Protecting Privacy, Promoting Consumer Rights and Ensuring Corporate Accountability

The Role of Interactive Advertising and Marketing

Perhaps the most powerful - but largely invisible - force shaping our digital media reality is the role of interactive advertising and marketing. Much of our online experience, from websites to search engines to social networks, is being shaped to better serve advertisers. Increasingly, individuals are being electronically "shadowed" online, our actions and behaviors observed, collected, and analyzed so that we can be "micro-targeted." Now a $20 billion a year industry [2007 estimates] in the U.S., with expected dramatic growth to $80 billion or more by 2011, the goal of interactive marketing is to use the awesome power of new media to deeply engage you in what is being sold: whether it's a car, a vacation, a politician or a belief. An explosion of digital technologies, such as behavioral targeting and retargeting, "immersive" rich media, and virtual reality, are being utilized to drive the market goals of the largest brand advertisers and many others.

A major infrastructure has emerged to expand and promote the interests of this sector, including online advertising networks, digital marketing specialists, and trade lobbying groups.

The role which online marketing and advertising plays in shaping our new media world, including at the global level, will help determine what kind of society we will create.
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Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After an Emergency

Generators, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning devices should never be used inside a home, basement, garage, or camper - or even outside near an open window.
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What to Look for When Choosing a Retirement Community

Deciding where to live in retirement is one of the most important decisions people will make. For those considering a move to a retirement community, there are more choices than ever before that cater to a variety of lifestyle and health care needs. These tips can help you make the best possible decision.
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Thigh Creams/Stomach Slimmers

Various products have been promoted in the skin care market as thigh and stomach slimmers. Some advertising claims also promise the reduction of "cellulite", waffly looking or orange-peel type skin caused by fatty deposits. Want to know if they really work?
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Air Should Be Free

TreeHugger ran a post reporting that if every driver slowed down, drove 5% less and kept their tires properly inflated, it would save twice as much gas as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil could provide. Other sites report that proper tire pressure alone could save 4% of our gas consumption. Air should be free, a service provided to customers like water and paper towels for checking oil, to encourage people to keep their tires properly inflated. First they take the electric cars away from us and now this?
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