Changes in political communications have created a new foundation of social media in democracy. It is the foundation upon which the importance of bloggers has been built and the speed with which news, be it based on rumor or truth, can spread through the electorate. Former political operative Albert Maruggi examines the role of social media in today's presidential campaigns. (continue reading)

In a webcast press conference this week, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced the replacement for its current system of data storage and report filing. The new system, called IDEA, brings the SEC into the future of online, interactive data management. And that's not all they have planned for online interaction--Jen Zingsheim and Sarah Wurrey report on the webcast, and the possible future of transparency in government and business. (continue reading)

Monday could mark a dark day in the on-line experience for mainstreamers. For that is the day that Zscaler, mega-preneur Jay Chaudhry's latest foray, launches. The service provides in-the-cloud web filtering of web traffic. That would be the cloud that New York Times' Brad Stone calls, "that all-knowing, pervasive, sometimes unreliable cluster of computers in the digital ether." (continue reading)

Welcome to Media Bullseye's weekly Radio Roundtable discussion. Our special guest this week joining me and CustomScoop VP Jennifer Zingsheim is Bill Sledzik. Bill is a professor of public relations at Kent State university, and a blogger at the popular PR blog Tough Sledding. We inevitably cover the Andrew Cohen ruckus, revisit the ethical concerns regarding Hunter College's recent flog dustup, and wonder whether social media isn't turning us all into annoying whiners. (continue reading)

A huge percentage of the blogs in my feed reader were buzzing about the story of Gina Trapani of Lifehacker choosing to publish a wiki of PR pros who have sent bad pitches to her personal email address. So, today's jots are dedicated to some of the reactions to this latest bloggers vs. flacks kerfuffle. (continue reading)

Finding success in social media often involves a confusing or intangible array of attributes, as well as (sometimes) plenty of luck--but Larissa Fair reminds us of one of the most important ways to get what you need from this space: be yourself. Also: Twitter for Disney enthusiasts and the work-life balance. (continue reading)

Tomorrow's presidents and congressional leaders are today's governors and state legislators. What is going on at the state level towards embracing new media venues, increasing governmental transparency and encouraging constituent advocacy? (continue reading)

Online shoe retailer Zappos and CEO Tony Hsieh have developed a dedicated following online, particularly on popular microblogging platform Twitter. Soren Jacobsen delves into the company's culture, ideas on transparency, and customer service to discover how they became an online force to be reckoned with. (continue reading)

Is there no such thing as a "bad" viral? As long as people are talking about your video and your brand, should you not concern yourself if the talk is somewhat negative? Nike doesn't think so, following its new Kobe Bryant YouTube offering. Also: Panic in the Twitterverse, and social Earth Day. (continue reading)

Comcast made some major waves this week, responding to a customer service complaint in record time. Even more notable? The complaint originated on Twitter. The cable giant is actively scanning Twitter and other social media communities for customer service issues--why isn't everyone? (continue reading)

As Cisco made news with its blogging policy for employees recently, Gerald Baron points out that the litigious nature of American culture may lead to employers keeping blogging workers on a tighter leash. Also: A a virtual book tour, and tips for young PR professionals. (continue reading)

Facebook recently upgraded its security features with much fanfare and some excellent reviews from bloggers. Naturally, they almost immediately experienced a security glitch caused by a hacker. But anyone who thinks that what they put online is 100% secure may be a bit naive, at least according to Sarah Wurrey. (continue reading)

A flaw in Facebook's image sharing feature briefly exposed private user photos and created tremors in the blogosphere. The flaw was reportedly discovered by a Canadian technician who was not convinced by last week's announcement that Facebook had significantly increased the power of its privacy tools. (continue reading)

Trust communities have evolved into consumer-generated media, which is now what many believe to be the backbone of the Internet. You Tube, Facebook, MySpace and 130 million blogs have demonstrated that as communicators, aren't really in charge any more. And yet, governments are still attempting to control the message. (continue reading)

It's a girls-only week on the Radio Roundtable this week, and luckily we were able to convince two of the Web's smartest ladies, Laura Fitton and Anna Farmery, to join me on the show to discuss SXSW, Spitzer and Bebo. Listen here! (continue reading)

Miss out on the Social Media Club Boston event this week to learn about SEO? Interested in discussing South by Southwest some more? Check out today's Pod Jots, which covers these topics and more. (continue reading)

Will the audience be in control at future social media events? Jeremiah Owyang discusses the dominance of the crowds at SXSW. Also: how far should products take transparency, and is it possible to take advantage of it? And how can you use social media tools to spread the word about your blog? (continue reading)

In teaching a Georgetown class called "The Intersection of Online and Offline Public Relations," Mark Story stresses that online public relations efforts must be rooted in the basics of offline public relations. Here, he offers a few of his guiding principles that he passes down to tomorrow's communications professionals. (continue reading)

It seems as though a disconnect has begun to form. Is the Internet "anonymous" or not? Conventional wisdom dictates that nothing we do online is truly anonymous, that everything leaves a trail. But the computer screen does offer some protection for online bullies and trolls. Should they be required to reveal themselves? (continue reading)

Legislation recently submitted by state Rep. Tim Couch would require people writing on any online forum to include their full name with their comments. The bill would also require that anyone commenting on a particular website register their email and physical address with that site. (continue reading)

We welcome another new addition to the Pod Jots lineup this week, as Sarah Wurrey dives into the Diva Marketing Talks podcast from Toby Bloomberg. Also featured are our usual rundown of the best of the PR and marketing podosphere for the week. (continue reading)

In today's Jots: debate continues regarding whether bloggers ought to be held to the same journalistic standards as mainstream reporters. Also: advice on ROI measurment, news from PodCamp Toronto, and controlling the conversation. (continue reading)

In today's jots: everyone knows that Valentine's Day has become more of a marketing holiday than a romantic one, but I relish in any opportunity to point that out once again. Also: companies that need to step up their social media game, and the definition of transparency. (continue reading)

To read the coverage of last week's MacWorld, one might get the impression that only two things happened: 1) Steve Jobs gave a speech and 2) Apple released a really skinny laptop. No, they can't release the iPod every year. But don't be fooled, the marketing coup that is at the heart of Apple's success rages on. How does it work? (continue reading)

Sarah Wurrey asks her Twitter community to pick the links for today's Blog Jots, and they respond in kind! Inside: Super-duper fast Internet, government blogging, a new metrics system, and some tips for social media success in 2008. (continue reading)