Richter7 Weekly Retro

A quick rundown of some of this week’s highlights…

1. We have all seen Social Media come into play during recent world crises, such as the Chilean earthquake. So it is no surprise that platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Flickr have played a big role in the clean-up of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.  While some people are jamming up phone lines for information, the majority of the public are turning to Social Media for updates.

A local fisherman waits outside of a BP office to apply for a contract to work in the cleaning of the oil leaking from a deepwater horizon drilling platform that continues to spread in the Gulf of Mexico in Venice, Louisiana May 3, 2010.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6455OR20100506?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

2. While on Facebook earlier this week, some of you may have found yourselves viewing personal conversations between friends on your network.  This glitch was due to Facebook making another round of changes to the platforms security settings last Wednesday. Facebook has recently been under fire for the plans of sharing user information with outside web sites and making information public.  Will you continue to use Facebook if your profile isn’t so private?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/technology/internet/06facebook.html?src=busln

3. Every year consumers scour the web looking for the perfect gift, whether it is for Christmas, birthdays or Valentine’s Day. So why should Mother’s Day be any different? From discounts to e-cards, you can find businesses promoting the holiday on Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media platforms.

Some examples include:

•Teleflora. The flower-delivery giant had such a hit with its virtual “talking” flower bouquets at Valentine’s Day that it’s doing a similar promo for Mother’s Day, says Laurie McCartney, marketing chief. Consumers can send pre-recorded e-cards or personalize them. “This is a generation of Facebook moms who like to talk and share,” says McCartney.

•IVillage. The online community is partnering with the upcoming film Babies for a mommy/baby photo contest. Members upload photos of themselves with their babies, and the winner of the contest is voted on by the iVillage community. The winner gets a professional makeover and a photo session. “Families are developing new traditions using social media,” says Catherine Balsam-Schwaber, marketing chief at iVillage.

•Emeritus Senior Living. The assisted-living specialist has a Facebook contest for fans to share stories and photos of their moms. Cash prizes are awarded for the best responses to this question: What makes Mom special?

•SpaFinder. It’s giving out gift certificates via Twitter for those who tweet the best stories about what their mothers did for them.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2010-05-05-momsocialmedia05_ST_N.htm