|
|
Another player is entering the American online ratings arena. Hitwise, which already measures audiences in Australia, the U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand, has decided to enter the U.S. market as well. Nielsen//NetRatings and comScore are the field’s two major players, but Hitwise offers something a bit different. The service provides daily information as opposed to weekly. Hitwise will track the internet usage habits of 10 million surfers across 150 categories. Roughly 13 million others around the world participate in other Hitwise studies. The company gets its data mainly from internet service providers and has clients including Sony, Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble.
Judge rules eBay not liable for broker's comments
Post what you want about brokers or customers on eBay, the online auction giant won’t have to answer for it. A California judge ruled this week that eBay is not legally responsible for negative comments by a seller about a bidder. Attorney Roger Grace had sued the company after bidding on vintage entertainment magazines sold by dealer Tim Neeley. Neeley subsequently posted some unflattering feedback about Grace, which eBay refused to removed despite Grace’s demands. The judge ruled that eBay was not liable under the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which “forbids treating eBay as the publisher of Neeley’s accusation.” Grace compared his case to a newspaper running defamatory information and said he would appeal the ruling.
Gov't begins phasing out paper savings bonds
The government will no longer sell paper savings bonds. Instead, the U.S. will switch to a completely electronic form next year. Though those holding the old paper form can still keep them, the government is encouraging people to convert paper bonds to an internet account. Last year the Treasury began selling EE savings bonds online and reached 19,000 account holders. The reason for the switch is as simple as the reason to buy the bonds in the first place. The government spends roughly $154 million on the paper bonds program, which netted sales of $9.85 million last year. The Treasury did not set up a specific timetable for conversion to electronic bonds. It will wait until polls show that two-thirds of current bold holders are aware of internet bond buying programs, which the Treasury estimates will take six to 12 months.
For cops, Cisco develops internet phone tap
Regular phone taps are so passé. Police work for the new century requires more sophisticated devices. Enter Cisco Systems. The world’s largest networking equipment brand claims to have developed a tap of sorts for internet phone calls. Law enforcement agents have been interested in such a tool for a while, since the internet poses a major roadblock to traditional phone tap operations. No one has purchased the Cisco Lawful Intercept Control service yet, although the company says it is available. The government did not work with Cisco in its development. Call quality of internet phone conversations has improved, and it has become more popular because it is quite cheap compared to traditional phone calls.
Study: Gamers can be old or young, boy or girl
The average video game devotee is just as likely to be a 30-year-old professional as a 15-year-old punk. Perhaps just as surprisingly, males no longer outnumber female players by any great margin. Interactive Digital Software Association reports that the average age of video gamers is an oldish 28. The study also finds that 80 percent of all video games are bought by persons older than 18 years. Though more males than females continue to play games, 40 percent are now women, who favor lifestyle and role-playing games. Informa Media Group reports that video game global sales will hit $31 billion this year. U.S. sales account for about a third of that.
May 7, 2003© 2003 Media Life
Printer-Friendly
Version | Send
to a Friend
Cover Page | Contact
Us