Comments on: MySpace blurs line between friends and flacks

special feature If Life's "Mikey" cereal boy were around today, he'd probably have a "buzz marketing" faux profile.

[afhernandez]

If it is not regulated...

it's just going to ruin another great resource that the Internet has created. It will end up being marketers speaking with marketers because the users got tired of being sold to.

Since the beginning of the Internet, marketing has ruined online tools. Email turned into spam, online forums turned into another place for spam...and now social networks will be the next place where the greasy meat in a can (spam) will hit.

[biis solutions]

It will be regulated

These social networks are making way too much money for these issues not to be regulated. The media companies that own these websites will come up with a way to limit these marketing profiles, so that the users will socialize with real people.

[tipper_gore]

intelligent item

This is an intelligent thoughful and well written item. I wish there was more stuff like this on tech journal websites.

[OMA12]

Kids Deserve Better

There is little doubt that advertising and marketing need to continue to strive for innovative ways to promote products and services. But, being innovative can be harmfull and is dangerous without the appplication of responsible behavior. Advertising and marketing need to practice self control and utilize their ever growing power to reach audiences of all ages to promote products and services safely, without trickery.

John Brock
Pay Per Click Analyst
ppca.com

[Fireweaver]

Capitalism = advertising

I see the difference in social enginerring here, but I guess I don't understand the "shock value" of this news item. Why is myspace more important than the rest of the world suddenly?

Advertising is EVERYWHERE! Advertising's job is to be in your face and stuck in your head. It will be your best friend if you let it. Expect advertisers to use all their tools available.

Has anyone been on myspace lately? It's not like I'm getting spammed with friends requests from Absolut Vodka and Marlboro.

You'd >think< that people would be more concerned with the pornographic web cams sites that spam to be people's friends at random. I see up to 5 a week of that garbage.
But since they're not trying to make my kids friends with a corporate brand they're okay.

If we going to crusade about something let's at least target the really bad stuff first.

[isdnelson]

The difference is...

...I've never seen a kid's face light up around any advertising medium the way it does when they see a "New Friends Request" on MySpace. They get truly emotionally involved and therefore has a much more powerful influence on our youth than even a TV commercial.

I completely agree with you regarding the other issues present on MySpace today. Those are serious problems for parents right now. The webcam spam I receive is my least favorite part of my interactions on MySpace, for example. While it is an annoyance for me, it could mean something must worse for a child. As a consumer, I actually enjoy the option to promote things with my Friend's List, but it's a much different story with a child.

I think the key to all this is good parenting and up-to-date education in schools. Look how informed we (80's kids) were by age 10 compared to our parents? If we take responsibility to teach our children, things will be just fine. It's letting potential pitfalls catch them (and us) off guard that is the real danger.

[BillTangre]

Kids and Good Marketing

Parents can't control who their kids are friends with, but MySpace
should be aware of what is diluting their product. It has becoming a
sugary cereal itself. All too often with children, marketers and the
companies they represent, think they're fooling kids. Not enough
mental energy is used to really drill down on what makes kids
happy when using a product. Brands need to come up with a sense
of what is right and approach kids marketers that can do the job with
intelligence.