A report by Mashable that walks through data researched by Barracuda Networks Labs speaks volumes on what I call a new class of web user.  The fanatic, engaged early adopter. We (SiliconAngle labs) were storing and analyzing twitter up until July 2009 until the project moved over to Bing. The reported data from Mashable is pretty much on the money. Mashable reports: Barracuda Labs also analyzed Twitter’s growth over time, and the numbers are consistent with previous reports that show while Twitter grew like wildfire in early 2009, it has dramatically slowed down in recent months. Going back further to early 2008, the report estimates that the microblogging tool grew by just 0.31%. However, with the quick rise of media coverage

This is astounding: ClickZ in the UK reports: U.K. to Regulate Social Network Marketing - ClickZ Marketers and brands using social networks will soon find their activities in those spaces regulated by the U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority, following recommendations submitted by the Advertising Association this week. The proposed amendment to the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code - expected to be in force by September - will extend the regulatory framework currently in place for paid online ads to all other online marketing communications. As a result, claims from marketers on their own Web sites and third-party sites like social networks will now be subject to ASA scrutiny, as they are in TV, print, and other forms

Excellent article at the Washington Post by Cecilia Kang about today's Senate Judiciary hearing "Global Internet Freedom and the Rule of Law." Here are some of the key points from Post Tech - Google says no timetable to leave China; lawmakers tell firms to stand up to censors: - Google still has no timetable on leaving China. - Twitter and Facebook were invited to give evidence but refused. - Twitter and Facebook have refused to join a two-year old Anti-Censorship coalition set up by Microsoft, Google and Yahoo. - Senator Richard Durbin, the assistant majority leader, is planning legislation that will require US Internet companies to uphold human rights abroad. "With a few notable exceptions, the tech industry seems

I really dislike non-disclosure agreements, but NDAs are a fact of life in the IT industry. Even folks like me that actively avoid NDAs sometimes have to sign the paperwork to gain access to people or information, and employers regularly require such an agreement as a condition of employment. I suspect most folks try to respect and uphold the agreements they do sign, but this doesn't stop slip-ups. So let me take a few minutes of your time to pass along my top five tips to avoid violating NDAs! 1 - Avoid signing NDAs The best way to avoid breaking an NDA is simply not to agree to one in the first place. Asking for a non-disclosure agreement is part of standard practice in business, but it's not always necessary. Politely ask if the NDA i

When I worked in London there were a ton of Aussies.  I love working with Aussies because their outlook on life seems very similar to what I grew up with in California.  Pretty laid back and non-hierarchic.  I also loved learning all of their sayings. My favorite was when a guy told me to beware of Crocodile Salesmen. What’s that?  ”You know, big mouth and no ears.” That’s always stuck with me.  Crocodile Salesmen are people who are always talking.  They’re pitching to you.  They don’t take the time to realize what your true motivations are because they’re too busy telling you what they THINK you want to hear. Trust me – your chances of selling are much lower if you’re talking rather

On the most recent “The Social Nerdia Show!” I had a conversation with  Angela Natividad and Bill Green, the podcasters behind AdVerve. Angela’s Twitter profile tells us that she is “VP-Marketing, hypios. Ad scribe, Culture Buzz. Hostess, AdVerve. And yes, still the wholesale purveyor of The Sass™.” Bill Green blogs at MTLB (Make the Logo Bigger), a personal favorite, and  has worked with lots of great brands. You might also know them from their work withAdRants and their appearances on The BeanCast. Listen to the Full Interview Listen to the entire conversation with Angela and Bill at Socialnerdia. You can also subscribe to our shows on iTunes, stream from mobile phones on Stitcher, and listen LIVE on blogtal

[Editor’s Note: Esteban, the man behind the popular “social nerdia” interview podcasts here at SiliconANGLE recently took a job at Samsung as social media manager, a big move for him and one that seems to be more in line with what he enjoys doing (I know that the few times I’ve talked to him this week, he certainly seems like he’s enjoying himself a great deal). Esteban wanted to share a bit of how he got from where he was to where he is, and we’re happy to pass it along to you. –mrh] I believe we should all seek to do something meaningful with our lives. While paying the bills is essential, we should try to pursue something that we truly get excited about and enjoy doing on a daily basis. We should try to impact the world i

I ran across this blog that had the story "Skype's New Dawn" written by Jeremy Wagstaff a technology columnist, author and journalist, writing for The Wall Street Journal and the BBC.  What a great 'angle' on Skype. Jeremy writes: Pretty much everyone I know is on Skype—more so than Facebook—and their investment in it is greater: They had to figure out how to install software, set up a microphone, a webcam, create an account, and maybe even buy credit. More importantly, they can actually estimate its value to them, by counting the money it’s saved them, if they want. We all know about eBay’s missteps with Skype over the past few years and the software could definitely do with a total overhaul. But now there are new faces in

The journalist in me makes it impossible to stop reading press releases. I just can’t do it.  Once a news assignment editor, always a news assignment editor apparently, and part of that job has always been to forage for news via press releases, police scanners, newspapers, beat calls, while eavesdropping during lunch or through any other means that brings in a good story. But now, since I am no longer responsible for determining what to divulge to the masses during a 22 minute news hole, I’m reading and digesting them a bit differently. I can now analyze them a bit, laugh at the long-winded nature of many who write them and look for cool things to share with people in my networks. There is a trend I’m noticing of late. It’s

I'm often asked by PR people about the best type of pitches. There is a widespread belief in the PR community that there is a way to make the perfect pitch about a client company and everything will fall into place. My answer is always the same: first, make sure you know the publication before you pitch. And make sure you have a good understanding of your client's business. While there are lots of bad pitches out there, there are also lots of good pitches. Even with a perfect pitch, sometimes a reporter won't write the story because there is not enough time, there's too much else to do. But here's a killer pitch. It's one that I haven't heard yet but it's only a matter of time. " ... and we have the ability to drive a lot of traff