NEW YORK: Matching mullets, regrettable tattoos, metal mouths and goofy grins. Such long-lost looks were never meant to be seen by anyone except those flipping through the pages of an old family album or studying the photo frames on the fireplace mantel.
But now, Americans who grew up long before the Internet opened private lives to the world are digging up dusty boxes for photos to share on Facebook and other sites — sometimes to the chagrin of family members and schoolmates appearing in group shots.
Most people sharing photos from their past are simply having fun, and it can even serve as some form of collective healing.
“There’s definitely a bit of exhibitionism involved,” said Brandon Van Der Heide, an Ohio State University professor who studies the social implications of the Internet.
“It’s a way for people to connect to something that’s familiar and laugh at themselves.”
Nikki Smith, a 37-year-old Facebook user from Paducah, Kentucky, flipped through the scrapbooks she pieced together as a teenager and began scanning the old photos into her computer. The images took her back 20 years to the days of big hair, oversized sweaters, Air Jordan sneakers and aviator sunglasses.
“I had really, really bad hair in my senior year,” Smith said. “But everyone knows. Everybody was there.”
Smith said posting the photos on Facebook “gave everyone a good laugh.”
It also put her back in touch with many of her old high school classmates. One photo, which shows Smith posing with her high school dance troupe in matching blue and white leotards and knee high boots, garnered more than 40 comments alone from other Facebook users.
“I don’t think any of them are really awful,” Smith said. “It was 20 years ago, who cares?”
But some people do care, especially when someone else has uploaded an unflattering photo or video.
The frightful past
Los Angeles screenwriter Mike Bender, who runs AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com devoted to such photos from the past, said a woman who shared a family photo later wrote to say that she was drunk when she submitted it and that her family was upset with her. Bender removed the picture immediately but it was already all over the Internet.
What happens online can have a direct effect on someone’s real life reputation, Van Der Heide said, yet people posting photos of others aren’t giving them a chance to respond or control how they appear. He said unwarranted photos, videos or comments made about you could potentially “assassinate your credibility.”
Online photos also have the “potential to hang around,” getting copied and redistributed such that deleting your original might do little to erase the embarrassment, said Amanda Lenhart, senior research specialist at the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
Facebook does give users limited control over photos shared by their friends. Users can remove “tags” that identify them in individual photos, which would make it more difficult to find the photo in a search.
Facebook spokesman Malorie Lucich said users should “keep an open dialogue with their friends so they can discuss what type of photos they’d rather not see posted.”
Bender, of AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com, suggests making sure everyone in the photo is in on the joke before posting something seemingly funny and harmless.
“We’re not looking to humiliate anyone,” Bender said. “We really want people to have fun with it.”
Not picture perfect
More than 100,000 visitors a day now browse photos on his site, which Bender and fellow screenwriter Doug Chernack launched in April.
You can laugh at the silly holiday photo where the entire family has dressed up in oversized Christmas gift boxes, or cringe at the teenager’s dark eyeliner and punk hair ruining the family’s studio portrait.
And then there’s the family dressed in matching Winnie the Pooh outfits for a studio portrait — the father is on his hands and knees in a furry, blue Eeyore suit, his baby, dressed as Tigger, sits on his back, and mother Winnie stands nearby.
A similar site, LaserPortraits.net, celebrates the awkward school portrait — specifically, the ones from the 80s and the 90s with the fluorescent lasers in the background.
Olivia Rea submitted her fourth grade school portrait. A young Olivia looks up and off to the right with a shy, expecting gaze, sporting black Harry Potter-esque glasses and a mouthful of braces.
Her caption: “At the time this picture was taken I wanted to grow up to be a model. I wrote letters to every supermodel I could think of seeking their advice. In each letter I included a copy of this photo. I never heard back from any of them ... I wonder why?”
Today, Rea is a high school math teacher in St Louis, having given up her modelling dreams. “It’s making fun of myself, letting the world know we’ve all had embarrassing moments,” she said.
What if her students saw that photo online? “I think it would be funny,” she said. “It’s good for my students to know that it’s OK to make mistakes.” — AP
Sunday, September 27, 2009
NEWS: Future leaders
THE government is in the process of drafting a strategic plan to groom about one million students at higher learning institutions to become future leaders of the country.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who is also Kelantan Umno Liaison Chief, said the move was necessary to groom sincere and knowledgeable leaders, as they will be the ones to determine the future direction of the country.
“This is a challenge that about one million students at higher learning institutions in the country must shoulder,” said Mustapa at a meet-the-leaders session in SMKSultan Ismail (SMKSI), here on Wednesday.
In order to equip themselves with additional knowledge, he urged students to be actively involved in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including student councils, as a means of broadening their horizons.
“They (students) must also be role models and mentors to those under their tutelage in order to help the country achieve the developed nation status by 2020,” said the former Higher Education Minister.
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin, Kelantan Federal Development Department director Datuk Mohd Shukri Salleh, and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Zainal Mohamed were among the other leaders who attended the session. — Bernama
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who is also Kelantan Umno Liaison Chief, said the move was necessary to groom sincere and knowledgeable leaders, as they will be the ones to determine the future direction of the country.
“This is a challenge that about one million students at higher learning institutions in the country must shoulder,” said Mustapa at a meet-the-leaders session in SMKSultan Ismail (SMKSI), here on Wednesday.
In order to equip themselves with additional knowledge, he urged students to be actively involved in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including student councils, as a means of broadening their horizons.
“They (students) must also be role models and mentors to those under their tutelage in order to help the country achieve the developed nation status by 2020,” said the former Higher Education Minister.
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin, Kelantan Federal Development Department director Datuk Mohd Shukri Salleh, and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Zainal Mohamed were among the other leaders who attended the session. — Bernama
NEWS: Watch and learn
SCHOOL CHILDREN can expect to learn in a more fun and interactive environment following the launch of a partnership for Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah between the Education Ministry and Astro recently.
Under the partnership — a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by Astro — the TV operator will supply 10,000 primary and secondary schools, including Teachers’ Activity Centres, in Malaysia with free personal video recording equipment, TV sets, and access to 12 learning channels during the campaign period.
The key objective of the programme is to support the ministry’s goal to offer a holistic learning experience to young students through greater exposure to world-class educational and informative content.
Astro is committed to investing RM30mil over a period of three years to implement this programme in all schools nationwide.
Muhyiddin launching the partnership for “Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah” while Rohana (left), Badri and Education Ministry director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom look on.
Teachers and students residing in remote areas will not be left out, as they will also get to enjoy the same access to the educational TV programmes.
The 12 channels available to the schools are Astro TVIQ, Astro Awani, Astro Ceria, Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Science Channel, Animal Planet Channel, The History Channel, Disney, TV1, TV2 and BernamaTV.
To ensure that more students can benefit from the partnership, certain channels have language options like English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese.
Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was invited to launch the partnership in Johor, commended Astro for its efforts in collaborating with the ministry to help develop innovative and inquiring young minds through the programmes on the learning channels.
The event was also attended by Astro chairman Datuk Badri Masri and chief executive officer Rohana Rozhan.
According to Rohana, Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah reflects Astro’s commitment in providing Malaysian children with a holistic approach to learning.
“Astro has made education a priority for all Malaysians.
“Kampus Astro takes on a whole new approach via four main pillars -- Academic Content, Life Skills, On Ground Events and Community Projects -- to make learning fun for Malaysians.
“We are happy to bring Kampus Astro to the schools via Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah, which will see over 5.2mil students from 10,000 primary and secondary schools in Malaysia benefiting from it,” she said.
In partnership with the National Science Centre, the Kampus Astro-on-Wheels community outreach programme is an extension of the Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah.
A 25-foot mobile truck housing learning-based activities will be visiting rural and suburban schools on weekends to support the students’ learning needs.
Under the partnership — a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by Astro — the TV operator will supply 10,000 primary and secondary schools, including Teachers’ Activity Centres, in Malaysia with free personal video recording equipment, TV sets, and access to 12 learning channels during the campaign period.
The key objective of the programme is to support the ministry’s goal to offer a holistic learning experience to young students through greater exposure to world-class educational and informative content.
Astro is committed to investing RM30mil over a period of three years to implement this programme in all schools nationwide.
Muhyiddin launching the partnership for “Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah” while Rohana (left), Badri and Education Ministry director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom look on.
Teachers and students residing in remote areas will not be left out, as they will also get to enjoy the same access to the educational TV programmes.
The 12 channels available to the schools are Astro TVIQ, Astro Awani, Astro Ceria, Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Science Channel, Animal Planet Channel, The History Channel, Disney, TV1, TV2 and BernamaTV.
To ensure that more students can benefit from the partnership, certain channels have language options like English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese.
Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was invited to launch the partnership in Johor, commended Astro for its efforts in collaborating with the ministry to help develop innovative and inquiring young minds through the programmes on the learning channels.
The event was also attended by Astro chairman Datuk Badri Masri and chief executive officer Rohana Rozhan.
According to Rohana, Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah reflects Astro’s commitment in providing Malaysian children with a holistic approach to learning.
“Astro has made education a priority for all Malaysians.
“Kampus Astro takes on a whole new approach via four main pillars -- Academic Content, Life Skills, On Ground Events and Community Projects -- to make learning fun for Malaysians.
“We are happy to bring Kampus Astro to the schools via Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah, which will see over 5.2mil students from 10,000 primary and secondary schools in Malaysia benefiting from it,” she said.
In partnership with the National Science Centre, the Kampus Astro-on-Wheels community outreach programme is an extension of the Kampus Astro Bersama Komuniti Sekolah.
A 25-foot mobile truck housing learning-based activities will be visiting rural and suburban schools on weekends to support the students’ learning needs.
NEWS: RIM renews call to ban illegal downloaders
PETALING JAYA: France is going to disable the Internet accounts of citizens who download illegal copies of music, movies and PC games, and so should we, said the Recording Industry Association of Malaysia (RIM).
RIM wants the Malaysian Government to emulate France’s latest move to clamp down on Internet piracy.
News agency AFP reported that the French parliament has approved an Internet piracy bill which has a provision to ban illegal music, film and computer game downloaders from the Internet.
Repeat offenders can now be cut off from the Web in addition to facing existing but rarely applied legislation that stipulates a fine of up to 300,000 euros (RM1.5mil) or two-year jail term.
Also, AFP reported, Internet account holders found guilty of “negligence” for allowing a third party to pirate music or films using their web connection, would risk a 1,500-euro (RM7,500) fine and a month-long suspension.
RIM chief executive officer Tan Ngiap Foo said this matter was brought up to the Malaysian Government about three months ago.
“As our Government is aware of these developments, we are hopeful that it will adopt such a law,” he said.
Tan said the Government is in the midst of amending the Copyright Act 1987 to cover the Internet and hopes this can be finished by March.
“With the MSC Malaysia given such prominence there is no reason for our country not to adopt such a law. Copyright is paramount to the growth of the initiative,” he said.
MSC Malaysia was kicked off about 13 years ago to help build the nation’s knowledge economy. It involves hundreds of foreign and local companies that develop multimedia and communications products and services for home and international markets.
1-2-3 you’re out
RIM suggested a “three-strike warning” for illegal downloaders.
“First-time offenders could perhaps be sent a warning, advising them that it is illegal to download copies of pirated material,” Tan told In.Tech.
“If they persist, the next step could be to suspend their Internet accounts temporarily.”
After that, he said, recalcitrant downloaders could be permanently cut off from the Internet and taken to court. “This would be a stiff deterrent to others who pirate copyrighted material online,” he added.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, which is industry regulator, and the Motion Picture Association could not respond to calls for comment by press time due to the Hari Raya holiday season.
According to the AFP report, the bill is one of the toughest ever drafted in the global fight against the illegal downloading of films, music and computer games.
AFP also reported that in Sweden, a similar law has led to a sharp drop in illegal downloading although critics predict the effects will be shortlived and argue that it is an excessive breach of personal privacy.
RIM wants the Malaysian Government to emulate France’s latest move to clamp down on Internet piracy.
News agency AFP reported that the French parliament has approved an Internet piracy bill which has a provision to ban illegal music, film and computer game downloaders from the Internet.
Repeat offenders can now be cut off from the Web in addition to facing existing but rarely applied legislation that stipulates a fine of up to 300,000 euros (RM1.5mil) or two-year jail term.
Also, AFP reported, Internet account holders found guilty of “negligence” for allowing a third party to pirate music or films using their web connection, would risk a 1,500-euro (RM7,500) fine and a month-long suspension.
RIM chief executive officer Tan Ngiap Foo said this matter was brought up to the Malaysian Government about three months ago.
“As our Government is aware of these developments, we are hopeful that it will adopt such a law,” he said.
Tan said the Government is in the midst of amending the Copyright Act 1987 to cover the Internet and hopes this can be finished by March.
“With the MSC Malaysia given such prominence there is no reason for our country not to adopt such a law. Copyright is paramount to the growth of the initiative,” he said.
MSC Malaysia was kicked off about 13 years ago to help build the nation’s knowledge economy. It involves hundreds of foreign and local companies that develop multimedia and communications products and services for home and international markets.
1-2-3 you’re out
RIM suggested a “three-strike warning” for illegal downloaders.
“First-time offenders could perhaps be sent a warning, advising them that it is illegal to download copies of pirated material,” Tan told In.Tech.
“If they persist, the next step could be to suspend their Internet accounts temporarily.”
After that, he said, recalcitrant downloaders could be permanently cut off from the Internet and taken to court. “This would be a stiff deterrent to others who pirate copyrighted material online,” he added.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, which is industry regulator, and the Motion Picture Association could not respond to calls for comment by press time due to the Hari Raya holiday season.
According to the AFP report, the bill is one of the toughest ever drafted in the global fight against the illegal downloading of films, music and computer games.
AFP also reported that in Sweden, a similar law has led to a sharp drop in illegal downloading although critics predict the effects will be shortlived and argue that it is an excessive breach of personal privacy.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
NEWS: France approves bill to cut off Net pirates’ access
PARIS: France’s lower house of parliament approved a pioneering bill Tuesday allowing authorities to cut off Internet access to people who download illegally, a measure that entertainment companies hope will be a powerful weapon against piracy.
Critics, meanwhile, complain the bill threatens civil liberties, and questions remain about exactly how it will be enforced.
The bill has garnered attention beyond France, both from music and film industries struggling to keep up official revenue and from privacy advocates who worry about government intrusion.
The Culture Ministry has estimated that 1,000 French Internet users a day could be taken offline under the bill. Pirates who ignore e-mail warnings and a registered letter could see their Internet connections cut for up to a year, and they could also face up to 300,000 euros in fines or jail time.
Even parents whose children download illegally could be targeted for neglecting to police their online activities -- after warnings, the family’s Internet service could be shut down for a month, and they could be slapped with a 3,750-euro fine.
An original, more muscular version of the bill was shot down earlier this year as unconstitutional. The Senate approved a compromise version in July, and the National Assembly followed suit Tuesday, with a 285-225 vote.
The bill must clear at least one more hurdle to become law, gaining approval from a small committee of lawmakers tasked with harmonising the two versions.
President Nicolas Sarkozy, the husband of model-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and friend to powerful French media figures, supports the bill.
Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand applauded lawmakers, saying, “Artistes will remember that we at last had the courage to break with the laissez-faire approach and protect their rights from people who want to turn the net into their libertarian utopia.”
David El Sayegh, general manager of France’s National Union of Phonographic Publishing, also praised the effort, saying, “It’s extremely urgent to have regulation on the Internet to make users responsible.”
But opposition Socialists and several members of Sarkozy’s conservative party are against it, largely because of the powers it grants a new agency, called Hadopi, that would sanction those who illegally download copyrighted material.
Efforts to pass the bill have been tortuous. It was rejected in April, then adopted in May, then rejected by the Constitutional Council in June because it would have allowed the agency to cut off Internet connections of repeat offenders. The version voted on Tuesday leaves it to a judge to order Internet connections cut.
Socialist lawmaker Bruno Le Roux called the back-and-forth an “endless soap opera” that has become “grotesque.”
“This project is totally unenforceable today,” he said, echoing the concerns of some Internet experts.
Exact details about enforcement were still being worked out. Internet subscribers would be asked to install special software to enable authorities to track down and identify those suspected of illegal downloads, but sceptics say such programs are not ready to be rolled out.
Opponents also say the legislation misses the point by targeting downloads rather than illegal forms of “streaming” -- an increasingly popular approach where music and videos are played over the Internet, rather than downloaded and saved onto a user’s computer. -- AP
Critics, meanwhile, complain the bill threatens civil liberties, and questions remain about exactly how it will be enforced.
The bill has garnered attention beyond France, both from music and film industries struggling to keep up official revenue and from privacy advocates who worry about government intrusion.
The Culture Ministry has estimated that 1,000 French Internet users a day could be taken offline under the bill. Pirates who ignore e-mail warnings and a registered letter could see their Internet connections cut for up to a year, and they could also face up to 300,000 euros in fines or jail time.
Even parents whose children download illegally could be targeted for neglecting to police their online activities -- after warnings, the family’s Internet service could be shut down for a month, and they could be slapped with a 3,750-euro fine.
An original, more muscular version of the bill was shot down earlier this year as unconstitutional. The Senate approved a compromise version in July, and the National Assembly followed suit Tuesday, with a 285-225 vote.
The bill must clear at least one more hurdle to become law, gaining approval from a small committee of lawmakers tasked with harmonising the two versions.
President Nicolas Sarkozy, the husband of model-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and friend to powerful French media figures, supports the bill.
Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand applauded lawmakers, saying, “Artistes will remember that we at last had the courage to break with the laissez-faire approach and protect their rights from people who want to turn the net into their libertarian utopia.”
David El Sayegh, general manager of France’s National Union of Phonographic Publishing, also praised the effort, saying, “It’s extremely urgent to have regulation on the Internet to make users responsible.”
But opposition Socialists and several members of Sarkozy’s conservative party are against it, largely because of the powers it grants a new agency, called Hadopi, that would sanction those who illegally download copyrighted material.
Efforts to pass the bill have been tortuous. It was rejected in April, then adopted in May, then rejected by the Constitutional Council in June because it would have allowed the agency to cut off Internet connections of repeat offenders. The version voted on Tuesday leaves it to a judge to order Internet connections cut.
Socialist lawmaker Bruno Le Roux called the back-and-forth an “endless soap opera” that has become “grotesque.”
“This project is totally unenforceable today,” he said, echoing the concerns of some Internet experts.
Exact details about enforcement were still being worked out. Internet subscribers would be asked to install special software to enable authorities to track down and identify those suspected of illegal downloads, but sceptics say such programs are not ready to be rolled out.
Opponents also say the legislation misses the point by targeting downloads rather than illegal forms of “streaming” -- an increasingly popular approach where music and videos are played over the Internet, rather than downloaded and saved onto a user’s computer. -- AP
NEWS: Yahoo! nets RM540m windfall from Alibaba.com sale
SUNNYVALE (California): Yahoo! Inc has cashed out of its investment in China’s leading e-commerce site, Alibaba.com.
The sale, announced on Monday, is expected to generate a pretax windfall of about US$150mil (RM540mil) for Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo!. The Internet company had owned a 1% stake in Alibaba.com.
Yahoo! invested about US$100mil (RM360mil at today’s exchange rate) in Alibaba.com as part of an initial public offering completed in November 2007. The shares have soared since then, and Yahoo! decided it was time to capitalise on the run-up.
Yahoo! still holds a roughly 40% stake in Alibaba.com’s owner, the Alibaba Group.
In a statement, the US company indicated that it intended to hold on to its investment in the Alibaba Group, calling it an “important long-term way to participate in the China market.” — AP
The sale, announced on Monday, is expected to generate a pretax windfall of about US$150mil (RM540mil) for Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo!. The Internet company had owned a 1% stake in Alibaba.com.
Yahoo! invested about US$100mil (RM360mil at today’s exchange rate) in Alibaba.com as part of an initial public offering completed in November 2007. The shares have soared since then, and Yahoo! decided it was time to capitalise on the run-up.
Yahoo! still holds a roughly 40% stake in Alibaba.com’s owner, the Alibaba Group.
In a statement, the US company indicated that it intended to hold on to its investment in the Alibaba Group, calling it an “important long-term way to participate in the China market.” — AP
NEWS: Google hopes readers will ‘flip’ over new format
SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc is testing a new format that is supposed to make reading online stories as easy as flipping through a magazine, a shift that eventually could feed more advertising sales to revenue-starved publishers.
The Internet search leader unveiled the experiment, called “Fast Flip,” on Monday at a conference hosted by TechCrunch, a popular blog.
The service is meant to duplicate the look and feel of perusing a printed publication. The stories are displayed on electronic pages that can be quickly scrolled through by clicking on large arrows on the side instead of a standard weblink that requires waiting several seconds for a page to load.
Readers can sort through content based on topics, favourite writers and publications.
For now, Fast Flip will only show the first page of a story. Readers who want to continue will have to click through to the publisher’s site, where the display reverts to a traditional webpage.
More than three dozen publishers, broadcasters and Web-only outlets have agreed to share their content on Fast Flip. The participants include two major newspapers, The New York Times and the Washington Post, as well as large magazines like Newsweek and BusinessWeek.
The publishers providing the stories to Fast Flip will get most of the revenue from the ads that Google intends to show in the new format.
That’s a switch from Google’s main search page and its news section, where the Mountain View, California-based company keeps all the money from ads shown alongside headlines and snippets from stories. — AP
++++
http://fastflip.googlelabs.com
The Internet search leader unveiled the experiment, called “Fast Flip,” on Monday at a conference hosted by TechCrunch, a popular blog.
The service is meant to duplicate the look and feel of perusing a printed publication. The stories are displayed on electronic pages that can be quickly scrolled through by clicking on large arrows on the side instead of a standard weblink that requires waiting several seconds for a page to load.
Readers can sort through content based on topics, favourite writers and publications.
For now, Fast Flip will only show the first page of a story. Readers who want to continue will have to click through to the publisher’s site, where the display reverts to a traditional webpage.
More than three dozen publishers, broadcasters and Web-only outlets have agreed to share their content on Fast Flip. The participants include two major newspapers, The New York Times and the Washington Post, as well as large magazines like Newsweek and BusinessWeek.
The publishers providing the stories to Fast Flip will get most of the revenue from the ads that Google intends to show in the new format.
That’s a switch from Google’s main search page and its news section, where the Mountain View, California-based company keeps all the money from ads shown alongside headlines and snippets from stories. — AP
++++
http://fastflip.googlelabs.com
NEWS: Handy ways to improve your business
PETALING JAYA: The retail industry can benefit from advanced handheld mobile computers and data-capture devices because these increase employee efficiency, said telecommunications giant Motorola Inc.
It said these machines also help reduce mundane tasks and improve accuracy when collecting or sending information.
“There is a whole range of devices that can help transform a retail business, making it more efficient and profitable,” said Frank Riso, senior director of industry global solutions for Symbol Technologies. His company was acquired by Motorola in 2007.
“These are mainly sturdy, wireless computers that can be connected to a store network or multiple networks.”
Supermarket employees or resutaurant staff could have these devices on them at work to simplify goods delivery acceptance or order taking, Riso said.
“Some of these gadgets are equipped with scanners that can record and manage inventory,” he added. This would be an obvious god-send to anyone who’s had to manually count boxes in a warehouse or egg cartons in a storeroom.
Riso claimed that retail businesses which turned to such devices reported as much as a 30% increase in sales afterwards. He said they also received a return on investment in just one month.
One customer in the United States, he said, decided to hand out barcode readers to its customers, to reduce the time its patrons had to wait in check-out queues.
“The Stop & Shop supermarket bought units of our MC17 Retail Mobile Computer, which has a wireless barcode reader and display screen.
“Its customers use the device to scan each item in their shopping baskets for pricing. When they’re ready to check out, the device totals up the purchases. The shoppers then bag their own items, return the computer, and make payment,” Rico said.
This is the future of retail, he added.
Similar devices are being employed in local hypermarkets and supermarkets, according to Motorola, which expects the technology to pick up quickly in the retail industry as more businesses realise the benefits.
It said these machines also help reduce mundane tasks and improve accuracy when collecting or sending information.
“There is a whole range of devices that can help transform a retail business, making it more efficient and profitable,” said Frank Riso, senior director of industry global solutions for Symbol Technologies. His company was acquired by Motorola in 2007.
“These are mainly sturdy, wireless computers that can be connected to a store network or multiple networks.”
Supermarket employees or resutaurant staff could have these devices on them at work to simplify goods delivery acceptance or order taking, Riso said.
“Some of these gadgets are equipped with scanners that can record and manage inventory,” he added. This would be an obvious god-send to anyone who’s had to manually count boxes in a warehouse or egg cartons in a storeroom.
Riso claimed that retail businesses which turned to such devices reported as much as a 30% increase in sales afterwards. He said they also received a return on investment in just one month.
One customer in the United States, he said, decided to hand out barcode readers to its customers, to reduce the time its patrons had to wait in check-out queues.
“The Stop & Shop supermarket bought units of our MC17 Retail Mobile Computer, which has a wireless barcode reader and display screen.
“Its customers use the device to scan each item in their shopping baskets for pricing. When they’re ready to check out, the device totals up the purchases. The shoppers then bag their own items, return the computer, and make payment,” Rico said.
This is the future of retail, he added.
Similar devices are being employed in local hypermarkets and supermarkets, according to Motorola, which expects the technology to pick up quickly in the retail industry as more businesses realise the benefits.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
NEWS: Making a concerted effort for global markets
KUALA LUMPUR: Bumiputera technopreneurs can now draw on a pool of global contacts and expertise that will help them expand their businesses internationally.
Members of the 650-strong Persatuan Forum Usahawan ICT Bumiputra Malaysia (NEF) that have ventured abroad will share their contacts with, as well as guide, the other members in the fold of ICT (information and communications technology) companies.
Ashran Ghazi, NEF president, said the organisation has successful companies like Skali Sdn Bhd, Tricubes Bhd, and CWorks Sdn Bhd as members, and that these businesses have experience expanding into overseas markets.
“They have business contacts in various countries, including the Middle East, United States and Hong Kong,” he said at the launch of the NEF’s Globalising Bumiputera Technopreneur programme.
The NEF hopes to draw on that expertise to help its other member companies take their businesses into global markets. “The percentage of our members that have ventured abroad is very small now — less than 5%. We want to increase this,” Ashran said.
Among the steps it is taking to achieve the goal is to kick off its Globalising Bumiputera Technopreneur programme, which will function as a support platform for its members that are ready to take up the challenge.
The programme will help the bumiputera companies pool all their resources to push into overseas markets, especially if they are financially challenged or do not have the confidence to go it alone.
It will also provide a one-stop advisory service with regards to the various types of funding available to technopreneurs headed abroad because many are not aware of these aids.
Portal planned
NEF also plans to channel suitable candidates to the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) — caretaker of the country’s MSC Malaysia initiative — for funding. Asking the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation for funds is another option.
Under the programme, NEF will set up its TEchnoXchange portal, which will include a directory of products and services by its members, as well as a list of business contacts. The portal will be launched in six months time.
There will also be free, short courses on Internet marketing, software as a service, and other topics conducted at the NEF premises in Damansara Perdana in Petaling Jaya.
The Globalising Bumiputera Technopreneur programme is supported by MDeC.
In a effort to lower expenses for its members that are expanding into the United States, the NEF is negotiating to rent a 2,000sq ft office in the famed Silicon Valley.
Ashran said the office space would better enable 10 ICT companies under its wing to operate in that country and share resources. It hopes to make the office operational from March, next year.
The NEF will select the companies after interested members make their pitches to an evaluation committee and advisory panel comprising representatives from itself, MDeC and the Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia.
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www.nef.org.my
Members of the 650-strong Persatuan Forum Usahawan ICT Bumiputra Malaysia (NEF) that have ventured abroad will share their contacts with, as well as guide, the other members in the fold of ICT (information and communications technology) companies.
Ashran Ghazi, NEF president, said the organisation has successful companies like Skali Sdn Bhd, Tricubes Bhd, and CWorks Sdn Bhd as members, and that these businesses have experience expanding into overseas markets.
“They have business contacts in various countries, including the Middle East, United States and Hong Kong,” he said at the launch of the NEF’s Globalising Bumiputera Technopreneur programme.
The NEF hopes to draw on that expertise to help its other member companies take their businesses into global markets. “The percentage of our members that have ventured abroad is very small now — less than 5%. We want to increase this,” Ashran said.
Among the steps it is taking to achieve the goal is to kick off its Globalising Bumiputera Technopreneur programme, which will function as a support platform for its members that are ready to take up the challenge.
The programme will help the bumiputera companies pool all their resources to push into overseas markets, especially if they are financially challenged or do not have the confidence to go it alone.
It will also provide a one-stop advisory service with regards to the various types of funding available to technopreneurs headed abroad because many are not aware of these aids.
Portal planned
NEF also plans to channel suitable candidates to the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) — caretaker of the country’s MSC Malaysia initiative — for funding. Asking the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation for funds is another option.
Under the programme, NEF will set up its TEchnoXchange portal, which will include a directory of products and services by its members, as well as a list of business contacts. The portal will be launched in six months time.
There will also be free, short courses on Internet marketing, software as a service, and other topics conducted at the NEF premises in Damansara Perdana in Petaling Jaya.
The Globalising Bumiputera Technopreneur programme is supported by MDeC.
In a effort to lower expenses for its members that are expanding into the United States, the NEF is negotiating to rent a 2,000sq ft office in the famed Silicon Valley.
Ashran said the office space would better enable 10 ICT companies under its wing to operate in that country and share resources. It hopes to make the office operational from March, next year.
The NEF will select the companies after interested members make their pitches to an evaluation committee and advisory panel comprising representatives from itself, MDeC and the Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia.
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www.nef.org.my
NEWS: Nokia makes it easier for developers
GERMANY(Stuttgart): Nokia has made it easier for web publishers and developers to create applications quickly for the Web and smartphone platforms by using the Ovi SDK Beta and Ovi APIs.
The company said that its Ovi SDK (software development kit) Beta is an easy-to-use, web-based toolbox that provides tools to create applications for the Web, Symbian and Maemo platforms. It contains the Ovi APIs (application programming interface) and new Ovi User Interface (UI) libraries to create rich applications.
The Ovi SDK Beta uses standard web technologies that are familiar among the developer community, Nokia said. These include HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript (JS) programming languages.
“The Ovi APIs, on the other hand, provide developers with an easier way to integrate service features such as maps or navigation to their web applications,” Nokia executive vice-president of services Niklas Savander said at the recent Nokia World 09 conference.
Maps lead the way
Nokia also introduced the Ovi Maps Player API and Ovi Navigation Player API at the event.
The Ovi Maps Player API is designed to bring maps to mobile and web applications effortlessly. It features over 180 country maps, location-based search and detailed place information.
The other features include vector-based maps that give a range of views, including map, terrain and 3D modes for dynamic map mash-ups.
The Ovi Navigation Player API allows developers to bring Nokia’s walk and drive navigation features to their applications including pedestrian navigation, turn-by-turn car navigation and route planning.
Nokia said it is inviting developers to join the Ovi for Developers beta programme on the Forum Nokia Developer Community website (www.forum.nokia.com/Ovi), and will make the Ovi SDK Beta and Ovi APIs available to them.
Applications created with Ovi SDK and Ovi APIs will be distributed through the Ovi Store in 2010. Nokia has already been working with partners such as Lonely Planet, Deutsche Bahn, Associated Press, Qype and National Geographic to create example applications using the Ovi SDK Beta and Ovi APIs.
Music interrupted?
On another matter, Nokia said that both its X3 and X6 music mobile phones will only be available to consumers with the Comes with Music service. This means you cannot buy the mobile phone without subscribing to the Comes with Music service.
“With this service, users can download all the music they want quickly and easily for free for 12 or 18 months, according to the Comes with Music service terms in the specific country,” said Nokia vice-president of category management for Live category Tuula Rytila-Uotila.
“The Comes With Music service is available in 9 countries including Singapore and Australia,” she added.
Nokia has not made any announcements on additional markets for the Comes with Music service, but the company said it views Malaysia as a very important market for this service. The X3 and X6 (bundled with Comes With Music) are expected to retail at 115 euros and 450 euros respectively.
Besides this service, Nokia also has the Nokia Music Store, which is available in 21 countries, including Malaysia. Here, the Nokia Music Store offers an a la carte music purchasing model — by tracks or albums.
The company said that its Ovi SDK (software development kit) Beta is an easy-to-use, web-based toolbox that provides tools to create applications for the Web, Symbian and Maemo platforms. It contains the Ovi APIs (application programming interface) and new Ovi User Interface (UI) libraries to create rich applications.
The Ovi SDK Beta uses standard web technologies that are familiar among the developer community, Nokia said. These include HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript (JS) programming languages.
“The Ovi APIs, on the other hand, provide developers with an easier way to integrate service features such as maps or navigation to their web applications,” Nokia executive vice-president of services Niklas Savander said at the recent Nokia World 09 conference.
Maps lead the way
Nokia also introduced the Ovi Maps Player API and Ovi Navigation Player API at the event.
The Ovi Maps Player API is designed to bring maps to mobile and web applications effortlessly. It features over 180 country maps, location-based search and detailed place information.
The other features include vector-based maps that give a range of views, including map, terrain and 3D modes for dynamic map mash-ups.
The Ovi Navigation Player API allows developers to bring Nokia’s walk and drive navigation features to their applications including pedestrian navigation, turn-by-turn car navigation and route planning.
Nokia said it is inviting developers to join the Ovi for Developers beta programme on the Forum Nokia Developer Community website (www.forum.nokia.com/Ovi), and will make the Ovi SDK Beta and Ovi APIs available to them.
Applications created with Ovi SDK and Ovi APIs will be distributed through the Ovi Store in 2010. Nokia has already been working with partners such as Lonely Planet, Deutsche Bahn, Associated Press, Qype and National Geographic to create example applications using the Ovi SDK Beta and Ovi APIs.
Music interrupted?
On another matter, Nokia said that both its X3 and X6 music mobile phones will only be available to consumers with the Comes with Music service. This means you cannot buy the mobile phone without subscribing to the Comes with Music service.
“With this service, users can download all the music they want quickly and easily for free for 12 or 18 months, according to the Comes with Music service terms in the specific country,” said Nokia vice-president of category management for Live category Tuula Rytila-Uotila.
“The Comes With Music service is available in 9 countries including Singapore and Australia,” she added.
Nokia has not made any announcements on additional markets for the Comes with Music service, but the company said it views Malaysia as a very important market for this service. The X3 and X6 (bundled with Comes With Music) are expected to retail at 115 euros and 450 euros respectively.
Besides this service, Nokia also has the Nokia Music Store, which is available in 21 countries, including Malaysia. Here, the Nokia Music Store offers an a la carte music purchasing model — by tracks or albums.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
NEWS: 100 Cempaka students to get iPhones
KUALA LUMPUR: One hundred students of the soon-to-be-opened Cempaka International Ladies College (Clic) are getting an iPhone 3GS each for free.
The Apple phone, courtesy of local distributor Maxis Communications Bhd, will be used by the students as an education tool and a communications device.
Clic, which is to be a private college in Sepang, will open its doors on Sept 26.
Iskandar Hamzah, Cempaka Schools vice-chairman, said Clic students would be introduced to a series of iPhone applications that would be used in their everyday classroom curriculum.
They will use their iPhones to record sounds, take photographs and shoot videos for student projects, for example.
“Math students will use a quiz application called Braintune on the phone while chemistry students will have access to resources like the periodic table on it,” said Iskandar citing more examples.
“They will also be using Google Maps when studying geography. There are many other applications that they can use to complement their classroom learning.”
There will also be access to newscasts where reports on school events will be made and uploaded to YouTube by students at all the four Cempaka schools in the country.
The existing schools are in Cheras and Damansara Heights in Selangor, and in Labuan in East Malaysia. These offer primary to A-Level education.
Datin Freida Pilus, Cempaka Schools chairman, said students should be embracing technology because this opens up more ways of learning.
“We need to bring about change and we need to start with the youth,” she said.
Two years ago, Cempaka introduced Macbooks — portable Apple computers — to its secondary school students.
Maxis said it is looking at implementing similar iPhone programmes in other schools.
The Apple phone, courtesy of local distributor Maxis Communications Bhd, will be used by the students as an education tool and a communications device.
Clic, which is to be a private college in Sepang, will open its doors on Sept 26.
Iskandar Hamzah, Cempaka Schools vice-chairman, said Clic students would be introduced to a series of iPhone applications that would be used in their everyday classroom curriculum.
They will use their iPhones to record sounds, take photographs and shoot videos for student projects, for example.
“Math students will use a quiz application called Braintune on the phone while chemistry students will have access to resources like the periodic table on it,” said Iskandar citing more examples.
“They will also be using Google Maps when studying geography. There are many other applications that they can use to complement their classroom learning.”
There will also be access to newscasts where reports on school events will be made and uploaded to YouTube by students at all the four Cempaka schools in the country.
The existing schools are in Cheras and Damansara Heights in Selangor, and in Labuan in East Malaysia. These offer primary to A-Level education.
Datin Freida Pilus, Cempaka Schools chairman, said students should be embracing technology because this opens up more ways of learning.
“We need to bring about change and we need to start with the youth,” she said.
Two years ago, Cempaka introduced Macbooks — portable Apple computers — to its secondary school students.
Maxis said it is looking at implementing similar iPhone programmes in other schools.
NEWS: New fund to help technopreneurs to market
KUALA LUMPUR: Pre-seed funding organisation Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd is now offering to finance technopreneurs who are ready to commercialise their products.
The programme, which will start from next month, will disburse funds in packages of RM500,000 each.
High-performing technopreneurs will be considered for an additional RM500,000, announced Cradle.
“There is a gap now between the pre-seed and commercialisation stages, so this latest fund is a bridge to that divide,” Cradle chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan told In.Tech.
With it, he said, technopreneurs will have access to funding all the way from conception to commercialisation.
“But it is exclusively for commercialisation exercises. We don’t want this fund to be used for product development because there are already many of such grants around,” Nazrin said.
He said the new fund’s function may seem similar to a venture-capitalist system, but the exception is that Cradle does not opt to take an equity stake in the company it helps finance.
“The fund is a conditional grant where the companies that meet with success are required to pay back the full amount,” he explained.
Cradle said the commecialisation funding would also help technopreneurs survive in the marketplace during the critical one- to three-year period that they are vulnerable as a new business venture.
It prides itself on having the highest commercialisation rate (48%) among venture capitalists (VCs) in the country. It hopes the new fund will lead to even bigger success stories among local technopreneurs.
“We want to hear about a VC-funded project that makes it all the way to IPO (initial public offering) and this fund will help bring this about quickly,” Nazrin said.
Long fight
The introduction of this commercialisation fund is a personal victory for Nazrin, who has being lobbying for it over the past eight years.
“Innovation is about creation and commercialisation. Without commercialisation, its merely an R&D exercise,” he said.
For the innovation ecosystem to exist, Nazrin explained, there needs to be a process where budding technopreneurs can get complete funding — from idea conception all the way to commercialisation.
In recent years, he said, the (negative) effect of focusing too much on R&D previously, began to show.
“While a lot of money was pumped into R&D, the output did not rise. We had this surplus of ideas but they didn’t reach commercialisation,” he said.
Nazrin hopes technopreneurs will take advantage of the new fund. “It is a one-of-a-kind opportunity in this region and technopreneurs should take advantage of it,” he said.
For more information on Cradle funds, go to www.cradle.com.my.
The programme, which will start from next month, will disburse funds in packages of RM500,000 each.
High-performing technopreneurs will be considered for an additional RM500,000, announced Cradle.
“There is a gap now between the pre-seed and commercialisation stages, so this latest fund is a bridge to that divide,” Cradle chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan told In.Tech.
With it, he said, technopreneurs will have access to funding all the way from conception to commercialisation.
“But it is exclusively for commercialisation exercises. We don’t want this fund to be used for product development because there are already many of such grants around,” Nazrin said.
He said the new fund’s function may seem similar to a venture-capitalist system, but the exception is that Cradle does not opt to take an equity stake in the company it helps finance.
“The fund is a conditional grant where the companies that meet with success are required to pay back the full amount,” he explained.
Cradle said the commecialisation funding would also help technopreneurs survive in the marketplace during the critical one- to three-year period that they are vulnerable as a new business venture.
It prides itself on having the highest commercialisation rate (48%) among venture capitalists (VCs) in the country. It hopes the new fund will lead to even bigger success stories among local technopreneurs.
“We want to hear about a VC-funded project that makes it all the way to IPO (initial public offering) and this fund will help bring this about quickly,” Nazrin said.
Long fight
The introduction of this commercialisation fund is a personal victory for Nazrin, who has being lobbying for it over the past eight years.
“Innovation is about creation and commercialisation. Without commercialisation, its merely an R&D exercise,” he said.
For the innovation ecosystem to exist, Nazrin explained, there needs to be a process where budding technopreneurs can get complete funding — from idea conception all the way to commercialisation.
In recent years, he said, the (negative) effect of focusing too much on R&D previously, began to show.
“While a lot of money was pumped into R&D, the output did not rise. We had this surplus of ideas but they didn’t reach commercialisation,” he said.
Nazrin hopes technopreneurs will take advantage of the new fund. “It is a one-of-a-kind opportunity in this region and technopreneurs should take advantage of it,” he said.
For more information on Cradle funds, go to www.cradle.com.my.
NEWS: Maximum impression
THE Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry will propose the setting up of six national innovation centres in Malaysia to the Cabinet before the end of the year.
According to Science, Techno-logy and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, the idea for such centres came from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Dr Ongkili receiving an award from Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam. Looking on is Curtin pro vice-chancellor Prof Dr John Evans.
“It was originally proposed that one innovation centre be set up but the ministry felt that more centres would have a greater impact, he said after attending a briefing at Curtin University of Technology Sarawak (Curtin Sarawak).
Ongkili said that four centres would be set up in Peninsular Malaysia while Sabah and Sarawak would house one each.
Operated by the ministry, the centres would be located at selected institutions of higher learning, in order to establish close links to their centres of research and excellence, as well as to the public and private sectors.
Ongkili also said that he was impressed with the research projects being carried out by Curtin Sarawak.
He was commenting on the progress of ministry-funded projects, saying that they were consistent with its priorities and additional funds would be available for new endeavours proposed by Curtin Sarawak.
It is understood that the ministry plans to allocate approximately RM2mil to fund the university’s research and development activities under the ongoing Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010).
There are now seven ministry-funded projects at the university which include research on syngas production and power generation from biomass, ethanol production from agricultural products, micro-machining of advanced ceramics and the electrical properties of palm oil.
The ministry has disbursed around RM1.4mil towards these projects.
Ongkili also announced the offer of six places for suitable nominees from the university to pursue Master’s or doctorate degrees through the ministry’s National Science Fellowship programme.
His tour of the university ended with a visit to the Lance Twomey Building housing the university’s business school and its recreation and events centre.
According to Science, Techno-logy and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, the idea for such centres came from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Dr Ongkili receiving an award from Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam. Looking on is Curtin pro vice-chancellor Prof Dr John Evans.
“It was originally proposed that one innovation centre be set up but the ministry felt that more centres would have a greater impact, he said after attending a briefing at Curtin University of Technology Sarawak (Curtin Sarawak).
Ongkili said that four centres would be set up in Peninsular Malaysia while Sabah and Sarawak would house one each.
Operated by the ministry, the centres would be located at selected institutions of higher learning, in order to establish close links to their centres of research and excellence, as well as to the public and private sectors.
Ongkili also said that he was impressed with the research projects being carried out by Curtin Sarawak.
He was commenting on the progress of ministry-funded projects, saying that they were consistent with its priorities and additional funds would be available for new endeavours proposed by Curtin Sarawak.
It is understood that the ministry plans to allocate approximately RM2mil to fund the university’s research and development activities under the ongoing Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010).
There are now seven ministry-funded projects at the university which include research on syngas production and power generation from biomass, ethanol production from agricultural products, micro-machining of advanced ceramics and the electrical properties of palm oil.
The ministry has disbursed around RM1.4mil towards these projects.
Ongkili also announced the offer of six places for suitable nominees from the university to pursue Master’s or doctorate degrees through the ministry’s National Science Fellowship programme.
His tour of the university ended with a visit to the Lance Twomey Building housing the university’s business school and its recreation and events centre.
NEWS: Tuition for needy teens
WITH the aim of giving back to the community, SEGi University College (SEGi) and Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (a restaurant chain), recently had a signing ceremony to mark their collaboration in providing free tuition to underprivileged students.
Held at SEGi’s campus in Kota Damansara, the event saw SEGi vice-chancellor Prof Dr Muhamad Awang signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bubba Gump senior operations manager Rizal Ross.
Prof Muhamad (left) and Rizal exchanging MoU documents at SEGI’s campus in Kota Damansara.
The MoU formalises the efforts to offer free Mathematics and English language tuition to needy Form Three and Form Five students in the Klang Valley.
A total of 100 students from four schools are currently benefiting from the tutorial classes, which commenced last month and will last for 12 weeks.
The classes serve to guide and coach students for their upcoming final examinations.
“The classes were entirely conducted by volunteers, all of whom are academic staff from our foundation studies centre,” said Prof Muhamad.
“These volunteers were instrumental in making the project work — from sacrificing their Saturdays for teaching to taking the time taken for planning.”
He also said that the main reason for the initiative was to give underprivileged students a chance to fulfil their potential.
“We recognise the fact that education has a role in improving people’s lives — if these students can do better in their exams, and go on to college, they will then be able to contribute to their families and society at large.”
SEGi hopes to continue the programme in future so that it can reach out to more deserving students. Meanwhile, Bubba Gump’s involvement was to provide free meals for students on tutorial days.
“We’re happy to work on this project as part of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme,” said Rizal.
“Our CSR budget runs on a quarterly basis, but we carry out a programme once a month. So we welcome projects that will benefit the community at large.”
Held at SEGi’s campus in Kota Damansara, the event saw SEGi vice-chancellor Prof Dr Muhamad Awang signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bubba Gump senior operations manager Rizal Ross.
Prof Muhamad (left) and Rizal exchanging MoU documents at SEGI’s campus in Kota Damansara.
The MoU formalises the efforts to offer free Mathematics and English language tuition to needy Form Three and Form Five students in the Klang Valley.
A total of 100 students from four schools are currently benefiting from the tutorial classes, which commenced last month and will last for 12 weeks.
The classes serve to guide and coach students for their upcoming final examinations.
“The classes were entirely conducted by volunteers, all of whom are academic staff from our foundation studies centre,” said Prof Muhamad.
“These volunteers were instrumental in making the project work — from sacrificing their Saturdays for teaching to taking the time taken for planning.”
He also said that the main reason for the initiative was to give underprivileged students a chance to fulfil their potential.
“We recognise the fact that education has a role in improving people’s lives — if these students can do better in their exams, and go on to college, they will then be able to contribute to their families and society at large.”
SEGi hopes to continue the programme in future so that it can reach out to more deserving students. Meanwhile, Bubba Gump’s involvement was to provide free meals for students on tutorial days.
“We’re happy to work on this project as part of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme,” said Rizal.
“Our CSR budget runs on a quarterly basis, but we carry out a programme once a month. So we welcome projects that will benefit the community at large.”
Monday, September 7, 2009
NEWS: IT spending in region to ease
While industry studies indicate that information technology (IT) spending in the region is likely to slow this year, as businesses conserve cash amid fear of declining profits, Malaysian companies continue to expect good returns from such investments.
Manufacturing Insights Asia/Pacific, part of the International Data Corp group, says total manufacturing IT spending this year will “drop slightly” compared with 2008.
IT spending generally takes into account investments in hardware, software, IT services and telecommunications.
In its most recent study, Manufacturing Insights forecasts that manufacturing IT spending will reach US$23.4bil in the Asia-Pacific region (ex Japan) this year.
This is still a year-on-year growth of 2.9% but a 7.3% drop compared with Manufacturing Insights’ previous forecast published in May 2008.
Global market research firm Gartner Inc, in its latest study, says that the “unprecedented” decline of the global economy is impacting the IT industry, with worldwide IT spending expected to total US$3.2 trillion in 2009, a 3.8% decline from last year.
Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd’s group corporate affairs senior manager Edward Yip says IT spending for the glove manufacturer this year will be substantially lower than in previous years.
But this has nothing to do with the economic slowdown. Instead, says Yip, this is because a lot of Kossan’s IT systems are already at the advanced stage of implementation.
“So, instead of spending the annual RM3mil to RM4mil on IT (which includes research and development costs) this year, the amount will probably be slashed in half,” he explains.
He maintains that investing in IT systems is extremely vital for growth. “It will help save costs in the long term,” he adds.
For Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, the chief of AirAsia Bhd, IT remains an essential component for the airline even during the downturn.
“No review has been done on IT spending at AirAsia at this stage. IT spending is crucial and we will be spending about RM50mil, or about 30% of this year’s capital expenditure, on it,” he says without revealing last year’s figure.
He adds that AirAsia has also recently invested to upgrade its call centre in Kuala Lumpur to an integrated “world-class” facility.
Education provider HELP International Corp Bhd also deems it necessary to maintain its IT spending despite the sagging economy.
“We are moving into online learning and are working on improving our e-administration systems,” says president Datuk Dr Paul Chan Tuck Hoong.
Up to RM3mil will be spent on these, he adds. The overall spending on IT infrastructure will be maintained this year.
“There will be no slashing here as we believe that a good infrastructure helps in the long term to cut down administration costs and improve communications efficiency,” he says.
Manufacturing Insights Asia/Pacific, part of the International Data Corp group, says total manufacturing IT spending this year will “drop slightly” compared with 2008.
IT spending generally takes into account investments in hardware, software, IT services and telecommunications.
In its most recent study, Manufacturing Insights forecasts that manufacturing IT spending will reach US$23.4bil in the Asia-Pacific region (ex Japan) this year.
This is still a year-on-year growth of 2.9% but a 7.3% drop compared with Manufacturing Insights’ previous forecast published in May 2008.
Global market research firm Gartner Inc, in its latest study, says that the “unprecedented” decline of the global economy is impacting the IT industry, with worldwide IT spending expected to total US$3.2 trillion in 2009, a 3.8% decline from last year.
Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd’s group corporate affairs senior manager Edward Yip says IT spending for the glove manufacturer this year will be substantially lower than in previous years.
But this has nothing to do with the economic slowdown. Instead, says Yip, this is because a lot of Kossan’s IT systems are already at the advanced stage of implementation.
“So, instead of spending the annual RM3mil to RM4mil on IT (which includes research and development costs) this year, the amount will probably be slashed in half,” he explains.
He maintains that investing in IT systems is extremely vital for growth. “It will help save costs in the long term,” he adds.
For Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, the chief of AirAsia Bhd, IT remains an essential component for the airline even during the downturn.
“No review has been done on IT spending at AirAsia at this stage. IT spending is crucial and we will be spending about RM50mil, or about 30% of this year’s capital expenditure, on it,” he says without revealing last year’s figure.
He adds that AirAsia has also recently invested to upgrade its call centre in Kuala Lumpur to an integrated “world-class” facility.
Education provider HELP International Corp Bhd also deems it necessary to maintain its IT spending despite the sagging economy.
“We are moving into online learning and are working on improving our e-administration systems,” says president Datuk Dr Paul Chan Tuck Hoong.
Up to RM3mil will be spent on these, he adds. The overall spending on IT infrastructure will be maintained this year.
“There will be no slashing here as we believe that a good infrastructure helps in the long term to cut down administration costs and improve communications efficiency,” he says.
NEWS: Amazon.com slams Google book deal
SAN FRANCISCO: Online bookseller Amazon.com Inc is warning a federal judge that Internet search leader Google Inc will be able to gouge consumers and stifle competition if it wins court approval to add millions more titles to its already vast digital library.
The harsh critique of Google’s 10-month-old settlement with US authors and publishers emerged this week in a 41-page brief that Amazon filed in an attempt to persuade US District Judge Denny Chin to block the agreement from taking effect.
A flurry of filings opposing and supporting the class-action settlement is expected by Friday — the deadline for most briefs in the case.
At least two other Google rivals, Microsoft Corp and Yahoo! Inc, are expected to weigh in with their opposition by then.
Microsoft, Yahoo! and Amazon are all part of a group called the Open Book Alliance, formed last month to rally opposition to the Google book settlement.
Other participants include the Internet Archive, the New York Library Association and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, representing about 1,500 authors, on Wednesday became the latest group to join the alliance.
The US Justice Department, which is taking a look at Google’s book deal, has until Sept 18 to share its thoughts on the case. That filing may provide a better indication whether Justice believes Google’s deal with authors and publishers would violate US laws set up to prevent predatory pricing and promote competition.
Stiff competition
Amazon left little doubt where it stands. Its brief brands the provisions of Google’s settlement as “a high-tech form of the backroom agreements that are the stuff of antitrust nightmares.”
Although not all the critics have been as strident as Amazon, opposition has been mounting to Google’s plans to create a registry that will sell digital copies of copyright-protected books on behalf of US authors and publishers unless they withdraw from a class-action settlement.
Even the German Government expressed its opposition to the settlement earlier this week, even though the agreement only covers US copyrights.
Google is downplaying the objections of Amazon, as well as the anticipated protests from Microsoft and Yahoo! as potshots from frightened rivals.
“The Google books settlement is injecting more competition into the digital books space, so it’s understandable why our competitors might fight hard to prevent more competition,” Google spokesman Gabriel Stricker said.
Seattle-based Amazon not only sells books, both in print and digital form,but is also trying to create a new distribution channel with its electronic reader, the Kindle.
The Authors Guild, one of the parties that reached the settlement with Google, thinks Amazon is opposing the settlement because it wants the Kindle to be the primary method for buying and reading digital books. “Amazon apparently fears Google could upend its plans,” said Paul Aiken, the guild’s executive director.
Historic event
Google would turn over most of the revenue from its digital book sales to the authors and publishers, just one of the many benefits that the Mountain View-based company is touting. What’s more important, Google contends, is that millions of out-of-print books and other works collecting dust on library shelves would be more accessible if they are stored in its digital library.
More than 10 million books already have been scanned into Google’s electronic index since 2004. The settlement would clear the legal hurdles that have been preventing Google from stockpiling even more digital books to show and possibly sell.
While the concept of a library accessible around the clock from anywhere with an Internet connection has plenty of supporters, opponents cite concerns over how much control Google would be able to exert over pricing and how much information the company intends to collect about the books that people are reading.
Even some proponents of the settlement are telling Judge Chin that he probably needs to address the monopoly concerns and privacy issues raised by the deal.
“This is a pivotal moment in the history of access to recorded information, not unlike the introduction of moveable type or the birth of the Internet,” Susan Benton, president of the Urban Libraries Council, wrote in an Aug 19 letter to Chin.
A court hearing on the settlement is scheduled in New York on Oct. 7. — AP
The harsh critique of Google’s 10-month-old settlement with US authors and publishers emerged this week in a 41-page brief that Amazon filed in an attempt to persuade US District Judge Denny Chin to block the agreement from taking effect.
A flurry of filings opposing and supporting the class-action settlement is expected by Friday — the deadline for most briefs in the case.
At least two other Google rivals, Microsoft Corp and Yahoo! Inc, are expected to weigh in with their opposition by then.
Microsoft, Yahoo! and Amazon are all part of a group called the Open Book Alliance, formed last month to rally opposition to the Google book settlement.
Other participants include the Internet Archive, the New York Library Association and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, representing about 1,500 authors, on Wednesday became the latest group to join the alliance.
The US Justice Department, which is taking a look at Google’s book deal, has until Sept 18 to share its thoughts on the case. That filing may provide a better indication whether Justice believes Google’s deal with authors and publishers would violate US laws set up to prevent predatory pricing and promote competition.
Stiff competition
Amazon left little doubt where it stands. Its brief brands the provisions of Google’s settlement as “a high-tech form of the backroom agreements that are the stuff of antitrust nightmares.”
Although not all the critics have been as strident as Amazon, opposition has been mounting to Google’s plans to create a registry that will sell digital copies of copyright-protected books on behalf of US authors and publishers unless they withdraw from a class-action settlement.
Even the German Government expressed its opposition to the settlement earlier this week, even though the agreement only covers US copyrights.
Google is downplaying the objections of Amazon, as well as the anticipated protests from Microsoft and Yahoo! as potshots from frightened rivals.
“The Google books settlement is injecting more competition into the digital books space, so it’s understandable why our competitors might fight hard to prevent more competition,” Google spokesman Gabriel Stricker said.
Seattle-based Amazon not only sells books, both in print and digital form,but is also trying to create a new distribution channel with its electronic reader, the Kindle.
The Authors Guild, one of the parties that reached the settlement with Google, thinks Amazon is opposing the settlement because it wants the Kindle to be the primary method for buying and reading digital books. “Amazon apparently fears Google could upend its plans,” said Paul Aiken, the guild’s executive director.
Historic event
Google would turn over most of the revenue from its digital book sales to the authors and publishers, just one of the many benefits that the Mountain View-based company is touting. What’s more important, Google contends, is that millions of out-of-print books and other works collecting dust on library shelves would be more accessible if they are stored in its digital library.
More than 10 million books already have been scanned into Google’s electronic index since 2004. The settlement would clear the legal hurdles that have been preventing Google from stockpiling even more digital books to show and possibly sell.
While the concept of a library accessible around the clock from anywhere with an Internet connection has plenty of supporters, opponents cite concerns over how much control Google would be able to exert over pricing and how much information the company intends to collect about the books that people are reading.
Even some proponents of the settlement are telling Judge Chin that he probably needs to address the monopoly concerns and privacy issues raised by the deal.
“This is a pivotal moment in the history of access to recorded information, not unlike the introduction of moveable type or the birth of the Internet,” Susan Benton, president of the Urban Libraries Council, wrote in an Aug 19 letter to Chin.
A court hearing on the settlement is scheduled in New York on Oct. 7. — AP
NEWS: Woman falls for Facebook scam
ST. LOUIS: A Missouri woman was tricked into wiring about US$4,000 (RM14,400) to someone in England after receiving faked messages from a friend on Facebook asking for help, police said.
Jayne Scherrman of Cape Girardeau wired the money through Western Union after receiving what she believed were several requests for help from her friend.
Police were notified about the scam on Aug 26. They believe someone took over the Facebook account of a Cape Girardeau County resident, Grace Parry, changed the password so she couldn’t access it and sent out messages saying she and her husband had been detained in London and needed money.
Scherrman said she received a message last Tuesday from Parry saying she needed help. Scherrman, a pediatric dentist, said Parry and her minister husband go on mission trips, so she didn’t think it unusual that they might be in England.
She figured they really needed assistance if they could only reach her electronically, and expected they’d pay her back quickly. She originally was told electronically they needed US$600 (RM2,160) for a hotel and taxis. Then she was told it wasn’t enough with the exchange rate.
Finally, she was told by a caller that the couple had been detained and more money was needed to help them fly home.
Scherrman asked to speak with her friend but was told she wasn’t available. She also got a name from the caller and tried to get an address when she realised she might have been scammed. By then, she had wired nearly US$4,000 through three Western Union transfers, she said.
Parry said another friend from Mississippi also sent US$600.
Shameful act
Parry, who hadn’t travelled to England in years, tried to access her account to warn other friends but couldn’t. She asked Facebook to suspend her account and her husband posted warnings about the scam, including one Scherrman received after she’d sent the money.
She said she feels violated by what happened. “It’s just sad because they work on people’s compassion and Jayne’s a very compassionate person,” she said. She said she had never posted a lot of information about herself online.
Selzer said people should remember to change their passwords often and to be careful about posting personal information.
Palo Alto, California-based Facebook said Internet schemes like this one aren’t uncommon. Facebook has systems to detect suspicious behaviour tied to compromised accounts and blocks it when it possible, company spokesman Simon Axten wrote in an e-mail.
“We’re also working with law enforcement and with Western Union (a wire transfer company commonly used by the scammers) to investigate specific cases and improve education,” he wrote. — AP
Jayne Scherrman of Cape Girardeau wired the money through Western Union after receiving what she believed were several requests for help from her friend.
Police were notified about the scam on Aug 26. They believe someone took over the Facebook account of a Cape Girardeau County resident, Grace Parry, changed the password so she couldn’t access it and sent out messages saying she and her husband had been detained in London and needed money.
Scherrman said she received a message last Tuesday from Parry saying she needed help. Scherrman, a pediatric dentist, said Parry and her minister husband go on mission trips, so she didn’t think it unusual that they might be in England.
She figured they really needed assistance if they could only reach her electronically, and expected they’d pay her back quickly. She originally was told electronically they needed US$600 (RM2,160) for a hotel and taxis. Then she was told it wasn’t enough with the exchange rate.
Finally, she was told by a caller that the couple had been detained and more money was needed to help them fly home.
Scherrman asked to speak with her friend but was told she wasn’t available. She also got a name from the caller and tried to get an address when she realised she might have been scammed. By then, she had wired nearly US$4,000 through three Western Union transfers, she said.
Parry said another friend from Mississippi also sent US$600.
Shameful act
Parry, who hadn’t travelled to England in years, tried to access her account to warn other friends but couldn’t. She asked Facebook to suspend her account and her husband posted warnings about the scam, including one Scherrman received after she’d sent the money.
She said she feels violated by what happened. “It’s just sad because they work on people’s compassion and Jayne’s a very compassionate person,” she said. She said she had never posted a lot of information about herself online.
Selzer said people should remember to change their passwords often and to be careful about posting personal information.
Palo Alto, California-based Facebook said Internet schemes like this one aren’t uncommon. Facebook has systems to detect suspicious behaviour tied to compromised accounts and blocks it when it possible, company spokesman Simon Axten wrote in an e-mail.
“We’re also working with law enforcement and with Western Union (a wire transfer company commonly used by the scammers) to investigate specific cases and improve education,” he wrote. — AP
NEWS: YouTube may offer online movie rentals
LOS ANGELES: YouTube, Google Inc’s online video streaming service, is in talks with Hollywood studios to rent new release movies online, according to people familiar with the talks.
The move follows similar deals by Apple Inc’s iTunes and others.
A final deal would be contingent on pricing and an agreed-upon release date, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because discussions were still ongoing.
The move takes YouTube one step away from an ad-supported business model, but does not break the mould of other online rental deals already struck by iTunes, Amazon.com Inc and Cinemanow.com, a unit of Sonic Solutions.
All of these offer movie rentals for between US$1.99 and US$3.99 (RM7 and RM14) each with a 24-hour viewing period.
The talks were first reported on The Wall Street Journal’s website on Wednesday.
Discussions were most advanced with Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, Sony Corp’s movie studio, Time Warner Inc’s Warner Bros and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc, all of which already have ad revenue-sharing deals with YouTube, the people said.
The Internet site declined to comment specifically on the talks.
Going back
If YouTube becomes a rental channel for movie studios, it would mark a return to what Google used to do before it bought YouTube for US$1.76bil (RM6bil at today’s exchange rate) nearly three years ago. Besides offering free looks at short clips, Google Video sold the right to view some movies and TV shows.
Google got out of the online video rental business shortly after it bought YouTube and poured more resources into building a larger audience for YouTube’s totally free service.
YouTube is still unprofitable although Google management says it’s close to making money, thanks to all the ads on there now.
According to a person with direct knowledge of the deals in the works, YouTube plans to begin a three-month test of the online rental service this month.
Every studio would likely come to different terms, but most would receive around 60% of the revenue from each rental, with a floor of about US$2.40 (RM9), the person said. That’s very similar to studios’ deals with other online outfits.
The “window” — or the time lag between the sales date of DVDs and their rental, which is meant to protect sagging DVD sales — could be 30 days or more.
However, Warner Bros has been allowing video-on-demand rentals on the same day that its DVDs hit retailers. The move has boosted sales and not hurt physical disc rentals, which don’t generate as much profit as digital ones. — AP
The move follows similar deals by Apple Inc’s iTunes and others.
A final deal would be contingent on pricing and an agreed-upon release date, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because discussions were still ongoing.
The move takes YouTube one step away from an ad-supported business model, but does not break the mould of other online rental deals already struck by iTunes, Amazon.com Inc and Cinemanow.com, a unit of Sonic Solutions.
All of these offer movie rentals for between US$1.99 and US$3.99 (RM7 and RM14) each with a 24-hour viewing period.
The talks were first reported on The Wall Street Journal’s website on Wednesday.
Discussions were most advanced with Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, Sony Corp’s movie studio, Time Warner Inc’s Warner Bros and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc, all of which already have ad revenue-sharing deals with YouTube, the people said.
The Internet site declined to comment specifically on the talks.
Going back
If YouTube becomes a rental channel for movie studios, it would mark a return to what Google used to do before it bought YouTube for US$1.76bil (RM6bil at today’s exchange rate) nearly three years ago. Besides offering free looks at short clips, Google Video sold the right to view some movies and TV shows.
Google got out of the online video rental business shortly after it bought YouTube and poured more resources into building a larger audience for YouTube’s totally free service.
YouTube is still unprofitable although Google management says it’s close to making money, thanks to all the ads on there now.
According to a person with direct knowledge of the deals in the works, YouTube plans to begin a three-month test of the online rental service this month.
Every studio would likely come to different terms, but most would receive around 60% of the revenue from each rental, with a floor of about US$2.40 (RM9), the person said. That’s very similar to studios’ deals with other online outfits.
The “window” — or the time lag between the sales date of DVDs and their rental, which is meant to protect sagging DVD sales — could be 30 days or more.
However, Warner Bros has been allowing video-on-demand rentals on the same day that its DVDs hit retailers. The move has boosted sales and not hurt physical disc rentals, which don’t generate as much profit as digital ones. — AP
NEWS: Bullying goes online
Has the threat of bullying crossed over to the virtual world and just how serious is it?
CHILDREN get bullied. This is a fact of life for both parent and child alike, even if the latter only realises this later on.
In the 21st century, a new type of bullying seems to have crept out from the Internet woodwork: Cyber-bullying.
This is where children get ridiculed and shut out of social circles on a medium that is synonymous with their generation. Abused, it would seem, without physical contact or line of sight. Abused, it would seem, in their own homes by perpetrators both known and anonymous.
But is this all hyped up to match the perceived extreme sensitivity of contemporary children? Old-fashioned bullying is only menacing because walking away is not always an option. With “cyber-bullying,” you would think anyone has the option of switching off his or her computer or mobile phone.
Not only is it unclear whether cyber-bullying poses a threat to children who frequent the Internet, there are problems simply defining what actually constitutes cyber-bullying in the first place.
Defined danger
According to a US educational organisation called the National Crime Prevention Council, the threat of cyberbullying is very real and it has given it a concise definition: “When the Internet, mobile phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.”
Another organisation dedicated to identifying and suggesting preventive measures for cyber-bullying is Wired Safety, which runs the stopcyberbullying.org website.
Here, the concept is distinguished from cyber-stalking and cyber-harassment — both of which involve adults and more heinous (and sometimes criminal) activity.
Like what?
Cyber-bullying comes in several forms, according to these groups concerned over the dangerous effects cyber-bullying may have on children.
Sending hateful instant messages; impersonation of a friend or schoolmate; the stealing of passwords to infiltrate emails and chatrooms; humiliating someone via a blog post and the distribution of suggestive pictures are just some examples.
Head of Microsoft’s Windows Live in South East Asia, Barrie Ooi notes the uncertainty of the threat in this region of the world.
“While we can’t attach a particular number to the size of the threat in Malaysia, we do know that more and more people here are getting connected online,” he said.
“This coupled with the growth of social networks has resulted in people being less vigilant in protecting their personal information, which then leads to abuse by those with malicious intentions.”
There are, however, statistics for the United States where the problem is considered more severe than in other places.
According to a CNET News report, researchers have concluded that 40% to 85% of kids have been exposed to some kind of digital bullying.
Ooi went on to say that this type of bullying is particularly menacing for several reasons. Bullies can remain anonymous, they do not need to be bigger or have more in their social group to terrorise and they can do it at any time of the day.
“With cyber-bullying, it is a different dynamic,” he said. “Bullying can start at a younger age and can also be in larger groups online and go undetected for a longer period of time.”
Damaging?
Clinical psychologist at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s department of psychiatry Siti Irma Fadhilah Ismail notes that cyber-bullying is a new and puzzling topic in her field.
“Besides the varying definitions of what actually constitutes cyberbullying, the impact of it on a child’s mental well-being is being disputed,” she said.
“There have not been many studies conducted in this field and the ones I do know of suggest that the impact may be slightly less than regular bullying.
“We have seen some cases where young girls have complained of being harassed via SMS but never through e-mail or instant messaging.”
Siti went on to suggest that perhaps this phenomenon is more prevalent in countries where computers and the Internet and more commonplace than in Malaysia.
Recently, representatives in the US Congress were trying to push a bill to protect children from such abuse. The bill was tabled last year after a 13-year-old girl committed suicide after being repeatedly harassed on MySpace.com.
According to reports, Megan Meier struggled with depression until she met a boy on the social networking website who offered her some semblance of comfort. They talked and flirted regularly until, confusingly, he started sending spiteful messages to her.
Broken by the apparent betrayal, the girl killed herself. It turns out that the boy was not a boy at all.
It was a conspiracy of several women, including the mother of the girl’s friend, who concocted a fictional male persona to taunt Meier for reasons that were unclear.
At the time of writing, the cyber-bullying bill has yet to be passed.
“I can understand the motivation behind the bill given the tragedy that has occurred in the United States,” said Siti.
“However, I do not think enough research exists, Western or otherwise, to suggest that cyberbullying has any serious psychological impact on a child. Of course there are certain cases, such as the Megan Meier case, that seem to cement the notion that this is a severe problem.
“I still think that more needs to be done in terms of research before any laws are passed on this matter.”
What to do
Whether this new age phenomenon poses a threat or not, it may be prudent for both parents and children alike to take any available precautions.
“Given that Microsoft has various different social networking sites and chatrooms, we recognise that preventive measures can be taken,” said Ooi.
“Nothing is more important than parents talking to their children making sure family members are there in support when a bully attempt is taking place. Parents should seek information and learn the anti-bullying policies of various sites and determine if they apply to any particular situation.
“Also, keeping records of the acts of bullying is vital should the authorities be called in to be involved.” Abuses should also be reported to the host website.
For example, to report abuse on Windows Live or MSN Messenger, users can click on the “Report Abuse” link (at the bottom of the page) which is available on most Windows Live services.
For those who believe cyber-bullying is a serious threat, the solutions are a little more drastic. Some reports suggest that parents should restrict and police all their children’s online activity.
Siti does not believe that parents need to employ any strict measures to safeguard their children in this respect.
“I believe cyber-bullying is just an extension of regular bullying which parents usually have little control over anyway,” she said.
“The best thing to do may be to talk to the child and make sure he or she is educated on the subject. There are enough controls on the Internet for pornography and so on and those are valid. But to restrict chatroom and social networking sites where many modern kids socialise is a touch extreme.”
CHILDREN get bullied. This is a fact of life for both parent and child alike, even if the latter only realises this later on.
In the 21st century, a new type of bullying seems to have crept out from the Internet woodwork: Cyber-bullying.
This is where children get ridiculed and shut out of social circles on a medium that is synonymous with their generation. Abused, it would seem, without physical contact or line of sight. Abused, it would seem, in their own homes by perpetrators both known and anonymous.
But is this all hyped up to match the perceived extreme sensitivity of contemporary children? Old-fashioned bullying is only menacing because walking away is not always an option. With “cyber-bullying,” you would think anyone has the option of switching off his or her computer or mobile phone.
Not only is it unclear whether cyber-bullying poses a threat to children who frequent the Internet, there are problems simply defining what actually constitutes cyber-bullying in the first place.
Defined danger
According to a US educational organisation called the National Crime Prevention Council, the threat of cyberbullying is very real and it has given it a concise definition: “When the Internet, mobile phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.”
Another organisation dedicated to identifying and suggesting preventive measures for cyber-bullying is Wired Safety, which runs the stopcyberbullying.org website.
Here, the concept is distinguished from cyber-stalking and cyber-harassment — both of which involve adults and more heinous (and sometimes criminal) activity.
Like what?
Cyber-bullying comes in several forms, according to these groups concerned over the dangerous effects cyber-bullying may have on children.
Sending hateful instant messages; impersonation of a friend or schoolmate; the stealing of passwords to infiltrate emails and chatrooms; humiliating someone via a blog post and the distribution of suggestive pictures are just some examples.
Head of Microsoft’s Windows Live in South East Asia, Barrie Ooi notes the uncertainty of the threat in this region of the world.
“While we can’t attach a particular number to the size of the threat in Malaysia, we do know that more and more people here are getting connected online,” he said.
“This coupled with the growth of social networks has resulted in people being less vigilant in protecting their personal information, which then leads to abuse by those with malicious intentions.”
There are, however, statistics for the United States where the problem is considered more severe than in other places.
According to a CNET News report, researchers have concluded that 40% to 85% of kids have been exposed to some kind of digital bullying.
Ooi went on to say that this type of bullying is particularly menacing for several reasons. Bullies can remain anonymous, they do not need to be bigger or have more in their social group to terrorise and they can do it at any time of the day.
“With cyber-bullying, it is a different dynamic,” he said. “Bullying can start at a younger age and can also be in larger groups online and go undetected for a longer period of time.”
Damaging?
Clinical psychologist at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s department of psychiatry Siti Irma Fadhilah Ismail notes that cyber-bullying is a new and puzzling topic in her field.
“Besides the varying definitions of what actually constitutes cyberbullying, the impact of it on a child’s mental well-being is being disputed,” she said.
“There have not been many studies conducted in this field and the ones I do know of suggest that the impact may be slightly less than regular bullying.
“We have seen some cases where young girls have complained of being harassed via SMS but never through e-mail or instant messaging.”
Siti went on to suggest that perhaps this phenomenon is more prevalent in countries where computers and the Internet and more commonplace than in Malaysia.
Recently, representatives in the US Congress were trying to push a bill to protect children from such abuse. The bill was tabled last year after a 13-year-old girl committed suicide after being repeatedly harassed on MySpace.com.
According to reports, Megan Meier struggled with depression until she met a boy on the social networking website who offered her some semblance of comfort. They talked and flirted regularly until, confusingly, he started sending spiteful messages to her.
Broken by the apparent betrayal, the girl killed herself. It turns out that the boy was not a boy at all.
It was a conspiracy of several women, including the mother of the girl’s friend, who concocted a fictional male persona to taunt Meier for reasons that were unclear.
At the time of writing, the cyber-bullying bill has yet to be passed.
“I can understand the motivation behind the bill given the tragedy that has occurred in the United States,” said Siti.
“However, I do not think enough research exists, Western or otherwise, to suggest that cyberbullying has any serious psychological impact on a child. Of course there are certain cases, such as the Megan Meier case, that seem to cement the notion that this is a severe problem.
“I still think that more needs to be done in terms of research before any laws are passed on this matter.”
What to do
Whether this new age phenomenon poses a threat or not, it may be prudent for both parents and children alike to take any available precautions.
“Given that Microsoft has various different social networking sites and chatrooms, we recognise that preventive measures can be taken,” said Ooi.
“Nothing is more important than parents talking to their children making sure family members are there in support when a bully attempt is taking place. Parents should seek information and learn the anti-bullying policies of various sites and determine if they apply to any particular situation.
“Also, keeping records of the acts of bullying is vital should the authorities be called in to be involved.” Abuses should also be reported to the host website.
For example, to report abuse on Windows Live or MSN Messenger, users can click on the “Report Abuse” link (at the bottom of the page) which is available on most Windows Live services.
For those who believe cyber-bullying is a serious threat, the solutions are a little more drastic. Some reports suggest that parents should restrict and police all their children’s online activity.
Siti does not believe that parents need to employ any strict measures to safeguard their children in this respect.
“I believe cyber-bullying is just an extension of regular bullying which parents usually have little control over anyway,” she said.
“The best thing to do may be to talk to the child and make sure he or she is educated on the subject. There are enough controls on the Internet for pornography and so on and those are valid. But to restrict chatroom and social networking sites where many modern kids socialise is a touch extreme.”
NEWS: Mybeli.com to give broadband uptake a nudge
PETALING JAYA: Pikom — the Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia — is behind mybeli.com, the country’s first online shopping guide.
The site is a guide to various products and sales promotions that are being offered by merchants and service providers that have signed on with the initiative.
Pikom is collaborating with several leading online merchants to provide attractive discounts and incentives on a wide range of products and services.
To date, mybeli.com has more than 500 participating merchants, including those dealing in lifestyle goods, healthcare products, consumer electronics, and fashion wear.
Pikom said it will also highlight certain promotions by merchants on the site in newspaper advertisements.
One-stop shop
Mybeli.com, it announced, makes it easy for people to find bargains and the site groups the merchants according to products and services.
The site is part of Pikom’s Buy Online Campaign, which was launched in conjunction with the recent National ICT (information and communications technology) Month.
The campaign ends Sept 20 and is also aimed at helping to increase broadband penetration in the country to 50% by the end of 2010. About 26% of Malaysian households have broadband now.
“People need to embrace new technology,” said Wei Chuan Beng, deputy chairman of Pikom. “Online portals such as mybeli.com help inculcate awareness of and expose Malaysians to ICT.”
He said the bargains at mybeli.com will encourage consumers to go online to take advantage of the offers, while those businesses that are not online will be encouraged to do so to gain from the increase in Malaysians shopping on the Web.
By the end of the Buy Online Campaign, Pikom hopes to have generated at least RM50mil in Internet sales at mybeli.com.
The site is a guide to various products and sales promotions that are being offered by merchants and service providers that have signed on with the initiative.
Pikom is collaborating with several leading online merchants to provide attractive discounts and incentives on a wide range of products and services.
To date, mybeli.com has more than 500 participating merchants, including those dealing in lifestyle goods, healthcare products, consumer electronics, and fashion wear.
Pikom said it will also highlight certain promotions by merchants on the site in newspaper advertisements.
One-stop shop
Mybeli.com, it announced, makes it easy for people to find bargains and the site groups the merchants according to products and services.
The site is part of Pikom’s Buy Online Campaign, which was launched in conjunction with the recent National ICT (information and communications technology) Month.
The campaign ends Sept 20 and is also aimed at helping to increase broadband penetration in the country to 50% by the end of 2010. About 26% of Malaysian households have broadband now.
“People need to embrace new technology,” said Wei Chuan Beng, deputy chairman of Pikom. “Online portals such as mybeli.com help inculcate awareness of and expose Malaysians to ICT.”
He said the bargains at mybeli.com will encourage consumers to go online to take advantage of the offers, while those businesses that are not online will be encouraged to do so to gain from the increase in Malaysians shopping on the Web.
By the end of the Buy Online Campaign, Pikom hopes to have generated at least RM50mil in Internet sales at mybeli.com.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
NEWS: 微軟My Phone服務免費
微軟即將於十月推出最新版本的視窗手機操作系統Windows Mobile 6.5，提供升級版的流動網上支援服務，瀏覽器重新設計，並提供免費的「My Phone」服務，讓手機用戶支援個人電腦的通訊、訊息及照片。
微軟說，其手機夥伴商十月六日推出的產品，將是首批具備Windows Mobile 6.5功能的手機。這些「視窗手機」（Windows Phone）的瀏覽器經重新設計，可以讓機主支援個人電腦或互聯網的通訊。
有份生產這些最新版視窗手機的手機生產商，包括LG、三星、新力愛立信、HTC、東芝及Acer等。
此外，微軟又計畫推出網上軟件申請商店Windows Marketplace for Mobile，類似蘋果大受歡迎的網上App商店，提供各式各樣的軟件供機主申請下載。
微軟說，其手機夥伴商十月六日推出的產品，將是首批具備Windows Mobile 6.5功能的手機。這些「視窗手機」（Windows Phone）的瀏覽器經重新設計，可以讓機主支援個人電腦或互聯網的通訊。
有份生產這些最新版視窗手機的手機生產商，包括LG、三星、新力愛立信、HTC、東芝及Acer等。
此外，微軟又計畫推出網上軟件申請商店Windows Marketplace for Mobile，類似蘋果大受歡迎的網上App商店，提供各式各樣的軟件供機主申請下載。
NEWS: Gmail故障 癱瘓逾億電郵
Google旗下電子郵件信箱Gmail周二出現重大故障，全球億計電郵用戶當中，大部分人都受到影響，無法登入，服務中斷近兩小時。Google事後發表聲明，指故障已經修復，並對電郵用戶造成的不便致歉。暫時未悉今次故障原因，Google表示已展開調查。今次是繼今年二月及五月之後，Google電郵服務另一次重大癱瘓，嚴重打擊了Gmail的可靠性。
Google旗下的Apps Status Dashboard監察網站從美東時間周二下午三時五十三分回報，指Gmail發生故障，已影響大部分用戶，令到用戶無法登入Gmail。Apps Status Dashboard專責追蹤Google的不同網絡服務紀錄。
超過一個半小時之後，Google在下午五點三十七分宣布，Gmail的服務已經恢復正常。Google強調，Gmail的問題應該已經解決，並對用戶造成不便致歉，也感謝用戶的耐心等待與繼續支持。但其後還是有使用者沒辦法登入Gmail。
Google又說，正在調查故障的原因，初步相信應非黑客的「阻斷服務」施襲。
Google旗下的Apps Status Dashboard監察網站從美東時間周二下午三時五十三分回報，指Gmail發生故障，已影響大部分用戶，令到用戶無法登入Gmail。Apps Status Dashboard專責追蹤Google的不同網絡服務紀錄。
超過一個半小時之後，Google在下午五點三十七分宣布，Gmail的服務已經恢復正常。Google強調，Gmail的問題應該已經解決，並對用戶造成不便致歉，也感謝用戶的耐心等待與繼續支持。但其後還是有使用者沒辦法登入Gmail。
Google又說，正在調查故障的原因，初步相信應非黑客的「阻斷服務」施襲。
NEWS: Social networking and you
WHEN the name of a search engine is an unofficial verb, you know the Internet has definitely changed how we connect and search for information.
A more recent trend is the acceptance of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook as part of our everyday communication tools. And these services are not only used by individuals to keep in touch with long lost friends any more — even companies are using such tools to get in touch with their customers now.
“However whether or not they doing a good job is a another matter,” said Dr Michael Netzley, an assistant professor of corporate communications practice with the Singapore Management University.
To find out more about how social networking has gone mainstream and how it can be part of a company’s advertising and promotions strategy, we recently caught up with Netzley in an e-mail interview.
In.Tech: Social networking sites, blogs and other popular social media applications have been around for a while. Why is it only now that the popularity of these sites have exploded?
Michael Netzley: All technology innovations go through an adoption cycle. There are four steps in this process.
First, there’s a trigger which compels somebody to invent and release the technology, followed by an enthusiastic early adoption phase. After that there’s a trough of disillusionment as early adopters tire of the new technology, and finally, a plateau of productivity where the tool is widely adopted and used by average citizens working and living in life’s mainstream.
Indeed, the tools have been around for a while and have been hyped, but the reality is that we are just now seeing mainstream adoption.
Huge numbers of people are now adopting Facebook, not just the early adopters. The same can be said for Twitter.
The adoption explosion we are seeing is a reflection of the technology’s growth from early adopters to mainstream users. This is all a natural cycle which applies to almost every technological innovation including but not limited to Web 2.0.
In.Tech: How have Asian businesses responded to the use of social media applications to move their businesses forward?
MN: Asia’s response has been uneven. Leading digital markets such as China, South Korea, and Japan certainly appear to be ahead of other markets across Asia because Web 2.0 tools have been so well received.
Our research at Singapore Management University, however, reveals that other markets clearly lag behind. In the middle are markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Taiwan as emerging digital markets which hold great promise but simply are not as far along the technology adoption curve.
Finally, markets such as Thailand and Cambodia lag behind in terms of social media adoption. This does not mean there is no social media, but simply that the markets are several years behind in terms of infrastructure to support Web 2.0 and consumer adoption and behaviour.
Having said that, Asia’s digital markets are in some ways global leaders. Japan’s mobile phone market is so advanced that exporting the technology is difficult because consumers in other markets simply have no idea what to do with such advanced phones.
South Korea is an Internet society and is the world’s number two information society. Web 2.0 technologies have a fertile ground for taking root in this country. And China appears to be a giant innovation centre. China’s Internet market is the world’s largest at 330 million netizens, and it hosts an impressive array of social networking, video sharing, music sharing, gaming, and Bulletin Board System (BBS) sites.
With this environment, companies such as China’s Internet Service Portal, Tencent, have developed business models which are incredibly profitable and the Western world is now looking to Asia to see how companies can be so profitable when the advertising market is relatively small.
In.Tech: How have social networking applications changed the way companies execute their advertising and promotion strategies?
MN: Marketing is changing dramatically because an interactive web, or what Web 2.0 describes as a read-write web, is an engagement medium.
The classic advertising example can be described as shouting from the mountain top. You design a product or service, buy ads, and then shout to let buyers know they can buy your product or service. This might also be described as a mass production manufacturing model. But the interactive web changes all that.
People want engagement, customisation, and relevance to their personal lives. Consumers want to know how a product or service is directly relevant to them. Shouting from the mountain top cannot offer such a unique connection for each consumer, but interactive technology comes much closer to achieving the goal.
Additionally, interactive technologies offer a feedback loop which allows companies to collect information from customers, collate, and forward that information to the business units.
Finally, marketing has changed because consumers can now market a product or service for you. You do not have direct control over what they say so active engagement becomes critical if your corporate voice is to be part of that consumer conversation. We must now engage and work alongside our customers rather than simply standing up and shouting from the mountain top.
At the same time, little has changed. Because of the technology adoption cycle described earlier, companies are still feeling their way through this radically changed operating environment. We are, for example, learning how to target smaller populations on Facebook which we think should be interested in our product.
In contrast, classic print advertising is a blunt instrument which tries to reach as many people as possible in hopes that you pick up a few new customers along the way. This tension between targeting small but appropriate communities, and achieving the widest possible reach via mainstream media, is just one of the changes we are still learning.
So until companies begin to figure out this difference, the actual uptake of Web 2.0 technologies for marketing purposes will likely lag behind popular use of the tools. Web 2.0 marketing is a new game with new rules, and we are still figuring out how to play the game.
In.Tech: How can businesses make social media applications work to their advantage?
MN: There are many basic ways to use these tools. First, you can engage customers and start building a genuine relationship (not spam).
Second, with a relationship in place, you can begin to receive feedback which can help you further improve products and services.
Third, if a product is well received, customers can begin to market a product for you through word-of-mouth-marketing. Peer to per recommendations can be very influential.
Fourth, you can also begin to capture analytics and further improve marketing efforts. How do customers find you online? What are the leading search terms? Are people sharing your content? This information can help you revise marketing efforts and make them even more effective.
Fifth, if you start to do all these things effectively you can build a strong reputation for your company.
Sixth, and in my mind quite important, consider the nature of knowledge work today. Building a network of professionals who are loosely tied helps knowledge workers remain current, find new data or resources, track competitors, or continue to learn and improve.
Finally, don’t forget about search. How do people find information about products and services today? I am willing to bet that the Web will be the most popular answer. Have you designed your web presence so that you appear at the top of numerous web searches? Doing so makes it much easier for customers to find you.
In.Tech: As social networking sites tend to attract the attention of a younger crowd, do businesses perceive it as being more of a new toy than something serious. Can this perception be changed?
MN: Unfortunately too many executives do associate Web 2.0 with what their kids do with free time. Why would they want a respectable business to appear in kid sites? But we need to look at the changing demographics online to realise that, while Web 2.0 is more popular with Gen Y, it can still be very popular with Gen X and Baby Boomers.
Online communities which are dedicated to golf, travel, food, wine, sport, and fashion to name a few, can easily be found.
The only real answer to this problem is data. First, a company must invest in data collection to find out what its customers do online and via mobile phones.
Second, you need to collect data about competitors within your industry and companies in similar industries. What are they doing online? If the answer is “very little,” then you, if your customer data supports it, have an incredible opportunity to build that first successful online community.
In.Tech: If everyone can be a “fan” or “follow” a company on these social media sites, how can companies tell that they are not adding people who have ill-intent. For example, these fans, might want to gain access to deface the profile. How can companies know they are safe?
MN: There is no doubt that Web 2.0 can add security issues which the company must address. This is simply part of the equation. But doing business in an environment where a small number of people have ill intent is not anything new.
So the issue, I believe, is one of values and business mission. If you believe deep in your soul that engaging customers is important, then you will more likely be willing to pay the price of taking additional security measures because you want the direct contact.
Perhaps Dell’s customer online feedback websites are a good example. If a company is unsure, then perhaps it looks at enterprise 2.0 solutions which exist behind the firewall and are aimed at innovation, employee productivity and employee engagement.
And if a company is highly risk averse, then maybe Web 2.0 is not for them. These are issues that corporate strategists must grapple with.
Web 2.0 is not a fad and the sooner you begin moving your company up the organisational learning curve with regards to Web 2.0, the easier it will be for you to make the decisions which are right for your organisation.
* Netzley will be in town on September 4 to give a talk entitled Adventures with Social Media - Lessons from Asia’s Internet. The presentation is part of a half-day seminar on social media networks that will be held at 10am at Menara Star, Phileo Damansara II, Petaling Jaya. It is organised by PRCA Malaysia in collaboration with The Star’s New Media department. For more information on the talk, contact Ong Gaik Hong or Ida Zarina Faiz of Maverick Communications at (03) 6207-1558 or send an e-mail to secretariat@prcamalaysia.org.
A more recent trend is the acceptance of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook as part of our everyday communication tools. And these services are not only used by individuals to keep in touch with long lost friends any more — even companies are using such tools to get in touch with their customers now.
“However whether or not they doing a good job is a another matter,” said Dr Michael Netzley, an assistant professor of corporate communications practice with the Singapore Management University.
To find out more about how social networking has gone mainstream and how it can be part of a company’s advertising and promotions strategy, we recently caught up with Netzley in an e-mail interview.
In.Tech: Social networking sites, blogs and other popular social media applications have been around for a while. Why is it only now that the popularity of these sites have exploded?
Michael Netzley: All technology innovations go through an adoption cycle. There are four steps in this process.
First, there’s a trigger which compels somebody to invent and release the technology, followed by an enthusiastic early adoption phase. After that there’s a trough of disillusionment as early adopters tire of the new technology, and finally, a plateau of productivity where the tool is widely adopted and used by average citizens working and living in life’s mainstream.
Indeed, the tools have been around for a while and have been hyped, but the reality is that we are just now seeing mainstream adoption.
Huge numbers of people are now adopting Facebook, not just the early adopters. The same can be said for Twitter.
The adoption explosion we are seeing is a reflection of the technology’s growth from early adopters to mainstream users. This is all a natural cycle which applies to almost every technological innovation including but not limited to Web 2.0.
In.Tech: How have Asian businesses responded to the use of social media applications to move their businesses forward?
MN: Asia’s response has been uneven. Leading digital markets such as China, South Korea, and Japan certainly appear to be ahead of other markets across Asia because Web 2.0 tools have been so well received.
Our research at Singapore Management University, however, reveals that other markets clearly lag behind. In the middle are markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Taiwan as emerging digital markets which hold great promise but simply are not as far along the technology adoption curve.
Finally, markets such as Thailand and Cambodia lag behind in terms of social media adoption. This does not mean there is no social media, but simply that the markets are several years behind in terms of infrastructure to support Web 2.0 and consumer adoption and behaviour.
Having said that, Asia’s digital markets are in some ways global leaders. Japan’s mobile phone market is so advanced that exporting the technology is difficult because consumers in other markets simply have no idea what to do with such advanced phones.
South Korea is an Internet society and is the world’s number two information society. Web 2.0 technologies have a fertile ground for taking root in this country. And China appears to be a giant innovation centre. China’s Internet market is the world’s largest at 330 million netizens, and it hosts an impressive array of social networking, video sharing, music sharing, gaming, and Bulletin Board System (BBS) sites.
With this environment, companies such as China’s Internet Service Portal, Tencent, have developed business models which are incredibly profitable and the Western world is now looking to Asia to see how companies can be so profitable when the advertising market is relatively small.
In.Tech: How have social networking applications changed the way companies execute their advertising and promotion strategies?
MN: Marketing is changing dramatically because an interactive web, or what Web 2.0 describes as a read-write web, is an engagement medium.
The classic advertising example can be described as shouting from the mountain top. You design a product or service, buy ads, and then shout to let buyers know they can buy your product or service. This might also be described as a mass production manufacturing model. But the interactive web changes all that.
People want engagement, customisation, and relevance to their personal lives. Consumers want to know how a product or service is directly relevant to them. Shouting from the mountain top cannot offer such a unique connection for each consumer, but interactive technology comes much closer to achieving the goal.
Additionally, interactive technologies offer a feedback loop which allows companies to collect information from customers, collate, and forward that information to the business units.
Finally, marketing has changed because consumers can now market a product or service for you. You do not have direct control over what they say so active engagement becomes critical if your corporate voice is to be part of that consumer conversation. We must now engage and work alongside our customers rather than simply standing up and shouting from the mountain top.
At the same time, little has changed. Because of the technology adoption cycle described earlier, companies are still feeling their way through this radically changed operating environment. We are, for example, learning how to target smaller populations on Facebook which we think should be interested in our product.
In contrast, classic print advertising is a blunt instrument which tries to reach as many people as possible in hopes that you pick up a few new customers along the way. This tension between targeting small but appropriate communities, and achieving the widest possible reach via mainstream media, is just one of the changes we are still learning.
So until companies begin to figure out this difference, the actual uptake of Web 2.0 technologies for marketing purposes will likely lag behind popular use of the tools. Web 2.0 marketing is a new game with new rules, and we are still figuring out how to play the game.
In.Tech: How can businesses make social media applications work to their advantage?
MN: There are many basic ways to use these tools. First, you can engage customers and start building a genuine relationship (not spam).
Second, with a relationship in place, you can begin to receive feedback which can help you further improve products and services.
Third, if a product is well received, customers can begin to market a product for you through word-of-mouth-marketing. Peer to per recommendations can be very influential.
Fourth, you can also begin to capture analytics and further improve marketing efforts. How do customers find you online? What are the leading search terms? Are people sharing your content? This information can help you revise marketing efforts and make them even more effective.
Fifth, if you start to do all these things effectively you can build a strong reputation for your company.
Sixth, and in my mind quite important, consider the nature of knowledge work today. Building a network of professionals who are loosely tied helps knowledge workers remain current, find new data or resources, track competitors, or continue to learn and improve.
Finally, don’t forget about search. How do people find information about products and services today? I am willing to bet that the Web will be the most popular answer. Have you designed your web presence so that you appear at the top of numerous web searches? Doing so makes it much easier for customers to find you.
In.Tech: As social networking sites tend to attract the attention of a younger crowd, do businesses perceive it as being more of a new toy than something serious. Can this perception be changed?
MN: Unfortunately too many executives do associate Web 2.0 with what their kids do with free time. Why would they want a respectable business to appear in kid sites? But we need to look at the changing demographics online to realise that, while Web 2.0 is more popular with Gen Y, it can still be very popular with Gen X and Baby Boomers.
Online communities which are dedicated to golf, travel, food, wine, sport, and fashion to name a few, can easily be found.
The only real answer to this problem is data. First, a company must invest in data collection to find out what its customers do online and via mobile phones.
Second, you need to collect data about competitors within your industry and companies in similar industries. What are they doing online? If the answer is “very little,” then you, if your customer data supports it, have an incredible opportunity to build that first successful online community.
In.Tech: If everyone can be a “fan” or “follow” a company on these social media sites, how can companies tell that they are not adding people who have ill-intent. For example, these fans, might want to gain access to deface the profile. How can companies know they are safe?
MN: There is no doubt that Web 2.0 can add security issues which the company must address. This is simply part of the equation. But doing business in an environment where a small number of people have ill intent is not anything new.
So the issue, I believe, is one of values and business mission. If you believe deep in your soul that engaging customers is important, then you will more likely be willing to pay the price of taking additional security measures because you want the direct contact.
Perhaps Dell’s customer online feedback websites are a good example. If a company is unsure, then perhaps it looks at enterprise 2.0 solutions which exist behind the firewall and are aimed at innovation, employee productivity and employee engagement.
And if a company is highly risk averse, then maybe Web 2.0 is not for them. These are issues that corporate strategists must grapple with.
Web 2.0 is not a fad and the sooner you begin moving your company up the organisational learning curve with regards to Web 2.0, the easier it will be for you to make the decisions which are right for your organisation.
* Netzley will be in town on September 4 to give a talk entitled Adventures with Social Media - Lessons from Asia’s Internet. The presentation is part of a half-day seminar on social media networks that will be held at 10am at Menara Star, Phileo Damansara II, Petaling Jaya. It is organised by PRCA Malaysia in collaboration with The Star’s New Media department. For more information on the talk, contact Ong Gaik Hong or Ida Zarina Faiz of Maverick Communications at (03) 6207-1558 or send an e-mail to secretariat@prcamalaysia.org.
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