Digible

With all these Internet Acts and infringements on our digi-liberty, wouldn’t it be nice tohave a Digital Bill of Rights stitched into the U.S. Constitution? Yea, I say.

Below are the coveted rights, proposed by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), found on the former’s personal site, KeepTheWebOpen.com.

1. Freedom – digital citizens have a right to a free, uncensored Internet
2. Openness – digital citizens have a right to an open, unobstructed Internet
3. Equality – all digital citizens are created equal on the Internet
4. Participation – digital citizens have a right to peaceably participate where and how they choose on the Internet
5. Creativity – digital citizens have a right to create, grow and collaborate on the Internet and be held accountable for what they create
6. Sharing – digital citizens have a right to freely share their ideas, lawful discoveries and opinions on the Internet
7. Accessibility – digital citizens have a right to access the Internet equally, regardless of who they are or where they are
8. Association – digital citizens have a right to freely associate on the Internet
9. Privacy – digital citizens have a right to privacy on the Internet
10. Property – digital citizens have a right to benefit from what they create, and be secure in their intellectual property on the Internet.

While this is a huge step in the right direction, there are a couple tweaks that can be made, which a little crowdsourcing can help cultivate. For example, as seen in number five, being “held accountable” is not really a right, but rather a responsibility, and the right to anonymity has been valued since the dawn of the Interwebs. Also, why are we called “digital citizens” as opposed to just citizens? This marginalizing verbiage could make a difference later down the line, and I wouldn’t exactly consider my parents to be “digital”-anything.

So what do you think: Additions, subtractions or comments?

For more information, see Mashable’s latest post. Photo credit Digital Trends.

Impending doom or impeding doom?

The House votes today. This could be the end of freedom as we know it.

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) both violate the First Amendment for many reasons. They could pass at any moment, and have implications that would change our lives forever. Or at least the estimated 240 million Internet-using Americans.

I urge you to promptly educate yourself and take action now. Our First Amendment rights depend on it.

Just kidding.

Some hopefully unsurprising stats:

• IE (thank goodness) continues its steady rapid decline, while FireFox begins that same dreaded path. 
• Chrome has just passed its mammal friend in the race, making Google one step closer to ruling the world. 
• Safari is inching its way up. Or should I say centimetering.
• And Opera…well it ain’t over til the fat lady sings.

Is it time for you to make the switch?

Whenever I hear this question, my heart screams NOOO! Thankfully, so do these statistics.

Spam sure does look like the Grim Reaper though. Where would you be without email?

Yep. At a post office.

by NowSourcing via

Scared yet?

Earlier this year, we saw global grocer Tesco (Homeplus) take over Korean subways with a virtual shopping experience that included 2-D displays of merchandise on the walls and QR codes for commuters to scan. They could purchase these virtual items while they waited for the subway, and would find them delivered to their home upon their return. This was a unique, profitable execution that grabbed worldwide attention and raised the bar for retail advertising creativity.

Now Tesco is back at it again with a new campaign and extended digital efforts. Along with utilizing more traditional media, the “Big Price Drop” initiative is running a print campaign that can be accessed using an Augmented Reality and image recognition smartphone (or tablet) app called Blippar. While this is a concept with huge interactive potential, I’m not so sure they hit home with consumers on this one.

As you’ll see in the video, the AR component is visually stimulating at first, but a useless recipe and simple store locator aren’t incentive enough for users to download and open the application on their device. We need deals, people! Or at least a good joke. 

I look forward to seeing better strategy behind the technology, but in the mean time, it’s another notable step in the digital direction.

I totes called it. Technology is birthing more and more of these TV/smartphone interactive campaigns, and consumers are just drinking it up. This time, it is the IntoNow application partnering with Pepsi Max: activate the app while watching the new commercial spot, “Field of Dreams” and receive a coupon for a free 20 oz. Pepsi Max.

IntoNow’s patented audio-fingerprinting technology automatically identifies any content from the past five years, including live or delayed television content. 

Consumers are rewarded for paying attention to ads, and marketers can further measure the effectiveness of their campaign, as well as driving desired behavior.

Pepsi isn’t the first to utilize the burgeoning relationship between phone apps and TV. Shazam recently teamed up with Old Navy, urging viewers to tag the original song in the commercial, and win a pair of jeans. Simiarly, Honda Jazz launched an animated campaign allowing viewers to snatch characters from their TV spot and play with them on their phone. By offering direct, even tangible awards for interest and participation, it’s a win-win for brands and fans alike.

Pepsi Max “Field of Dreams” spot

Old Navy + Shazam

Photo courtesy of lostremote

(Source: adage.com)