Carmakers' Problems: Blame It On The Internet?

A recent MSNBC.com article title “Carmakers’ next problem: Generation Y”, sites the use of the Internet and social media as partial reasons for decreased car sales and ownership amongst teens and twenty-somethings.Although the Internet and social media usage have been cited for many reasonable societal ills, this article is just another attempt to blame the internet for anything wrong.

According to the article, people can now connect with friends, work, and go to school online rather than have to leave the house.  The result, we're told, is a heavier reliance on and interest in electronic gadgets than cars. 

There are certain aspects of all the aforementioned that won't be effective if done completely online.  I believe that the journalist does not understand members of Generation Y and has yet to catch-on to the Internet and social media revolution. As a member of Generation Y, and highly active Internet and social media user, many of us use the Internet and social media outlets to search for locations and find out about events going on or upcoming events. Some factors that the journalist failed to consider include:

• Energy Conservation: Generation Y cares about the earth. We rather carpool to venues with a group of friends than to travel alone. More over environmental-friendly cars, also known as hybirds, are too expensive to afford.
• Public Transportation: In states such as New York, New Jersey or District of Columbia, where public transportation is efficient, there is hardly ever a need to own on buy a car. In New York, for example, it would make no real sense since traffic is always congested and the subway can take you just about anywhere.
• Economic Woes:  Generation Y is young. Many of us are still in school (high school or college) and jobless. We still depend on parents for financial support or don't make enough money at this stage to afford a brand new car or a car at all. 

I suggest that for a follow-up article, the journalist need to conduct further research to further understand Generation Y and the power of the Internet and social media; tools that automakers could possibly use better to market automobiles to members of Generation Y. 


Sources:
http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_fshw.php?mwi=3629
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39970363/ns/business-autos/
http://e-marketingforsensiblefolk.blogspot.com/

Can We Trust Online Government Services?

As our government becomes more technologically advance and more and more government services involve online options, features, or components, the issue that bothers me the most is the privacy of constituents information, moreover, my own information.

Any time I have to use an online service I'm always cautious and concerned about the possibility of identity theft. Most people automatically think credit card fraud when you mention identity theft, but with government services being online you have to consider identity theft and privacy in terms of:

• Employment Information
• Social Security
• Tax Returns
• Medical Records
• Criminal, Police or Court Records
• Illegal/Legal Immigration and Miscellaneous Government Documents

With hackers abound online, you can never be too sure that your information won't be intercepted during input, an authorized individual is receiving your information, or that your information won't be leaked. I've seen many instances online where celebrities or other individuals medical, criminal or court records have been leaked. The aforementioned records are sensitive information that should be protected at ALL times.

In respect to the issue of privacy, I would hope that in the future government officials treat constituents personal information as if it was matter of urgent national security.  Hopefully, the government will develop an advanced security program that would detect an intrusion or breach of constituents privacy. Also, draft an online privacy bill and develop tougher laws for those who commit crimes against constituents privacy.

As for now, to remedy the situation of an invasion of constituents online privacy, we can either remain cautious of the information we share online even with our government officials or choose to access government services solely in-person (face-to-face contact) with government officials.

Press Play: You May Now Protect Your Privacy

Do you browse the internet a lot? Can you remember all the websites you ever visited?  Ever registered for anything online?  Do you have a Facebook or LinkedIn profile?  Did you fill out the information about yourself on them?  "What's with all the questions?" you may ask. Well everything you do online is tracked, shared and saved by advertisers to directly target you whenever you take to the internet to do whatever you like?  It's called  online behavioral advertising.


Online behavioral advertising is when marketers use static consumer data (such as demographic and socioeconomic information), as well as behavioral data (such as mouse clicks and purchases) in order to target the right kind of advertisement to a particular person. The major benefit is that consumers get more ads that are interesting to them. The major downside is that some consumers feel that their privacy is violated.

Advertising Option Icon

(Superhero music plays in the background):  Well fear no more, your privacy can be protected, if you just press play.  This play button looking icon is known as the "Advertising Option Icon."  Once placed near the data collection portion of the website, the icon serves as  way for participating companies to inform consumers about their data collecting practices and give consumers the option to opt-out of their targeting.  But here's the catch, consumers have to willingly click on the icon that takes them to another page where they can read and learn about behavioral advertising and the opt-out choices they have. 


I don't believe consumers will have any idea as to what the icon means.  They might be curious to press play thinking it's a way to listen listen to music while browsing, but when taken to another page and faced with a ton of information to read they'll more than likely close the page.  This kind of thing is not totally new, their ability to opt-in or opt-out of things on our cellphones as well and consumers still don't use it. We just can't be bothered sometimes. 


Of course most companies will sign-up knowing, in the back of their minds, that the average consumer won't care about such an icon being displayed.  It will be the new "industry thing to do."   As for this new standard being monitored by the sponsoring agencies for compliance I doubt they'll be to able to effectively police a large amount of companies.  Let's not even mention how savvy some companies are, I'm sure someone will find a way to bypass or manipulate the system. 

Sponsoring Agencies (Participating Associations)

For companies, the advertising option icon will be a big seal of approval to continue doing what they already do - collect consumers data (invade privacy).  For consumers the advertising option icon will be another crash and burn.  As consumers we would appreciate that companies leave us alone unless we seek and knowingly authorize them to make an offer that we can't refuse. 


Referenced Websites:
"E-Marketing for Sensible Folks" http://e-marketingforsensiblefolk.blogspot.com/2010/10/would-you-click-this-icon-to-protect.html 
"Self Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising"  http://www.aboutads.info/

Somebody's Watching Me

Have you heard about Internet Eyes? A UK firm, Internet Eyes, will let you play crime-fighter from home via your internet connection, and reward you for it.  According to Internet Eyes, the sole purpose is to enable responsible members of the public to use the latest technology to help shopkeepers and the police combat the serious social harm that shoplifting causes.  Viewers will monitor live camera feeds and instantly alert you when a suspected crime is committed. 


Now, being watched by security and security cameras in stores isn't new, but being watched on the caliber that Internet Eyes purposes is beyond an invasion of privacy.  It's simply creepy.  Whenever I go shopping, I go to get away from it all.  It's my time to chill and do something good for me. The thought of security cameras and personnel watching me is the last thing on my mind.  But if Internet Eyes becomes legal worldwide I believe the joy and peace of mind that shopping brings would be ruined.


Beyond Internet Eyes being an obvious invasion of privacy, I believe that I would be attacked and targeted based on the color of my skin.  Racial prejudice, racial profiling and stereotyping will be at an all-time high.   According to ABCNews,   racial profiling in stores is so prevalent that researchers have even given it a name -- Shopping While Black. When it happens, black shoppers are made to feel both unwelcome and under suspicion. This social experiment by ABC gives perfect insight:  Shopping While Black - Social Experiment


In a 2007 Gallup survey, 47 percent of black people surveyed said they are not treated equally by retailers. More than one-quarter of those surveyed felt they were targeted because of their race while shopping in the last 30 days.  I can only imagine this number rising with the implementation of Internet Eyes.   The lyrics to the 1984 Rockwell single "Somebody's Watching Me" becomes relevant again. 

I'm just an average man

With an average life

I work from nine to five

Hey, hell, I pay the price

All I want is to be left alone

In my average home

But why do I always feel

Like I'm in the twilight zone

And (I always feel like)

(Somebody's watching me)

And I have no privacy 

- Rockwell "Somebody's Watching Me" (1984)

Referenced Websites 


Internet Eyes, CCTV Monitoring
http://interneteyes.co.uk/

Rockwell Lyrics - Somebody's Watching Me 

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/rockwell/somebodys_watching_me.html

'Shopping While Black': Would You Stop Racism 
http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/story?id=7131333&page=1

Harry, Boeing & The Power of Social Media: A Lesson Learned or Cheap-Shot Publicity?

Background
On May, 3, 2010 the New York Times ran an article titled "Boeing's Social Media Lesson".  The article reported the story of a 9-year-old Harry Winsor who decided to send a crayon design of his own airplane, accompanied with a letter to Boeing, suggesting that they manufacture his plane.  Boeing responded with a form letter. Harry's dad, John Winsor, the CEO of the ad agency Victors & Spoils took to his Blogger and Twitter pages to voice his discontent with what he considered Boeing's stern response to a 9-year-old.  After the story received noteworthy attention online, Boeing responded to the situation in a friendlier (more social) fashion.

For the complete article see:
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/boeings-social-media-lesson/

My Thoughts
After reviewing, I believe this is a case of both the online world putting a big bad company back in line, as well as, a case of cheap-shot (free) publicity for Mr. Winsor's ad agency at the probable expense of his 9-year-old's, Harry's, dreams and feelings.

Boeing admittedly receives submissions like Harry's on a regular basis, only from adults or other professionals.  To protect their intellectual property, they send the same drab, standard, form letter to everyone from which a design was not solicited. I'm sure whomever read the letters at Boeing's headquarter could have noted the drawing and letter was from a youngster and could have responded on more sentimental terms from the beginning.  What ever happened to decent customer service?  Heck, some adults can't even comprehend the legality of such letters, do you think a 9-year-old would?  Each customer is different.  In the Western world, we embrace individuality and most successful companies that exist here knows this.  Customers like to know that their specific concerns are specifically addressed. Boeing being late on the social, and social media platform learned the hard way.  In today's world it is imperative for businesses to keep track of the social platforms out their to know both the positive and negative things being said about them for their own good.

As a commenter on the New York Times article expressed:

"When I was four years old, I sent a similar, handwritten note to NASA. Months later, I received a mysterious box in the mail. When I opened it up, it was full of all sorts of memorabilia: badges and pins from the various Apollo and Gemini missions, brochures, and assorted tchotchkes. It was like the best Christmas ever. It's amazing how far a little encouragement can take a kid."

Source: 

Brian
Denver, CO
May 3rd, 2010



If Boeing truly valued customers, since they were just getting onto the social media platform via Twitter, the least they could have done initially was something similar to the example above.  This would have bypassed the negative publicity, but now they've learned the power of social media.

As for Mr. Winsor, how sad, it's almost like putting your business over your child. I'm sure he knew exactly what the outcome would be from Boeing, but wanted to create a case study for his own fame.  Free publicity for his company? Yes!  Good dad points? Hell no! One day Harry will Google himself and learn about this and might spite him. This story along with a follow-up of may make for a good commercial series though.

I don't think Boeing's response will make an airline company sway to some other designer.  Boeing has been at the forefront of airplane design for years.  They have a trusted reputation for having quality design.  With airlines the customer service comes more directly on their part than from Boeing (the manufacturer).  The only airlines I board tends to be made by Boeing (e.g. American Airline airplanes) and that won't change anytime soon. Just note I won't be sending my kid's drawing anywhere in the future, unless it's for something worthwhile and I do my research.

I believe the New York Times is at the forefront of e-marketing activities. They take great advantage of blogs, Twitter and Facebook to name a few.  Publishing this story I don't think makes them hard-up for news. It was on a lighter note, something we need more sometimes, and it sure made much room for discussion.