places in the country.
"I'm delighted that our unique agreement means that the million daily visitors into Westminster now have even more opportunities to recycle their newspapers."
The bins will be branded with newspaper and council logos and carry a phone line for any further inquiries or complaints.
John Leitch, circulation director of London Lite, said: "This new recycling initiative further reinforces our green credentials and our litter picker operation which has run since the launch."
Ian Clark, managing director of thelondonpaper, said: "Over 400 bags of litter are already collected by our distributors and litter patrol teams every day in the capital. This is part of our ongoing efforts to minimise impact on the environment. Thelondonpaper is printed on recycled paper and uses environmentally friendly ink that can be broken down without specialist recycling techniques. "
The move follows studies by the council which found that newspaper waste accounts for 24 per cent of all street waste in the West End since the launch of the freesheets in September 2006.
The new recycling scheme will cost each publisher more than £100,000 per year and promises to add more pressure on two titles which continue to operate at a loss.
Announcing the scheme last year, Clark kept the fierce rivalry between the two titles very much alive, noting: "It is disappointing that Associated's other titles, the Evening Standard and Metro, have declined to play their part in this voluntary scheme."
Starting with a bin outside 190 Oxford Street at 10am today (18th January 2008), Associated Newspapers, publisher of London Lite, and NI Free Newspapers, which publishes thelondonpaper, have paid for 56 bins to be placed across the capital’s West End.
Together they will be responsible for the emptying and recycling of nearly 400 tonnes of free newspapers a year.
The council claims the initiative will save the equivalent of 6,400 trees each year and comes as an addition to the 146 newspaper recycling bins already in use across the borough.
The newspaper groups have split the cost by taking ownership of two zones each; NI Free Papers will service bins near Oxford Circus and Charing Cross Station while Associated looks after Leicester Square and Victoria Station areas.
Both publishers agreed the measure as part of a voluntary scheme to help tackle the problem of waste papers in the West End. However, the green push only reached fruition after the council threatened to invoke its powers under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.
In a show of force that embarrassed both media companies, the authority said it would slash freesheet distribution points in central London by 30 per cent if a timely agreement could not be reached.
Councillor Alan Bradley, Cabinet Member for Street Environment, said: "As well as the importance of helping the environment through recycling, we also want to ensure that Westminster retains it enviable status as one of the cleanest places in the country.
"I'm delighted that our unique agreement means that the million daily visitors into Westminster now have even more opportunities to recycle their newspapers."
The bins will be branded with newspaper and council logos and carry a phone line for any further inquiries or complaints.
John Leitch, circulation director of London Lite, said: "This new recycling initiative further reinforces our green credentials and our litter picker operation which has run since the launch."
Ian Clark, managing director of thelondonpaper, said: "Over 400 bags of litter are already collected by our distributors and litter patrol teams every day in the capital. This is part of our ongoing efforts to minimise impact on the environment. Thelondonpaper is printed on recycled paper and uses environmentally friendly ink that can be broken down without specialist recycling techniques. "
The move follows studies by the council which found that newspaper waste accounts for 24 per cent of all street waste in the West End since the launch of the freesheets in September 2006.
The new recycling scheme will cost each publisher more than £100,000 per year and promises to add more pressure on two titles which continue to operate at a loss.
Announcing the scheme last year, Clark kept the fierce rivalry between the two titles very much alive, noting: "It is disappointing that Associated's other titles, the Evening Standard and Metro, have declined to play their part in this voluntary scheme."
16 January, 2008
Social networking sites
Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 16 January 2008
Sue Fidler explains why charities should not ignore social networking websites.
There is currently a proliferation of social networking websites, and there is little doubt that there will be some consolidation sooner or later.
It seems unlikely that MySpace, Facebook and Bebo won't survive in some format, but they could be bought out. Google's own social networking site will gain market share simply because of the number of Google users. And we need to keep our eye on charity-specific sites such as MyCharityPage to see if they take off and survive against the background of Facebook's Causes, MySpace's Impact, the Community Channel's Your Charity Space and Justgiving. There are definitely shifting loyalties among the users of these websites.
For a while, MySpace was the place to be for younger users, but now the average user age is between 25 and 45, and it is gaining a reputation for being a dating site. Bebo, which is mainly used by younger audiences aged from 14 to 25, gives branding opportunities in a hard-to-reach space. As the UK's fastest-growing networking site, Facebook is the choice for a slightly more professional audience.
Unfortunately for harassed charity staff trying to keep up with the shifting morass of Web 2.0, there isn't an obvious right or wrong option when deciding which site to use.
You should definitely have a presence on all three, even if it is only a simple page with a logo, contact details, a key paragraph about the charity and links to your home and donation pages.
When choosing which to concentrate on, search for your charity and your immediate competitors on each of these sites and see which has the most 'friends'. Then set up an official group on whichever network has the stronger audience and invite the informal groups to link with you and help spread the word.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant.
Sue Fidler explains why charities should not ignore social networking websites.
There is currently a proliferation of social networking websites, and there is little doubt that there will be some consolidation sooner or later.
It seems unlikely that MySpace, Facebook and Bebo won't survive in some format, but they could be bought out. Google's own social networking site will gain market share simply because of the number of Google users. And we need to keep our eye on charity-specific sites such as MyCharityPage to see if they take off and survive against the background of Facebook's Causes, MySpace's Impact, the Community Channel's Your Charity Space and Justgiving. There are definitely shifting loyalties among the users of these websites.
For a while, MySpace was the place to be for younger users, but now the average user age is between 25 and 45, and it is gaining a reputation for being a dating site. Bebo, which is mainly used by younger audiences aged from 14 to 25, gives branding opportunities in a hard-to-reach space. As the UK's fastest-growing networking site, Facebook is the choice for a slightly more professional audience.
Unfortunately for harassed charity staff trying to keep up with the shifting morass of Web 2.0, there isn't an obvious right or wrong option when deciding which site to use.
You should definitely have a presence on all three, even if it is only a simple page with a logo, contact details, a key paragraph about the charity and links to your home and donation pages.
When choosing which to concentrate on, search for your charity and your immediate competitors on each of these sites and see which has the most 'friends'. Then set up an official group on whichever network has the stronger audience and invite the informal groups to link with you and help spread the word.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant.
Social networking sites
Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 16 January 2008
Sue Fidler explains why charities should not ignore social networking websites.
There is currently a proliferation of social networking websites, and there is little doubt that there will be some consolidation sooner or later.
It seems unlikely that MySpace, Facebook and Bebo won't survive in some format, but they could be bought out. Google's own social networking site will gain market share simply because of the number of Google users. And we need to keep our eye on charity-specific sites such as MyCharityPage to see if they take off and survive against the background of Facebook's Causes, MySpace's Impact, the Community Channel's Your Charity Space and Justgiving. There are definitely shifting loyalties among the users of these websites.
For a while, MySpace was the place to be for younger users, but now the average user age is between 25 and 45, and it is gaining a reputation for being a dating site. Bebo, which is mainly used by younger audiences aged from 14 to 25, gives branding opportunities in a hard-to-reach space. As the UK's fastest-growing networking site, Facebook is the choice for a slightly more professional audience.
Unfortunately for harassed charity staff trying to keep up with the shifting morass of Web 2.0, there isn't an obvious right or wrong option when deciding which site to use.
You should definitely have a presence on all three, even if it is only a simple page with a logo, contact details, a key paragraph about the charity and links to your home and donation pages.
When choosing which to concentrate on, search for your charity and your immediate competitors on each of these sites and see which has the most 'friends'. Then set up an official group on whichever network has the stronger audience and invite the informal groups to link with you and help spread the word.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant.
Sue Fidler explains why charities should not ignore social networking websites.
There is currently a proliferation of social networking websites, and there is little doubt that there will be some consolidation sooner or later.
It seems unlikely that MySpace, Facebook and Bebo won't survive in some format, but they could be bought out. Google's own social networking site will gain market share simply because of the number of Google users. And we need to keep our eye on charity-specific sites such as MyCharityPage to see if they take off and survive against the background of Facebook's Causes, MySpace's Impact, the Community Channel's Your Charity Space and Justgiving. There are definitely shifting loyalties among the users of these websites.
For a while, MySpace was the place to be for younger users, but now the average user age is between 25 and 45, and it is gaining a reputation for being a dating site. Bebo, which is mainly used by younger audiences aged from 14 to 25, gives branding opportunities in a hard-to-reach space. As the UK's fastest-growing networking site, Facebook is the choice for a slightly more professional audience.
Unfortunately for harassed charity staff trying to keep up with the shifting morass of Web 2.0, there isn't an obvious right or wrong option when deciding which site to use.
You should definitely have a presence on all three, even if it is only a simple page with a logo, contact details, a key paragraph about the charity and links to your home and donation pages.
When choosing which to concentrate on, search for your charity and your immediate competitors on each of these sites and see which has the most 'friends'. Then set up an official group on whichever network has the stronger audience and invite the informal groups to link with you and help spread the word.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant.
15 January, 2008
Facebook meglomania...
For all you anti microsoft, pro FOSS/google/web2.0 will save the world.. this is actually quite a funny rant and well worth the read - Sue
With friends like these ...
Facebook has 59 million users - and 2 million new ones join each week. But you won't catch Tom Hodgkinson volunteering his personal information - not now that he knows the politics of the people behind the social networking site
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/14/facebook
With friends like these ...
Facebook has 59 million users - and 2 million new ones join each week. But you won't catch Tom Hodgkinson volunteering his personal information - not now that he knows the politics of the people behind the social networking site
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/14/facebook
The value of social networks
Darren Waters dot.life blog
Think social networks are a waste of time? Think again.
According to a report released today by market research firm Experian, social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace now account for one in every five net page impressions in the UK.
That's a lot of activity. I had begun to find my enthusiasm for Facebook waning somewhat, but that might just be because I'm too old.
The report also says that younger users are starting to use social networks to communicate rather than using e-mail.
It states: The top 25 social networks accounted for 5.21% of all UK Internet visits in November 2007, compared to 4.92% for e-mail services, which include Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and Google Mail.
Experian is predicting the rise of the "super advocate", a person who has a huge online following and influences others through their actions and opinions.
Does that sound like you? You may be interested to know that Experian believes companies will quickly need to identify these super advocates and "use everything at their disposal to keep these key influencers on side".
Hmmm. Does that sound like bribery to you?
You can read more here.
Think social networks are a waste of time? Think again.
According to a report released today by market research firm Experian, social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace now account for one in every five net page impressions in the UK.
That's a lot of activity. I had begun to find my enthusiasm for Facebook waning somewhat, but that might just be because I'm too old.
The report also says that younger users are starting to use social networks to communicate rather than using e-mail.
It states: The top 25 social networks accounted for 5.21% of all UK Internet visits in November 2007, compared to 4.92% for e-mail services, which include Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and Google Mail.
Experian is predicting the rise of the "super advocate", a person who has a huge online following and influences others through their actions and opinions.
Does that sound like you? You may be interested to know that Experian believes companies will quickly need to identify these super advocates and "use everything at their disposal to keep these key influencers on side".
Hmmm. Does that sound like bribery to you?
You can read more here.
14 January, 2008
What’s in store for Facebook in 2008?
Digital, Mel Varley, Latest reporters' blogs January 11th, 20
There’s no denying that last year was the year of social networks and Facebook definitely took the most column inches in spite of its older rivals MySpace and Bebo. But what must the site do to keep on top of its game?
As the saying goes, when you come in at the top of your game there’s nowhere left to go but down. And Facebook definitely sky rocketed to popularity last year, boasting more than 50 million users worldwide less than 12 months after its global launch.
Internet speculation in the past few days has been suggesting that Facebook fix its privacy issues after a host of stories last year speculated that personal information was being misused.
After the launch of its ad platform Beacon, even more users complained as they were having their online purchases shared as well as other internet activity.
Facebook’s advantage is that since its launch it has managed to introduce a host of new applications to interested users. This is what has got users asking what next and when will the social networking site run out of ideas?
To be honest, if it wasn’t for Christmas and New Year I wouldn’t have logged on to Facebook over the past two months, and there’s only so many holidays in one year.
I think we are getting over Facebook, I know I am, and they’ve got to think of something truly wonderful and entertaining in order to keep us visiting. But what could they offer that we can’t find somewhere else?
Some have predicted that Facebook will become our homepage, the place we login every morning and we will navigate our way around the internet from our profile page. We’ll quickly check our ‘mini feed’, then check our bank balance, order our groceries, catch up on the latest news headlines and figure out what movie we’ll watch on TV tonight.
There is no end to the possibilities of Facebook – but how quickly can it come up with them in order to keep us interested? Perhaps it needs to take a step back from becoming the Holy Grail of advertising and focus on its users.
There’s no denying that last year was the year of social networks and Facebook definitely took the most column inches in spite of its older rivals MySpace and Bebo. But what must the site do to keep on top of its game?
As the saying goes, when you come in at the top of your game there’s nowhere left to go but down. And Facebook definitely sky rocketed to popularity last year, boasting more than 50 million users worldwide less than 12 months after its global launch.
Internet speculation in the past few days has been suggesting that Facebook fix its privacy issues after a host of stories last year speculated that personal information was being misused.
After the launch of its ad platform Beacon, even more users complained as they were having their online purchases shared as well as other internet activity.
Facebook’s advantage is that since its launch it has managed to introduce a host of new applications to interested users. This is what has got users asking what next and when will the social networking site run out of ideas?
To be honest, if it wasn’t for Christmas and New Year I wouldn’t have logged on to Facebook over the past two months, and there’s only so many holidays in one year.
I think we are getting over Facebook, I know I am, and they’ve got to think of something truly wonderful and entertaining in order to keep us visiting. But what could they offer that we can’t find somewhere else?
Some have predicted that Facebook will become our homepage, the place we login every morning and we will navigate our way around the internet from our profile page. We’ll quickly check our ‘mini feed’, then check our bank balance, order our groceries, catch up on the latest news headlines and figure out what movie we’ll watch on TV tonight.
There is no end to the possibilities of Facebook – but how quickly can it come up with them in order to keep us interested? Perhaps it needs to take a step back from becoming the Holy Grail of advertising and focus on its users.
11 January, 2008
Fresh off the press: Newsgator, now freeware
Seth Rosenblatt - WebWare
Checking Web sites by typing in the URL feels like firing up a rickety 56k baud modem and logging on to CompuServe. It gets the job done, but really should only be used under extreme duress or nostalgia. Syndicated feeds bring the Web site to you, and when Newsgator made all their RSS clients free on Wednesday, they suddenly made a top-notch suite with tools for Windows, Mac, mobile, the Web, a podcast manager, and a Microsoft Outlook extension incredibly appealing. And by appealing, I mean you might not be able to imagine feeds the same way afterwards. It's that good.
I've been using Google Reader, and even Mozilla Thunderbird's strong RSS tools couldn't pull me away from the appeal of having my email and feeds coming from the same place. Throw in the some of the recent Google Reader changes, such as faster loading, being able to share items, and marking a previously read item as unread, and I was looking very skeptically at all other feed clients. Newsgator makes a great pitch. Whatever operating system you want to use, they offer up a top-notch client. Throw in synchronization to their mobile client and Web-based tool and you've got one heckuva sweet suite.
I tested the Windows, Mac, webware client, and podcast manager today, and the differences were not substantial. Installation on both doesn't require a free NewsGator account, but during the setup process it asks you if you'd like to register for one. The account gives you access to the Newsgator Web client, which has a similarly intuitive interface to the software versions.
Both the Windows and Mac version come with the podcast manager bundled, although you can opt out of installing it. The layout is uncluttered, with major tools living in the customizable toolbars at the top. The keyboard shortcuts are also customizable, and you can have a second set specifically for newspaper reading. There are also search boxes, report generators so you can obsess over what you read, and a plethora of tools that make it easy to fine-tune your reading habits.
The built-in reports tools are worthwhile, with Dinosaurs showing you old unread items, and Attention indicating what you spend the most time reading.
Other features include formatting for newspapers, simple font size changes, items with images or video will have the media aggregated at the top of the feed, you can pre-fetch items for offline reading, and there's even a panic button that will go through unread items and decimate their numbers. There's also a built-in browser, complete with tabs, if you don't want to use your default browser to open links. If you don't want to get a particular feed, but don't want to delete it, changing the settings to Do Not Update is just as easy as setting up a brand-new feed.
The Windows version has two toolbar skins and six feed view skins, while the Mac features two dozen options for spicing up feeds. However, Windows users can preset different ones to each feed, and it's much easier in the Windows version to tweak settings as you read a post. Helpful links right at the top of the post change sorting and reading methods, and marking and sharing tools.
Syncing worked less like an old modem and more like a T3 line: I changed settings in the Windows version, hit the sync button, hit refresh on the Mac version and the changes were instantly downloaded. I then checked the Newsgator Web-based version, and the changes were already implemented there, too. Surprisingly, you can manage your podcasts from the Web version, too.
Without a doubt, this is the most powerful, comprehensive, and responsive RSS manager I've ever used, so it shouldn't surprise you that I strongly recommend whichever of the Newsgator apps best suits your needs.
(all pictures credit Newsgator)
Checking Web sites by typing in the URL feels like firing up a rickety 56k baud modem and logging on to CompuServe. It gets the job done, but really should only be used under extreme duress or nostalgia. Syndicated feeds bring the Web site to you, and when Newsgator made all their RSS clients free on Wednesday, they suddenly made a top-notch suite with tools for Windows, Mac, mobile, the Web, a podcast manager, and a Microsoft Outlook extension incredibly appealing. And by appealing, I mean you might not be able to imagine feeds the same way afterwards. It's that good.
I've been using Google Reader, and even Mozilla Thunderbird's strong RSS tools couldn't pull me away from the appeal of having my email and feeds coming from the same place. Throw in the some of the recent Google Reader changes, such as faster loading, being able to share items, and marking a previously read item as unread, and I was looking very skeptically at all other feed clients. Newsgator makes a great pitch. Whatever operating system you want to use, they offer up a top-notch client. Throw in synchronization to their mobile client and Web-based tool and you've got one heckuva sweet suite.
I tested the Windows, Mac, webware client, and podcast manager today, and the differences were not substantial. Installation on both doesn't require a free NewsGator account, but during the setup process it asks you if you'd like to register for one. The account gives you access to the Newsgator Web client, which has a similarly intuitive interface to the software versions.Both the Windows and Mac version come with the podcast manager bundled, although you can opt out of installing it. The layout is uncluttered, with major tools living in the customizable toolbars at the top. The keyboard shortcuts are also customizable, and you can have a second set specifically for newspaper reading. There are also search boxes, report generators so you can obsess over what you read, and a plethora of tools that make it easy to fine-tune your reading habits.
The built-in reports tools are worthwhile, with Dinosaurs showing you old unread items, and Attention indicating what you spend the most time reading.
Other features include formatting for newspapers, simple font size changes, items with images or video will have the media aggregated at the top of the feed, you can pre-fetch items for offline reading, and there's even a panic button that will go through unread items and decimate their numbers. There's also a built-in browser, complete with tabs, if you don't want to use your default browser to open links. If you don't want to get a particular feed, but don't want to delete it, changing the settings to Do Not Update is just as easy as setting up a brand-new feed.The Windows version has two toolbar skins and six feed view skins, while the Mac features two dozen options for spicing up feeds. However, Windows users can preset different ones to each feed, and it's much easier in the Windows version to tweak settings as you read a post. Helpful links right at the top of the post change sorting and reading methods, and marking and sharing tools.
Syncing worked less like an old modem and more like a T3 line: I changed settings in the Windows version, hit the sync button, hit refresh on the Mac version and the changes were instantly downloaded. I then checked the Newsgator Web-based version, and the changes were already implemented there, too. Surprisingly, you can manage your podcasts from the Web version, too.Without a doubt, this is the most powerful, comprehensive, and responsive RSS manager I've ever used, so it shouldn't surprise you that I strongly recommend whichever of the Newsgator apps best suits your needs.
(all pictures credit Newsgator)
MTV Launches Carbon Calculator Designed by Global Action Plan
"I-Trod": UK's First Carbon Calculator for the Gadget Generation
With games consoles, digital music players, plasma TVs and the latest mobile phones selling record numbers this Christmas, MTV Networks UK is urging the younger generation to make their number one New Year's resolution a commitment to reducing their impact on the environment.
Sales of the Xbox 360 have topped the two million mark in the US alone this Christmas*. If each of these consoles is played for an hour a day and left on standby along with a TV, an estimate of 145,140 tonnes of carbon emissions will be generated throughout 2008** - enough to fill the great pyramid of Giza 31 times, or the channel tunnel 14 times! Faced with these shocking statistics, MTV Networks UK is launching the first online carbon calculator designed specifically for youngsters.
The unique tool - nicknamed the "i-Trod" by developers - is designed to help young people to reduce their carbon footprint and realise the damage they could be doing by simply leaving gadgets on standby or leaving their MP3s charging unnecessarily. The calculator is part of the MTV Switch campaign to get youngsters to be more aware of climate change issues.
Energy watchdogs predict that consumer electronics are expected to account for nearly half of all domestic energy usage by 2020, and are currently responsible for over four million tonnes of excess carbon dioxide emissions every year***. However, a recent study by MTVN UK shows that British youth are less concerned about climate change than counterparts in less developed countries, demonstrating a real need for education among young people about the impact of their growing carbon footprint.
At the same time the number of young people using gadgets to listen to music or download videos is higher than ever before. MTVN UK figures show more British teenagers have their own TVs compared to their counterparts across Europe. Nearly two-thirds are watching music videos on their computers with 22% opting to view them via their mobile phone.
Said David Lynn, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of MTV Networks UK and Ireland: "Our own research shows 67% of British youngsters are listening to more music than ever before thanks to technology. At the same time we need to raise awareness of energy wastage this could lead to and the climate change implications of that.
"There has been so much done to educate householders about saving energy but asking a young gamer to lag the boiler or turn down the thermostat has little relevance. That's why we've created the online calculator which will be hosted on www.mtv.co.uk but also available through an embed for websites or web logs. The calculator provides a carbon footprint for each user based on their daily activities and habits - from gaming to mobile phone usage and gives useful suggestions on how to shrink it.
Based on a range of multiple choice questions that cover television, home entertainment, gadgets, computers & phones, domestic and travel, the calculator will give users' simple actions to combat their effect on the environment based on their responses. These actions will have a specific carbon impact and will be prioritised according to where people can reduce their carbon footprints by the largest amount.
Trewin Restorick, Director of Global Action Plan who designed the calculator said: "Global Action Plan knows that it's important to make positive environmental actions simple and relevant to people in their everyday lives. Traditional carbon calculators can be a bit dry, so MTV's new carbon calculator is straight-forward, clear and aimed at engaging young people in environmental actions that they have control over. The calculator advises them on the actions that make the biggest difference, helping to raise their awareness as low carbon citizens of the future!"
MTV's carbon calculator is the next step in the MTV Switch campaign, which encourages Britain's youth to sign an online petition to commit to doing their bit to reduce carbon emissions. The MTV Switch campaign has the backing of a string of stars - from Cameron Diaz to Scotland's own K T Tunstall. In a recorded interview she said: "Switch plugs off at the wall. It is really easy to forget but just these small things can potentially get people to reduce their carbon output".
Visit www.mtv.co.uk to work out your environmental impact, and sign-up to make a difference.
* Figures provided by the NDP Group
** Figures supplied by Association of Electricity Producers
*** Figures provided by Energy Saving Trust
With games consoles, digital music players, plasma TVs and the latest mobile phones selling record numbers this Christmas, MTV Networks UK is urging the younger generation to make their number one New Year's resolution a commitment to reducing their impact on the environment.
Sales of the Xbox 360 have topped the two million mark in the US alone this Christmas*. If each of these consoles is played for an hour a day and left on standby along with a TV, an estimate of 145,140 tonnes of carbon emissions will be generated throughout 2008** - enough to fill the great pyramid of Giza 31 times, or the channel tunnel 14 times! Faced with these shocking statistics, MTV Networks UK is launching the first online carbon calculator designed specifically for youngsters.
The unique tool - nicknamed the "i-Trod" by developers - is designed to help young people to reduce their carbon footprint and realise the damage they could be doing by simply leaving gadgets on standby or leaving their MP3s charging unnecessarily. The calculator is part of the MTV Switch campaign to get youngsters to be more aware of climate change issues.
Energy watchdogs predict that consumer electronics are expected to account for nearly half of all domestic energy usage by 2020, and are currently responsible for over four million tonnes of excess carbon dioxide emissions every year***. However, a recent study by MTVN UK shows that British youth are less concerned about climate change than counterparts in less developed countries, demonstrating a real need for education among young people about the impact of their growing carbon footprint.
At the same time the number of young people using gadgets to listen to music or download videos is higher than ever before. MTVN UK figures show more British teenagers have their own TVs compared to their counterparts across Europe. Nearly two-thirds are watching music videos on their computers with 22% opting to view them via their mobile phone.
Said David Lynn, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of MTV Networks UK and Ireland: "Our own research shows 67% of British youngsters are listening to more music than ever before thanks to technology. At the same time we need to raise awareness of energy wastage this could lead to and the climate change implications of that.
"There has been so much done to educate householders about saving energy but asking a young gamer to lag the boiler or turn down the thermostat has little relevance. That's why we've created the online calculator which will be hosted on www.mtv.co.uk but also available through an embed for websites or web logs. The calculator provides a carbon footprint for each user based on their daily activities and habits - from gaming to mobile phone usage and gives useful suggestions on how to shrink it.
Based on a range of multiple choice questions that cover television, home entertainment, gadgets, computers & phones, domestic and travel, the calculator will give users' simple actions to combat their effect on the environment based on their responses. These actions will have a specific carbon impact and will be prioritised according to where people can reduce their carbon footprints by the largest amount.
Trewin Restorick, Director of Global Action Plan who designed the calculator said: "Global Action Plan knows that it's important to make positive environmental actions simple and relevant to people in their everyday lives. Traditional carbon calculators can be a bit dry, so MTV's new carbon calculator is straight-forward, clear and aimed at engaging young people in environmental actions that they have control over. The calculator advises them on the actions that make the biggest difference, helping to raise their awareness as low carbon citizens of the future!"
MTV's carbon calculator is the next step in the MTV Switch campaign, which encourages Britain's youth to sign an online petition to commit to doing their bit to reduce carbon emissions. The MTV Switch campaign has the backing of a string of stars - from Cameron Diaz to Scotland's own K T Tunstall. In a recorded interview she said: "Switch plugs off at the wall. It is really easy to forget but just these small things can potentially get people to reduce their carbon output".
Visit www.mtv.co.uk to work out your environmental impact, and sign-up to make a difference.
* Figures provided by the NDP Group
** Figures supplied by Association of Electricity Producers
*** Figures provided by Energy Saving Trust
Would-be students checked on Facebook
Jessica Shepherd and David Shariatmadari, The Guardian
A Cambridge University admissions tutor has admitted he checks up on students applying to his college by browsing their Facebook profiles. Dr Richard Barnes, senior tutor at Emmanuel College, confessed in the college magazine.
"This has been the year in which I joined Facebook," he wrote. "I have to confess that I actually joined to see what I was missing and also to check up (discreetly) on applicants for a college position. I had been alerted to the value of this by some of our members in the City." Cambridge University played down the comment as a "throwaway line". "You know perfectly well how our admission procedures work," said a spokesman.
Cambridge, like Oxford, insists it only offers places based on a candidate's interview performance, academic record and personal statement, outlining their interests and reasons for studying a particular course. Facebook profiles often include personal information such as photos, relationship status and sexuality. But it is possible to ensure these are seen only by friends.
Wes Streeting, the National Union of Students vice-president for education, said Barnes's comments were "unfortunate, but flippant".
"I would be quite concerned if it was college policy to check up on applicants through Facebook," he said. "It is a given that candidates are judged fairly and equally. That wouldn't be the case if a tutor was using Facebook profiles."
An Oxford academic said: "I think this is really intrusive and most unreasonable." Another said: "It would certainly be unacceptable in the case of admissions, where we strive to consider as comparable a data set for all candidates as possible." But a third said: "It's fair to check up on applicants in this way. Facebook is public domain material."
Barnes refused to comment.
A Cambridge University admissions tutor has admitted he checks up on students applying to his college by browsing their Facebook profiles. Dr Richard Barnes, senior tutor at Emmanuel College, confessed in the college magazine.
"This has been the year in which I joined Facebook," he wrote. "I have to confess that I actually joined to see what I was missing and also to check up (discreetly) on applicants for a college position. I had been alerted to the value of this by some of our members in the City." Cambridge University played down the comment as a "throwaway line". "You know perfectly well how our admission procedures work," said a spokesman.
Cambridge, like Oxford, insists it only offers places based on a candidate's interview performance, academic record and personal statement, outlining their interests and reasons for studying a particular course. Facebook profiles often include personal information such as photos, relationship status and sexuality. But it is possible to ensure these are seen only by friends.
Wes Streeting, the National Union of Students vice-president for education, said Barnes's comments were "unfortunate, but flippant".
"I would be quite concerned if it was college policy to check up on applicants through Facebook," he said. "It is a given that candidates are judged fairly and equally. That wouldn't be the case if a tutor was using Facebook profiles."
An Oxford academic said: "I think this is really intrusive and most unreasonable." Another said: "It would certainly be unacceptable in the case of admissions, where we strive to consider as comparable a data set for all candidates as possible." But a third said: "It's fair to check up on applicants in this way. Facebook is public domain material."
Barnes refused to comment.
10 January, 2008
Social networking sites 'slow and inaccessible'
Popular social networking sites are failing users by being "slow and inaccessible", a research firm claimed today.
Website monitoring company WatchMouse said that many web 2.0 sites are slow to open or fail to load properly. The firm monitored the time it took the social networking sites, listed on Wikipedia, to load.
The results showed that the worst for availability is the immensely popular Facebook, followed by Twitter, Last.fm, Windows Live Spaces, Friendster and Del.icio.us.
Of the 104 sites monitored, 51 showed a Site Performance Index (SPI) of 1,000 or more, making them very slow in load time.
"This is a remarkable outcome seeing as most sites use Ajax, which should lead to quicker load times since the dynamics of the site do not load immediately," WatchMouse stated.
"Using Ajax should help sites increase interactivity, speed, functionality and usability by exchanging small amounts of data with the server so the entire webpage does not need loading fully every time someone performs an action on a page."
Faceparty performed the best with an SPI of 303 meaning that users can access the site most frequently and in the fastest time.
But most of the sites still have a lot to do if they want users to keep returning. Research has shown that most web users are very impatient and will wait no longer than four seconds for a webpage to load.
"It is interesting to see that popular networking sites turn out to have very bad performance," said Mark Pors, chief technology officer at WatchMouse.
"It is surprising that they still have such a big fan base when they serve their users so badly.
"Using Ajax technology they should be able to work more effectively. For now the sites will need to do a lot of work to remain popular and improve their performance."
Website monitoring company WatchMouse said that many web 2.0 sites are slow to open or fail to load properly. The firm monitored the time it took the social networking sites, listed on Wikipedia, to load.
The results showed that the worst for availability is the immensely popular Facebook, followed by Twitter, Last.fm, Windows Live Spaces, Friendster and Del.icio.us.
Of the 104 sites monitored, 51 showed a Site Performance Index (SPI) of 1,000 or more, making them very slow in load time.
"This is a remarkable outcome seeing as most sites use Ajax, which should lead to quicker load times since the dynamics of the site do not load immediately," WatchMouse stated.
"Using Ajax should help sites increase interactivity, speed, functionality and usability by exchanging small amounts of data with the server so the entire webpage does not need loading fully every time someone performs an action on a page."
Faceparty performed the best with an SPI of 303 meaning that users can access the site most frequently and in the fastest time.
But most of the sites still have a lot to do if they want users to keep returning. Research has shown that most web users are very impatient and will wait no longer than four seconds for a webpage to load.
"It is interesting to see that popular networking sites turn out to have very bad performance," said Mark Pors, chief technology officer at WatchMouse.
"It is surprising that they still have such a big fan base when they serve their users so badly.
"Using Ajax technology they should be able to work more effectively. For now the sites will need to do a lot of work to remain popular and improve their performance."
08 January, 2008
Upcoming Search and Social Marketing Conferences
Could your marketing plans benefit from the advice of industry experts?
Then look no further….. madpresents’ are pleased to announce forthcoming dates in our series of one day conferences:
Social Media for Business - 24th April 2008 Hesperia Hotel, London
It was reported last week that Bebo has beaten Facebook to the title of best performing social networking site but how can your business leverage sites like these for business ends? Hear from brands who have tapped into social networks and created a buzz – and got people talking about their brands to others. This is also a chance to hear from social networking sites about the key tools they employ to build communities online – and what businesses can harness from this.
"Completely useful and necessary day which left my head swirling with ideas and inspired"
Principle Marketing Consultant - Experian Integrated Marketing
Search Engine Marketing - 12th June 2008 Hesperia Hotel, London
Which is better - paid or organic search? How can I improve my google ranking without spending money? Are we getting the most out of pay-per-click? How do we measure the effectiveness of our SEM activity?
Have your key questions answered by spending one day out of the office. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Search Marketing experts on how this cost effective, yet complex area can enhance your profile in the market place and boost revenues
"Help on improving organic search - will go home and implement it"
Designer, Autonnic Research Ltd
07 January, 2008
Wikia co-founder reveals community search engine
Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, today unveiled the alpha version of Wikia Search, an open-source, community-based search engine.
Wikia Search, part of the for-profit Wikia Inc., and no relation to Wikipedia parent company Wikimedia, allows users to sign up to a community that through discussion, suggestion and evaluation aims to create the most effective search engine on the market.
However, Wales said that although he does envisage the search engine becoming a significant player within the search space, he stressed it would not happen overnight.
He said: "We expect Wikia Search to be like fine wine in that it will get better and better as time goes by and more and more people contribute. I've said before that internet search must be more open and transparent and today marks a major milestone in our mission to make it just that."
Last month it was revealed that Google is developing a user-generated online encyclopaedia to rival Wikipedia, currently named 'Knol'.
Google is planning to host the service and provide the tools to edit web pages but will not edit or be responsible for any of its content.
Wikia Search, part of the for-profit Wikia Inc., and no relation to Wikipedia parent company Wikimedia, allows users to sign up to a community that through discussion, suggestion and evaluation aims to create the most effective search engine on the market.
However, Wales said that although he does envisage the search engine becoming a significant player within the search space, he stressed it would not happen overnight.
He said: "We expect Wikia Search to be like fine wine in that it will get better and better as time goes by and more and more people contribute. I've said before that internet search must be more open and transparent and today marks a major milestone in our mission to make it just that."
Last month it was revealed that Google is developing a user-generated online encyclopaedia to rival Wikipedia, currently named 'Knol'.
Google is planning to host the service and provide the tools to edit web pages but will not edit or be responsible for any of its content.
Everyclick.com aims to triple charity donations
Katie Allen, The Guardian
A UK search engine where users make money for charity every time they look something up is hoping to triple the amount it raises this year, thanks to US expansion and new tie-ups with big companies.
From every pound raised through searches, Everyclick.com gives 50p to whichever UK charity a user chooses. It has raised more than £360,000 since its launch in 2005 and in the next 12 months it wants to make another £1m.
Comparing her creation with online phenomena such as Facebook that found a mass audience in 2007, Everyclick chief executive Polly Gowers predicts her site will gain new armies of fans in 2008. "This is a free lunch because it doesn't cost anyone anything," says Gowers. "It works. You search the web and it generates money."
Gowers and a small team set up the site with funds from remortgaging her house. She got the idea after working at a web marketing company opened her eyes to the fundraising potential from searches. The business model is known as "wugging" or "web-use-giving", something also used by fellow UK company Magic Taxi. The money is generated basically through advertising carried by the site.
Everyclick has fought hard to gain ground in a space dominated by the likes of Google and Yahoo! by asking schools and businesses to consider making it their default search engine. The attraction for schools is that with more than 170,000 charities available they can support their own parent-teacher association, local sports ground or village hall.
More than 1,000 businesses are looking at ways of using the site as part of their corporate and social responsibility briefs, says Gowers.
Small charities can also encourage supporters to use the site to fund specific projects, such as humanitarian charity Hope and Aid Direct's recent dispatch of two lorry-loads of food and clothing to eastern Europe.
Although Gowers says marketing on a tight budget has been tough, it is now the UK's eighth most popular search engine and number 18 in the world, according to data from Hitwise. Nielsen Online has a lower UK ranking for the site but still puts it within the top 20.
Business has been booming in online advertising, with the fastest growth in the so-called search area - sponsored listings that advertisers pay for when a consumer clicks through to their site.
In a multibillion-pound market, even if Everyclick meets its total fundraising target of £1.36m by the end of this year that will not even be 0.5% of the world's search market, says Gowers. She has a 2% target for the end of 2009 and is hopeful web search habits will change.
One of the few criticisms Everyclick has met is that users cannot give to US charities. However, Gowers hopes 1.7m US charities will be added by the spring.
In the meantime, Everyclick is launching an application on Facebook, which will allow users to incorporate their Everyclick page into their profile page on the social networking site.
"How well this works is down to how many people know about it," says Gowers. "Our job is to make sure this doesn't remain the best-kept secret in England."
A UK search engine where users make money for charity every time they look something up is hoping to triple the amount it raises this year, thanks to US expansion and new tie-ups with big companies.
From every pound raised through searches, Everyclick.com gives 50p to whichever UK charity a user chooses. It has raised more than £360,000 since its launch in 2005 and in the next 12 months it wants to make another £1m.
Comparing her creation with online phenomena such as Facebook that found a mass audience in 2007, Everyclick chief executive Polly Gowers predicts her site will gain new armies of fans in 2008. "This is a free lunch because it doesn't cost anyone anything," says Gowers. "It works. You search the web and it generates money."
Gowers and a small team set up the site with funds from remortgaging her house. She got the idea after working at a web marketing company opened her eyes to the fundraising potential from searches. The business model is known as "wugging" or "web-use-giving", something also used by fellow UK company Magic Taxi. The money is generated basically through advertising carried by the site.
Everyclick has fought hard to gain ground in a space dominated by the likes of Google and Yahoo! by asking schools and businesses to consider making it their default search engine. The attraction for schools is that with more than 170,000 charities available they can support their own parent-teacher association, local sports ground or village hall.
More than 1,000 businesses are looking at ways of using the site as part of their corporate and social responsibility briefs, says Gowers.
Small charities can also encourage supporters to use the site to fund specific projects, such as humanitarian charity Hope and Aid Direct's recent dispatch of two lorry-loads of food and clothing to eastern Europe.
Although Gowers says marketing on a tight budget has been tough, it is now the UK's eighth most popular search engine and number 18 in the world, according to data from Hitwise. Nielsen Online has a lower UK ranking for the site but still puts it within the top 20.
Business has been booming in online advertising, with the fastest growth in the so-called search area - sponsored listings that advertisers pay for when a consumer clicks through to their site.
In a multibillion-pound market, even if Everyclick meets its total fundraising target of £1.36m by the end of this year that will not even be 0.5% of the world's search market, says Gowers. She has a 2% target for the end of 2009 and is hopeful web search habits will change.
One of the few criticisms Everyclick has met is that users cannot give to US charities. However, Gowers hopes 1.7m US charities will be added by the spring.
In the meantime, Everyclick is launching an application on Facebook, which will allow users to incorporate their Everyclick page into their profile page on the social networking site.
"How well this works is down to how many people know about it," says Gowers. "Our job is to make sure this doesn't remain the best-kept secret in England."
06 January, 2008
Networking obsessives click for cash
David Smith, The Observer
Social networking websites are not just a time-wasting diversion for office workers but can increasingly be a way of running a money-making business, according to a report commissioned by MySpace from the trends research consultancy, The Future Laboratory.
Nearly 3 million people in Britain have made money from their page and millions more are set to do so in 2008, according to the report, 'MySpace08', published tomorrow.
The report says: 'MySpace has been the incubator of teen and twentysomething "culturepreneurs", a new generation of business-minded culture obsessives who generate income from arty pursuits - club nights, fanzines, handmade jewellery, street theatre, stand-up, indie clothing lines, films, street art, DVDs - that have previously been notoriously poor sources of revenue.'
The Future Laboratory spoke to 2,500 people, and calculates that thanks to social networking:
- 2.3 million people have found love.
- 6.5 million people have discovered a new band, artist or pop star.
- 777,810 people have started a new business.
Women are more likely to network, averaging 22.5 hours online a week, against 20 hours for men.
Why Facebook wants to corner the market in personal info
John Naughton,The Observer
Robert Scoble is a celebrity of the kind only the internet can create. He's a blogger who first came to prominence when Microsoft hired him to blog about the company in the hope that doing so would reduce the hostility the company engenders in the geek community.
In this, he was at least partly successful. He had, the Economist said, 'made Microsoft, with its history of monopolistic bullying, appear marginally but noticeably less evil to the outside world, and especially to the independent software developers that are his core audience'. By the time he stopped in 2006, his blog (scobleizer.com) had become required reading for those who follow the industry. He then capitalised on his fame with Naked Conversations, a book aimed at persuading the corporate world of the benefits of blogging. After that, he founded a video-blogging company, PodTech.net, which is where he is now.
Watching Scoble in action is like taking a puppy for a walk. He is insatiably curious, and he follows every lead, no matter how daft. When some new social networking service appears, you can bet he will overdose on it. He was a predictably early subscriber to Facebook, on which he rapidly acquired 5,000 'friends' (the maximum permitted by the service, apparently). He is also, needless to say, a subscriber to Plaxo.com's contact-management service and became interested in seeing how much overlap there might be between his Facebook friendship network and his Plaxo contacts. Which is where the fun began.
Plaxo invited Scoble to try an alpha version of a robot script (a program) that can grab specified fields from one's Facebook friends' profiles and export them (a process sometimes known as 'scraping'). Scoble duly ran the script. Facebook's servers detected the activity and sent him a message. 'Our systems indicate,' it said, 'that you've been highly active on Facebook lately and viewing pages at a quick enough rate that we suspect you may be running an automated script. This kind of activity would be a violation of our terms of use and potentially of federal and state laws. As a result, your account has been disabled.'
Scoble immediately blogged this, triggering a mini-firestorm of indignation. 'Does Facebook own this blog post?' asked one commentator with heavy sarcasm. 'Facebook, apparently, owns my birthday. Yours too.' 'Free the Scoble 5,000!' wrote Kara Swisher of the Wall Street Journal. Facebook, she opined, 'is about to shoot itself in the foot once again. And - let's be honest - Facebook certainly doesn't have any bullet-free feet to aim at after its recent debacles with its stalkerish Beacon ad product and its ill-advised legal action against a magazine that published embarrassing information about founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.'
But indignation was followed by more sober assessments. First, there was the fact that Scoble's experiment indeed violated the terms and conditions every Facebook subscriber accepts on joining. Then there was the more interesting question of whether the data he was scraping belonged to him. You might reason that the data in his own personal profile belong to him (though there are lawyerly arguments about even that). But the personal information in his friends' profiles is not his property. In that context, the only data-item he owns is the database flag that indicates a 'friendship' link between him and another subscriber.
The Scoble brouhaha has had two useful outcomes. First, it has highlighted the speed with which the issue of privacy on social networking sites has become a can of worms. I'm constantly astonished by the casual way people allow personal data to be visible to allcomers on web services. This is partly a consequence of naivety - especially among teenagers - but is largely a product of the 'default' settings that come with a new account. We have enough experience of computing to know that most users accept the default settings, meaning those who control the defaults make all the running.
Second, it highlights the conflict between Facebook's 'walled garden' and those who seek to make social networking sites 'interoperable', ie, able to share data. In a way, one could interpret Scoble's experiment as an attempt to enable data to vault the Facebook wall. Half-baked and naive it may have been, but the goal is important. As Tim O'Reilly, the veteran technology publisher, put it in an essay on social networking: 'We face one of two outcomes: either the data will be shared by interoperable applications, or the company that first gets to a critical mass of useful data will become the supplier of other applications and ultimately the master of that domain.'
Which, of course, is Facebook's game plan. They've let Scoble back in, by the way - after he agreed to abide by the rules. No more scraping for him.
Robert Scoble is a celebrity of the kind only the internet can create. He's a blogger who first came to prominence when Microsoft hired him to blog about the company in the hope that doing so would reduce the hostility the company engenders in the geek community.
In this, he was at least partly successful. He had, the Economist said, 'made Microsoft, with its history of monopolistic bullying, appear marginally but noticeably less evil to the outside world, and especially to the independent software developers that are his core audience'. By the time he stopped in 2006, his blog (scobleizer.com) had become required reading for those who follow the industry. He then capitalised on his fame with Naked Conversations, a book aimed at persuading the corporate world of the benefits of blogging. After that, he founded a video-blogging company, PodTech.net, which is where he is now.
Watching Scoble in action is like taking a puppy for a walk. He is insatiably curious, and he follows every lead, no matter how daft. When some new social networking service appears, you can bet he will overdose on it. He was a predictably early subscriber to Facebook, on which he rapidly acquired 5,000 'friends' (the maximum permitted by the service, apparently). He is also, needless to say, a subscriber to Plaxo.com's contact-management service and became interested in seeing how much overlap there might be between his Facebook friendship network and his Plaxo contacts. Which is where the fun began.
Plaxo invited Scoble to try an alpha version of a robot script (a program) that can grab specified fields from one's Facebook friends' profiles and export them (a process sometimes known as 'scraping'). Scoble duly ran the script. Facebook's servers detected the activity and sent him a message. 'Our systems indicate,' it said, 'that you've been highly active on Facebook lately and viewing pages at a quick enough rate that we suspect you may be running an automated script. This kind of activity would be a violation of our terms of use and potentially of federal and state laws. As a result, your account has been disabled.'
Scoble immediately blogged this, triggering a mini-firestorm of indignation. 'Does Facebook own this blog post?' asked one commentator with heavy sarcasm. 'Facebook, apparently, owns my birthday. Yours too.' 'Free the Scoble 5,000!' wrote Kara Swisher of the Wall Street Journal. Facebook, she opined, 'is about to shoot itself in the foot once again. And - let's be honest - Facebook certainly doesn't have any bullet-free feet to aim at after its recent debacles with its stalkerish Beacon ad product and its ill-advised legal action against a magazine that published embarrassing information about founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.'
But indignation was followed by more sober assessments. First, there was the fact that Scoble's experiment indeed violated the terms and conditions every Facebook subscriber accepts on joining. Then there was the more interesting question of whether the data he was scraping belonged to him. You might reason that the data in his own personal profile belong to him (though there are lawyerly arguments about even that). But the personal information in his friends' profiles is not his property. In that context, the only data-item he owns is the database flag that indicates a 'friendship' link between him and another subscriber.
The Scoble brouhaha has had two useful outcomes. First, it has highlighted the speed with which the issue of privacy on social networking sites has become a can of worms. I'm constantly astonished by the casual way people allow personal data to be visible to allcomers on web services. This is partly a consequence of naivety - especially among teenagers - but is largely a product of the 'default' settings that come with a new account. We have enough experience of computing to know that most users accept the default settings, meaning those who control the defaults make all the running.
Second, it highlights the conflict between Facebook's 'walled garden' and those who seek to make social networking sites 'interoperable', ie, able to share data. In a way, one could interpret Scoble's experiment as an attempt to enable data to vault the Facebook wall. Half-baked and naive it may have been, but the goal is important. As Tim O'Reilly, the veteran technology publisher, put it in an essay on social networking: 'We face one of two outcomes: either the data will be shared by interoperable applications, or the company that first gets to a critical mass of useful data will become the supplier of other applications and ultimately the master of that domain.'
Which, of course, is Facebook's game plan. They've let Scoble back in, by the way - after he agreed to abide by the rules. No more scraping for him.
05 January, 2008
China tightens its grip on internet with video ban
Times online
China is to further tighten its grip on internet use by restricting the broadcast of videos on the web to only those run by state-sanctioned companies.
In the government’s latest clampdown on cyberspace, all sites that provide video programming or allow users to upload video must obtain a government permit, with the only companies permitted to apply being those that are state-owned or state-controlled. The new rules, which - crucially - apply to video-sharing websites too, also require providers to report questionable content to the government.
Executives at Chinese video-sharing sites spoke with caution but said the move not unexpected and would likely have a much greater impact on new entrants to the market, such as Google’s popular YouTube.com that has yet to formally register in China.
The manager of one popular Chinese site, who declined to be identified, said he expected smaller providers to be unaffected - at least at first - while bigger players would probably form partnerships with state-linked operations. He said: “This is China, the companies always seem to find a way to get around new regulations.”
The new rules, which come into force on January 31, mark a fresh attempt by Beijing to curtail the internet habits of an increasingly web-savvy population that has become accustomed to decades of state intervention. Officials have long ensured that traditional media, including television and newspapers, conform to their view of what the Chinese people should see, read and know.
Already, providers vet all videos uploaded onto their sites for pornographic or politically dissenting content to avoid attracting the wrath of the censors.
The new regulations state that: “Those who provide Internet video services should insist on serving the people, serve socialism ... and abide by the moral code of socialism.”
The policy will ban providers from broadcasting video that involves national secrets, hurts the reputation of China, disrupts social stability or promotes pornography. Providers will be required to delete and report such content.
The concern of China’s censors to protect the country’s people from outside points of view was particularly evident during a five-yearly meeting of the Communist Party leadership late last year. Many sites were blocked for about two to three weeks around the time of the congress with YouTube being among the most prominent casualties. Access was allowed again once the meeting was over.
Few analysts expected such popular Chinese video-sharing sites as tudou.com, 56.com and Yoqoo to disappear after January 31, but they also agreed that the main aim of the new rules are to censor the Internet.
On occasions though, the vetting process can fall short. Last week, television host Hu Ziwei became an overnight internet sensation after she marched on stage, grabbed her husband’s microphone as the camera was rolling, and accused him of adultery. Video of the interrupted show, being recorded for broadcast on China’s main sports channel, has become one of the most viewed items in the Chinese blogosphere.
The video clip has since been removed from such major state-linked sites as sina.com but is still a hot viewing item on smaller private video-sharing suppliers and has become the most talked about event in Chinese cyberspace this week.
China is to further tighten its grip on internet use by restricting the broadcast of videos on the web to only those run by state-sanctioned companies.
In the government’s latest clampdown on cyberspace, all sites that provide video programming or allow users to upload video must obtain a government permit, with the only companies permitted to apply being those that are state-owned or state-controlled. The new rules, which - crucially - apply to video-sharing websites too, also require providers to report questionable content to the government.
Executives at Chinese video-sharing sites spoke with caution but said the move not unexpected and would likely have a much greater impact on new entrants to the market, such as Google’s popular YouTube.com that has yet to formally register in China.
The manager of one popular Chinese site, who declined to be identified, said he expected smaller providers to be unaffected - at least at first - while bigger players would probably form partnerships with state-linked operations. He said: “This is China, the companies always seem to find a way to get around new regulations.”
The new rules, which come into force on January 31, mark a fresh attempt by Beijing to curtail the internet habits of an increasingly web-savvy population that has become accustomed to decades of state intervention. Officials have long ensured that traditional media, including television and newspapers, conform to their view of what the Chinese people should see, read and know.
Already, providers vet all videos uploaded onto their sites for pornographic or politically dissenting content to avoid attracting the wrath of the censors.
The new regulations state that: “Those who provide Internet video services should insist on serving the people, serve socialism ... and abide by the moral code of socialism.”
The policy will ban providers from broadcasting video that involves national secrets, hurts the reputation of China, disrupts social stability or promotes pornography. Providers will be required to delete and report such content.
The concern of China’s censors to protect the country’s people from outside points of view was particularly evident during a five-yearly meeting of the Communist Party leadership late last year. Many sites were blocked for about two to three weeks around the time of the congress with YouTube being among the most prominent casualties. Access was allowed again once the meeting was over.
Few analysts expected such popular Chinese video-sharing sites as tudou.com, 56.com and Yoqoo to disappear after January 31, but they also agreed that the main aim of the new rules are to censor the Internet.
On occasions though, the vetting process can fall short. Last week, television host Hu Ziwei became an overnight internet sensation after she marched on stage, grabbed her husband’s microphone as the camera was rolling, and accused him of adultery. Video of the interrupted show, being recorded for broadcast on China’s main sports channel, has become one of the most viewed items in the Chinese blogosphere.
The video clip has since been removed from such major state-linked sites as sina.com but is still a hot viewing item on smaller private video-sharing suppliers and has become the most talked about event in Chinese cyberspace this week.
04 January, 2008
Bebo named best social networking site
mad.co.uk
Bebo has been named the best performing social networking site in a report from Computing Which? magazine due to its efforts to enhance security and protect younger users.
The report said the site scored highly for encouraging responsible networking by enabling users to easily restrict who can see their information and block unwanted friends.
The social networking site aimed at teenager beat off competition from its main rival Facebook, which received an overall score of 74 per cent compared to Bebo's 79 per cent.
The magazine said Facebook had a simple interface which made it easy to navigate, but warned that the site had been marked down because its security settings could be confusing.
Yahoo! Groups received the lowest overall score of the 10 internet sites judged by the magazine scoring just 59 per cent, with Computing Which? describing the site as less sophisticated than some of its rivals.
The sites were assessed according to ease of use, performance, and the functions which they offered.
Britons spend more time on social networking sites than their European counterparts, according to the communications watchdog Ofcom, devoting 5.3 hours a month to sites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace and visiting them an average of 23 times.
In November the Information Commissioner's Office urged users of social networking sites to take their privacy more seriously after a survey found that, although 71 per cent of 14- to 21-year-olds did not want their future employers to see their profiles on social networking sites, only 40 per cent realised that their online activities could be traced indefinitely.
Cyber thieves target social sites
BBC News
It is not just the average net user who is a fan of social network sites, so are hi-tech criminals.
So say security professionals predicting what net criminals will turn to in 2008 to catch people out.
The quasi-intimate nature of the sites makes people share information readily leaving them open to all kinds of other attacks, warn security firms.
Detailed information gathered via the sites will also help tune spam runs or make phishing e-mail more convincing.
Friendly faces
There was no doubt that 2007 was the year that sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, Orkut rose to prominence as millions of people signed up to use them and started posting information about themselves and what they were up to.
But in 2008 these sites will become an attack vector for the hi-tech gangs who are now behind the vast majority of cyber crime.
Mary Landesman, senior security researcher at ScanSafe, said social sites would prove popular for two reasons.
"The technologies that play there and the third party add-ons make it an environment that is susceptible to compromise," said Ms Landesman.
Already at the end of 2007 Brazilian users of Google's Orkut were subject to an attack by a worm that tried to steal bank account details. The malicious program, which also tried to hijack compromised computers, propagated via booby-trapped links placed on the personal page of Orkut users.
Still other attacks have tried to capitalise on the popularity of video clips seen on sites such as YouTube by putting booby-trapped links on pages that show the short films.
Alongside technical vulnerabilities in the networks go other problems with the amount of information that people share on social networking sites.
This data can give criminals knowledge about the names of employees at a company, insight in its managerial make-up or information about its processes to lend credibility to other attacks.
"That information can be very specific, very focused," she said. "It can mention company names, actual events and people."
This information, said Ms Landesman, could help attackers embarking on social engineering attacks which attempt to con employees by posing as another worker or a business partner.
David Porter, head of security and risk at Detica, said the apparent familiarity of social network sites, which often help people build connections with people who share their interests and outlook meant many people were cavalier with their personal information.
"It is remarkable that people use social networking websites to publish details about their lives, loves, jobs and hobbies to the entire world that they would not dream of sharing with a stranger in a bar," he said.
"Such data is invaluable to identity fraudsters," he said.
This move to exploit social network sites would also fuel a move away from attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system to gain control of a PC or steal data.
Far better for the criminal, said Paul King, senior security advisor for Cisco, is to use those phishing e-mails to exploit the end user.
"So many attacks now are nothing to do with an exploit. It's about persuading you to click a link," he said. "There's no vulnerability involved in you clicking on that. None."
The big challenge in 2008 for individuals and companies was coming to terms and recognising the sheer number of threats ranged against them.
But, he said, consumers and PC users should not feel stifled by all the potential security problems.
There were a lot of benefits to using social networking sites, said Mr King and the downsides should not put people off using them.
"It's about trying to manage risk rather than avoid risk," he said.
It is not just the average net user who is a fan of social network sites, so are hi-tech criminals.
So say security professionals predicting what net criminals will turn to in 2008 to catch people out.
The quasi-intimate nature of the sites makes people share information readily leaving them open to all kinds of other attacks, warn security firms.
Detailed information gathered via the sites will also help tune spam runs or make phishing e-mail more convincing.
Friendly faces
There was no doubt that 2007 was the year that sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, Orkut rose to prominence as millions of people signed up to use them and started posting information about themselves and what they were up to.
But in 2008 these sites will become an attack vector for the hi-tech gangs who are now behind the vast majority of cyber crime.
Mary Landesman, senior security researcher at ScanSafe, said social sites would prove popular for two reasons.
"The technologies that play there and the third party add-ons make it an environment that is susceptible to compromise," said Ms Landesman.
Already at the end of 2007 Brazilian users of Google's Orkut were subject to an attack by a worm that tried to steal bank account details. The malicious program, which also tried to hijack compromised computers, propagated via booby-trapped links placed on the personal page of Orkut users.
Still other attacks have tried to capitalise on the popularity of video clips seen on sites such as YouTube by putting booby-trapped links on pages that show the short films.
Alongside technical vulnerabilities in the networks go other problems with the amount of information that people share on social networking sites.
This data can give criminals knowledge about the names of employees at a company, insight in its managerial make-up or information about its processes to lend credibility to other attacks.
"That information can be very specific, very focused," she said. "It can mention company names, actual events and people."
This information, said Ms Landesman, could help attackers embarking on social engineering attacks which attempt to con employees by posing as another worker or a business partner.
David Porter, head of security and risk at Detica, said the apparent familiarity of social network sites, which often help people build connections with people who share their interests and outlook meant many people were cavalier with their personal information.
"It is remarkable that people use social networking websites to publish details about their lives, loves, jobs and hobbies to the entire world that they would not dream of sharing with a stranger in a bar," he said.
"Such data is invaluable to identity fraudsters," he said.
This move to exploit social network sites would also fuel a move away from attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system to gain control of a PC or steal data.
Far better for the criminal, said Paul King, senior security advisor for Cisco, is to use those phishing e-mails to exploit the end user.
"So many attacks now are nothing to do with an exploit. It's about persuading you to click a link," he said. "There's no vulnerability involved in you clicking on that. None."
The big challenge in 2008 for individuals and companies was coming to terms and recognising the sheer number of threats ranged against them.
But, he said, consumers and PC users should not feel stifled by all the potential security problems.
There were a lot of benefits to using social networking sites, said Mr King and the downsides should not put people off using them.
"It's about trying to manage risk rather than avoid risk," he said.
03 January, 2008
Charity film is hit on YouTube
Third Sector
A short film by the charity No More Landmines has broken the record to become the most popular non-profit and activist film ever posted on video-sharing website YouTube.
The three-minute film features 'urban freerunner' Lewis Byrne’s attempt to traverse 50,000 square metres of London’s South Bank without touching the ground.
It has received more than half a million hits and has become the most viewed, top-rated and all-time-favourite film in the non-profit category on YouTube.
The film, called Dangerous Ground, is intended to convey the message that for millions of people around the world being on the ground is dangerous because of the threat of landmines.
“Nearly 10 years on from the international treaty to ban landmines, many people think the problem has been solved,” said Becky Maynard, head of fundraising at No More Landmines. “Although it might not make the news, however, millions of people are still affected by landmines around the world.”
The film is also featured on the charity’s campaign website, www.dangerousground.org, which is attempting to raise £50,000 to clear a minefield in Cambodia.
The charity received pro bono slots on digital TV for the film during December, which is accompanied by a 50-second commercial. Both will be shown in cinemas in January.
The film was made in collaboration with advertising agency CHI & Partners. Byrne and Andy McCleod, the director, gave their time for free.
A short film by the charity No More Landmines has broken the record to become the most popular non-profit and activist film ever posted on video-sharing website YouTube.
The three-minute film features 'urban freerunner' Lewis Byrne’s attempt to traverse 50,000 square metres of London’s South Bank without touching the ground.
It has received more than half a million hits and has become the most viewed, top-rated and all-time-favourite film in the non-profit category on YouTube.
The film, called Dangerous Ground, is intended to convey the message that for millions of people around the world being on the ground is dangerous because of the threat of landmines.
“Nearly 10 years on from the international treaty to ban landmines, many people think the problem has been solved,” said Becky Maynard, head of fundraising at No More Landmines. “Although it might not make the news, however, millions of people are still affected by landmines around the world.”
The film is also featured on the charity’s campaign website, www.dangerousground.org, which is attempting to raise £50,000 to clear a minefield in Cambodia.
The charity received pro bono slots on digital TV for the film during December, which is accompanied by a 50-second commercial. Both will be shown in cinemas in January.
The film was made in collaboration with advertising agency CHI & Partners. Byrne and Andy McCleod, the director, gave their time for free.
Tougher data laws needed, say MPs
BBC News
Reckless or repeated breaches of data security should become a criminal offence, a committee of MPs has said.
Currently, government departments cannot be held criminally responsible for data protection breaches.
But a report on the "truly shocking" loss of 25m people's personal details by HM Revenue and Customs, the Commons justice committee demands tougher laws.
The government welcomed the report and said it was considering measures to toughen up the Data Protection Act.
The committee found there was a "widespread problem" and "systemic failings" in the government's handling of personal data.
Its Liberal Democrat chairman Alan Beith said: "The scale of the data loss by government bodies and contractors is truly shocking but the evidence we have had points to further hidden problems.
"It is frankly incredible, for example, that the measures HMRC has put in place were not already standard procedure."
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, who gave evidence to the select committee, was warning of more personal data loss cases "in the pipeline".
Criminal value
"(Whitehall) departments are coming to him on almost a confessional basis, quite rightly, to report that they too have got problems."
Mr Beith added: "It's a very serious situation and it impairs the proper use of data, which is often very important both to individuals and in areas like child protection and dealing with criminal behaviour."
Proper data protection was still not routine, he warned, despite its "potentially immense value" among criminals.
The report follows the loss of child benefit data on two discs sent unencrypted by HMRC in north east England to the National Audit Office in London.
Further data losses have emerged as a result of investigations into how Whitehall handles people's details.
As well as new criminal laws, the committee wants stronger enforcement powers and better resources for the information commissioner.
'Proper policing'
It also called for a legal obligation to report significant data losses to those affected and to the commissioner.
And MPs said the need for a "proper approach" to data handling was even more important given the proposed database of every child in the UK, the proposed identity card scheme and moves to allow other EU member states access to data held in the UK on UK citizens.
The prime minister and chancellor apologised over the data loss row last month and an inquiry is under way, alongside a police investigation.
Millions of families were told to be on the alert for fraudulent use of their details, which include children's names, addresses and dates of birth and National Insurance and bank details.
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said the need to strengthen data protection laws had been recognised before the child benefit discs were lost and a review had been commissioned in October.
"Parliament is currently considering proposals to amend section 60 of the Data Protection Act through the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill," she said.
"This will provide a custodial sanction as well as the existing fines for those found guilty of unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal data."
Reckless or repeated breaches of data security should become a criminal offence, a committee of MPs has said.
Currently, government departments cannot be held criminally responsible for data protection breaches.
But a report on the "truly shocking" loss of 25m people's personal details by HM Revenue and Customs, the Commons justice committee demands tougher laws.
The government welcomed the report and said it was considering measures to toughen up the Data Protection Act.
The committee found there was a "widespread problem" and "systemic failings" in the government's handling of personal data.
Its Liberal Democrat chairman Alan Beith said: "The scale of the data loss by government bodies and contractors is truly shocking but the evidence we have had points to further hidden problems.
"It is frankly incredible, for example, that the measures HMRC has put in place were not already standard procedure."
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, who gave evidence to the select committee, was warning of more personal data loss cases "in the pipeline".
Criminal value
"(Whitehall) departments are coming to him on almost a confessional basis, quite rightly, to report that they too have got problems."
Mr Beith added: "It's a very serious situation and it impairs the proper use of data, which is often very important both to individuals and in areas like child protection and dealing with criminal behaviour."
Proper data protection was still not routine, he warned, despite its "potentially immense value" among criminals.
The report follows the loss of child benefit data on two discs sent unencrypted by HMRC in north east England to the National Audit Office in London.
Further data losses have emerged as a result of investigations into how Whitehall handles people's details.
As well as new criminal laws, the committee wants stronger enforcement powers and better resources for the information commissioner.
'Proper policing'
It also called for a legal obligation to report significant data losses to those affected and to the commissioner.
And MPs said the need for a "proper approach" to data handling was even more important given the proposed database of every child in the UK, the proposed identity card scheme and moves to allow other EU member states access to data held in the UK on UK citizens.
The prime minister and chancellor apologised over the data loss row last month and an inquiry is under way, alongside a police investigation.
Millions of families were told to be on the alert for fraudulent use of their details, which include children's names, addresses and dates of birth and National Insurance and bank details.
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said the need to strengthen data protection laws had been recognised before the child benefit discs were lost and a review had been commissioned in October.
"Parliament is currently considering proposals to amend section 60 of the Data Protection Act through the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill," she said.
"This will provide a custodial sanction as well as the existing fines for those found guilty of unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal data."
02 January, 2008
Fair trade 'more effective than giving to charity'
Third Sector
British consumers believe shopping ethically is a more effective way to relieve global poverty than donating to charity, according to a recent ICM poll.
The poll of 2,000 people, conducted on behalf of the Department for International Development, found that 74 per cent of respondents thought buying fair trade goods was an effective way to benefit those in the developing world. Sixty-five per cent cited donating money.
Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, said: “Many people give regular donations to aid and development charities – which is marvellous – but research shows that more and more people are looking for additional ways they can make a difference.”
The poll also found that 61 per cent of people felt they had a personal responsibility to help relieve poverty and most cited charities as the biggest influence on their decision to take action.
Stefanie Pfeil, fundraising director at the anti-poverty charity War on Want, said ethical shopping was important but that people should continue to donate to charity.
“Consumers can help some poor people through buying products from ethical sources,” she said. “But fairly traded goods represent only a small proportion of all purchases. Shoppers can help people in developing countries by applying pressure to British retailers.
“Donations to charities such as ours support campaigns for binding UK legislation to stop corporate abuse.”
British consumers believe shopping ethically is a more effective way to relieve global poverty than donating to charity, according to a recent ICM poll.
The poll of 2,000 people, conducted on behalf of the Department for International Development, found that 74 per cent of respondents thought buying fair trade goods was an effective way to benefit those in the developing world. Sixty-five per cent cited donating money.
Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, said: “Many people give regular donations to aid and development charities – which is marvellous – but research shows that more and more people are looking for additional ways they can make a difference.”
The poll also found that 61 per cent of people felt they had a personal responsibility to help relieve poverty and most cited charities as the biggest influence on their decision to take action.
Stefanie Pfeil, fundraising director at the anti-poverty charity War on Want, said ethical shopping was important but that people should continue to donate to charity.
“Consumers can help some poor people through buying products from ethical sources,” she said. “But fairly traded goods represent only a small proportion of all purchases. Shoppers can help people in developing countries by applying pressure to British retailers.
“Donations to charities such as ours support campaigns for binding UK legislation to stop corporate abuse.”
Inefficient ICT Sector's Carbon Emissions set to Surpass Aviation Industry
Inefficient Truth
First National Survey Reveals 60% of Businesses are Lacking Support for Sustainable ICT Strategies
London, 3rd December 2007 - The ICT sector in the UK has a carbon footprint similar to the aviation industry and its skyrocketing growth means it will soon surpass the poster child for climate change, a report by Global Action Plan with guidance from the Environmental IT Leadership Team (EILT) revealed today.
Worryingly, 86% of ICT departments surveyed for the report do not know the carbon footprint of their activities and less than 20% even see their energy bills. The growth in carbon emissions from the sector is being exacerbated by Government policies requiring higher levels of data to be stored.
Encouragingly, increased efficiencies using proven techniques could lead to rapid and significant carbon savings. Most ICT professionals are aware of green technology and would like to be involved in sustainability initiatives. But they are in great need of support to do so.
The report ‘An Inefficient Truth’ was advised by the EILT; the UK’s first independent expert user group focused on exploring and publishing best practice sustainable Information Communication Technology (ICT) strategies.
The environmental charity Global Action Plan today calls on the UK government to introduce legislation and tax incentives to support the adoption of sustainable ICT policies and strategy in British businesses.
The report includes a national survey that is the first to measure awareness between the use of ICT in business and its contribution to the UK’s carbon footprint; identify the proportion of companies seeking energy efficient strategies; and to promote examples of best practice.
Key findings in the report include:
Restorick adds, “The survey illustrates that ICT departments have been slow off the mark to address their carbon footprint. Awareness is now growing but to turn this into action, ICT departments need help. They need vendors to give them better information rather than selling green froth, they need Government policies to become more supportive and less contradictory, and they need more support from within their organisations.”
Logicalis, international ICT provider and sponsors of ‘An Inefficient Truth’, agrees that legislation and tax incentives are important, but, first and foremost, businesses must evaluate the efficiency of existing ICT infrastructure, citing server under-utilisation and the data centre as prime examples of energy abuse. Tom Kelly, managing director for Logicalis UK, comments:
“The government’s draft climate change bill proposes a 60% cut in emissions by 2050. In this environment, a flabby business that guzzles budget and energy is likely to be a prime target for impending legislation.
“CIOs have a responsibility to ensure their ICT infrastructure can support a lean and dynamic business, yet as this survey demonstrates, many ICT departments are unsure if and how they can maximise their existing assets. With data centre capacity at a premium, and energy bills escalating, CIOs are well advised to look inward for energy saving initiatives and to instigate cultural change throughout the business. In short, efficient IT equals green IT.”
As a result of the survey Global Action Plan is calling on ICT vendors and the government to provide businesses with the support and tools to implement ICT best practice. These demands include:
First National Survey Reveals 60% of Businesses are Lacking Support for Sustainable ICT Strategies
London, 3rd December 2007 - The ICT sector in the UK has a carbon footprint similar to the aviation industry and its skyrocketing growth means it will soon surpass the poster child for climate change, a report by Global Action Plan with guidance from the Environmental IT Leadership Team (EILT) revealed today.
Worryingly, 86% of ICT departments surveyed for the report do not know the carbon footprint of their activities and less than 20% even see their energy bills. The growth in carbon emissions from the sector is being exacerbated by Government policies requiring higher levels of data to be stored.
Encouragingly, increased efficiencies using proven techniques could lead to rapid and significant carbon savings. Most ICT professionals are aware of green technology and would like to be involved in sustainability initiatives. But they are in great need of support to do so.
The report ‘An Inefficient Truth’ was advised by the EILT; the UK’s first independent expert user group focused on exploring and publishing best practice sustainable Information Communication Technology (ICT) strategies.
The environmental charity Global Action Plan today calls on the UK government to introduce legislation and tax incentives to support the adoption of sustainable ICT policies and strategy in British businesses.
The report includes a national survey that is the first to measure awareness between the use of ICT in business and its contribution to the UK’s carbon footprint; identify the proportion of companies seeking energy efficient strategies; and to promote examples of best practice.
Key findings in the report include:
- 61% of UK data centres only have the capacity for two years of growth.
- 37% of companies are storing data indefinitely due to government policy.
- Nearly 40% of servers are underutilised by more than 50%.
- 80% of respondents do not believe their company’s data policies are environmentally sustainable.
Trewin Restorick, director of Global Action Plan and chair of the EILT, comments, “ICT equipment currently accounts for 3-4% of the world’s carbon emissions, and 10% of the UK’s energy bill. The average server, for example, has roughly the same annual carbon footprint as an SUV doing 15 miles-per-gallon! With a carbon footprint now equal to the aviation industry, ICT, and how businesses utilise ICT, will increasingly come under the spotlight as governments seek to achieve carbon-cutting commitments.”
The survey, which was completed by CIOs, IT directors and senior decision makers from 120 UK enterprises, found that over 60% of respondents consider time pressures and cost the biggest barriers to adopting sustainable ICT policies, and believe that recognised standards and tax allowances would provide the most valuable support towards reducing ICT’s contribution to the UK’s carbon emissions.
Restorick adds, “The survey illustrates that ICT departments have been slow off the mark to address their carbon footprint. Awareness is now growing but to turn this into action, ICT departments need help. They need vendors to give them better information rather than selling green froth, they need Government policies to become more supportive and less contradictory, and they need more support from within their organisations.”
Logicalis, international ICT provider and sponsors of ‘An Inefficient Truth’, agrees that legislation and tax incentives are important, but, first and foremost, businesses must evaluate the efficiency of existing ICT infrastructure, citing server under-utilisation and the data centre as prime examples of energy abuse. Tom Kelly, managing director for Logicalis UK, comments:
“The government’s draft climate change bill proposes a 60% cut in emissions by 2050. In this environment, a flabby business that guzzles budget and energy is likely to be a prime target for impending legislation.
“CIOs have a responsibility to ensure their ICT infrastructure can support a lean and dynamic business, yet as this survey demonstrates, many ICT departments are unsure if and how they can maximise their existing assets. With data centre capacity at a premium, and energy bills escalating, CIOs are well advised to look inward for energy saving initiatives and to instigate cultural change throughout the business. In short, efficient IT equals green IT.”
As a result of the survey Global Action Plan is calling on ICT vendors and the government to provide businesses with the support and tools to implement ICT best practice. These demands include:
- Government to provide incentives to help companies reduce the carbon footprint of their IT activities
- Government to ensure that there is a sufficient supply of energy for data centre needs in the future
- Government to review its policies on long-term data storage to take into account the carbon implications
- ICT vendors to significantly improve the quality of their environmental information
- ICT departments to be accountable for the energy costs of running and cooling ICT equipment
- Companies to ensure ICT departments are fully engaged in their CSR and environmental policies
- Companies to ensure that their ICT infrastructure meets stricter efficiency targets
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