This was good to see: What looked like a truly anti-social media company, game developer Square Enix, saw irresponsibility for what it was and quickly reversed a stupid marketing decision. I'd like to take it as a sign that – in this very social media environment where users are co-producers with the providers of their media experiences – media companies and users alike will be increasingly wise … [Read more...] about Good move: Game company takes down cruel ad campaign
marketing
To keep advertisers from tracking your kids’ phones
A lot of people find targeted advertising creepy – and just plain wrong if targeted at kids, especially little ones. Well, if your kids have iPhones and they have the latest operating-system software, iOS 6, then you can help them turn off apps' ability to "learn" their interests and target ads at them. Apple calls the setting "Limit Ad Tracking." My ConnectSafely co-director Larry Magid explains … [Read more...] about To keep advertisers from tracking your kids’ phones
FTC will look into mobile apps marketing to kids
After news coverage of kids racking up huge iTunes bills for their parents while playing game apps on iPhones and iPod Touches gained and letters from US lawmakers to the Federal Trade Commission about this, the Commission announced it will investigate, Ars Technica reports. In a letter to the FTC, Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) wrote that "what may appear in these games to be virtual coins and prizes … [Read more...] about FTC will look into mobile apps marketing to kids
How MIT gets blogs, marketing & students
Maybe it's that reality is more interesting than fiction? At least reality seems to be a lot more interesting to high school students shopping for colleges and universities. MIT figured that out five years ago. The New York Times reports that MIT hires some of its upperclassman students to blog about life at the Institute for marketing purposes. One such blogger, senior Cristen Chinea has her days … [Read more...] about How MIT gets blogs, marketing & students
The MySpace experiment
Parents and teens aren't the only ones dealing with MySpace's image. Advertisers and MySpace itself are too. Last week the big story was MySpace as a corporate citizen. This week, a snapshot of where MySpace is as a business too - somewhere between "the chaos that is comfortable to many MySpace residents and the neatness that appeals to consumer product companies [advertisers]," as the New York … [Read more...] about The MySpace experiment