Business Risks of Social Networking

The enthusiastic take up of social networking web services is showing up some serious issues of privacy and business risk.  In the early days of 'chat rooms' the risks were of unwanted attention from strangers and using pseudonyms or nick names to hide identity.  The style now is to reveal your identity and communicate relatively openly with your 'friends'.  The problem still remains, that your friends may not be that friendly.

Employers are also using social networking sites to check up employees and applicants for jobs.  There is an emerging private investigation business, that will do internet searches to gather information on people.  On the other hand businesses are at risk from employees revealing commercially sensitive information, or criticising their employer publicly.  The media had a few reports of recent events:

1. Digging up dirt: Facebook spies for hire - The Age 17/04/09
2. Telstra lays down the law on Twitter - The Age 20/04/09
3. Spokeo - people finder service
4. Enter 'people finder' into a search engine

Digital Radio?

The Age March 26 2009
"Commercial radio stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide will start broadcasting digitally in May and the ABC and SBS will come on line some time later - the ABC is forecasting July."

...

"What's your digital status?

Are you a native, an immigrant or an alien? Like it or not, the people launching digital radio have you pigeonholed.

Natives are people under 20 who have lived with digital technology all their lives. They'll be quick on the uptake with digital radio - you've heard of ducks and water. The only thing limiting them will be their constant shortage of money. Talk to them about digital radio and they'll ask: "What does it cost?"

Immigrants are a bit older. While they weren't brought up with digital technology, they are adapting to it, some faster than others. Their conversion to digital radio may take longer and could necessitate some focused persuasion - um - we mean advertising. Talk to them about digital radio and they'll ask: "What's in it for me?"

Aliens are mostly older people who can't see any reason to change - they find digital radio about as enticing as digital television. Some may swap over when they're given digital radios as gifts and they discover how easy they are to operate; others never will. Talk to them about digital radio and they'll ask: "What's digital radio?""

Q1. What are the key benefits to consumers?

Q2. What are the opportunities for marketing?

Q3. How could digital radio change radio broadcasting business models?