privacy | Internet Marketing Blog

Facebook launching real-time ad platform: report

If there was any doubt that Facebook is going to be putting the peddle to the metal on its monetization efforts now that it's a publicly-traded company, those doubts are apparently going to be eliminated very quickly.

That's because reports have surfaced indicating that the world's largest social network is on the brink of launching a real-time ad exchange dubbed Facebook Exchange.

by Patricio Robles 14 June 2012 17:20pm 2 comments

Not so fast: IE10 may not have Do Not Track on by default

Last week, Microsoft announced that its newest browser, IE10, set to launch when the Redmond software giant releases Windows 8 later this year, would ship with its 'Do Not Track' feature turned on by default.

The announcement attracted a lot of attention, and for good reason.

Given IE's marketshare, adoption of Windows 8 and Microsoft's new browser could create a troublesome scenario for advertisers, advertising networks and publishers as large numbers of users would be opted in to Do Not Track without any action required.

by Patricio Robles 07 June 2012 17:12pm 4 comments

LinkedIn faces major security breach: report

While Facebook's stock languishes, shares of the world's most popular social network for professionals, LinkedIn, have been treated far more kindly. With a forward price-to-earnings ratio of approximately 75, investors are betting that LinkedIn's future is bright.

But the company may be in for a rough patch as word broke today that some 6.5m passwords have been stolen from the social network.

by Patricio Robles 06 June 2012 17:26pm 3 comments

IE10 to have 'Do Not Track' turned on by default

Yesterday, Microsoft unveiled to the world its Windows 8 Release Preview. The release will be the last before Microsoft ships Windows 8 later this year.

The Release Preview contained plenty for industry observers and the curious to digest. There are performance improvements, more apps, better support for multiple monitors and so on and so forth.

by Patricio Robles 01 June 2012 16:35pm 4 comments

Even the EU can't comply with its own cookie law

If ibuprofen sales are up in the EU this year, it might have something to do with the nightmare known as the EU cookie law.

For major companies operating in affected countries, the solution to the problem has been, well, to find a solution to the problem. And for good reason: with the possibility of enforcement action, few businesses can afford not to address the law.

But apparently the EU itself can't be bothered with complying with its own rules.

by Patricio Robles 29 May 2012 15:09pm 2 comments

SceneTap and the perils of 'anonymous' data gathering

A man walks into the bar...

That's the start of countless jokes, but it's not a joke for SceneTap. For the Chicago-based startup, a man walking into a bar is just another event that can be tracked and analyzed.

Thus far, SceneTap has tracked 8.5m such events at more than 400 bars and nightclubs using cameras that allow it to determine how crowded a bar is, the approximate ages of patrons and male-to-female ratios.

by Patricio Robles 15 May 2012 11:33am 1 comment

The real reason Facebook is taking on nosy employers

If you're hunting for a job today, your next interview might just end with an awkward question, "Can we have your Facebook password?"

In an effort to get as much information as they can, a growing number of private and public employers are asking job applicants to give them access to their Facebook accounts. There have also been reports of universities asking prospective applicants for the same.

by Patricio Robles 23 March 2012 17:01pm 7 comments

Use Facebook? Expect to see more ads, and more annoying ads

Facebook's upcoming IPO will likely go down as the richest technology IPO ever - but that doesn't mean that the company's continued success is guaranteed.

In fact, the world's largest social network may miss its Q1 revenue target.

by Patricio Robles 27 February 2012 10:18am 3 comments

Do Not Track gains support, but will it really work?

Today, the administration of US President Barack Obama announced a blueprint for a "Privacy Bill of Rights."

The goal: "improve consumers’ privacy protections" and "give users more control over how their personal information is used on the Internet", all the while maintaining the internet's status as an "engine for innovation and economic growth."

To achieve that goal, the president has enlisted the help of some of the internet's biggest names, including Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL.

by Patricio Robles 23 February 2012 19:37pm 0 comments

The Path to success is not paved with apologies

Recently, mobile startup Path was caught 'stealing' its users' address books without their permission. Not surprisingly, this created a firestorm in the tech blogosphere.