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Google Can & Will Shut Off Your Account Without Warning

posted on August 6, 2008

If you’re an avid Google user, you may wish to read this post sitting down. Chris Brogan documents the sorry tale of Nick Saber’s complete and utter denial by Google. After returning from lunch, Saber was unable to access his Gmail, Google Talk, Google Docs, or Picasa–and he was a paying Google customer!

When he tried to log in, he saw this message:

Sorry, your account has been disabled. [?]

When he contacted Google he received this reply:

Thank you for your report. We’ve completed our investigation. Because our
investigation was inconclusive, we are unable to return your account at
this time. At Google we take the privacy and security of our users very
seriously. For this reason, we’re unable to reveal any further information
about this account.

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Pilgrim’s Picks for August 5 – Last Chance Edition

posted on August 5, 2008

Today is you last chance to register for my Online Reputation Management Workshop taking place this Thursday.

I hope you can join me, but if not, I hope you’ll enjoy today’s Picks.

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Warning: Hackers Using Sexy Girls to Infect Twitter Users

posted on August 5, 2008

Some people get on my case because I don’t follow everyone on Twitter, who follows me. Well, for one thing, I’d never keep up with 3000+ Tweeple, but I also live by my mantra of building meaningful relationships with social media–I don’t care about any popularity contest.

Well, there’s another reason why you–and I–should think twice before we add a friend to Twitter. Viruslist is reporting how easy it easy for hackers to trick Twitter users into downloading Trojan software.

In this case, a sexy girl, an enticing link, and voila!

If you click on the link, you get a window that shows the progress of an automatic download of a so-called new version of Adobe Flash which is supposedly required to watch the video. You end up with a file labeled Adobe Flash (it’s a fake) on your machine; a technique that is currently very popular.

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4 Comments

Friendster Focusing on Asia, Gets $20M, ex-Googler as CEO

posted on August 5, 2008

You may not remember Friendster. It was the leading social network, back when people didn’t really use social networks. It made a few mistakes and let MySpace, Facebook, and just about everyone else, steal its lunch money.

Well, while dead to US audiences, Friendster has maintained strong growth among Asian countries. The last time I read about Friendster, investors weren’t too interested in a failed start-up that was targeting a non-US audience. Well, something must have changed.

Not only has Friendster announced $20 million in new funding, but its also getting a new CEO, Richard Kimber, the regional managing director of South Asia for Google. He’s quite excited (as he should be):

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Next Stop for Newspapers……Total Humiliation!

posted on August 5, 2008

As internet marketers we have a great opportunity to gloat over the new depths that the newspaper industry has fallen to. Advertising revenue is continuing a steady decline, there are massive layoffs at many of the major newspapers and now many are on the selling block. Only thing is there is a bit of a problem….no one is buying.

According to an article in the New York Times it appears that newspapers are about as desirable a buy as Expeditions and Tahoes. While people aren’t buying huge vehicles anymore because of their fossil fuel consumption there also appears to be no one shelling out for the marketing’s equivalent to fossils: newspapers.

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12 Comments

Dossier Uses Google Technology to Invade Privacy of Google Exec

posted on August 4, 2008

According to Computerworld, the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) is turning the tables on Google–demonstrating how you can easily use Google services to invade the privacy of a top Google executive.

The dossier includes a photo of what appears to be the front gate and car park area of the exec’s opulent California manor, including the license plates of several luxury cars outside the home, the executive’s landscaping company car, and a photo showing the name of the neighbour’s home security company.

The executive is not named by the NLPC, but it’s rumored to be Larry Page.

Here’s an example of what’s included in the report:

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Start August with a New Internet Marketing Job!

posted on August 4, 2008

While the boss is away sunning himself on a beach, now’s the perfect time to polish-up your resume and look for greener pastures. Here’s just a small selection of the great jobs listed on the Marketing Pilgrim Job Board.

If you have a job opening, you can reach some of the most talented marketers around for just $57!