Marketing Pilgrim Published: “Need To Change Your Google Place Page Information? Buy the Building!” plus 3 more

Need To Change Your Google Place Page Information? Buy the Building!
European Commission Fined By EU Court for Copyright Infringement
Facebook and Google Expand on Social Shopping
Foursquare Hands Out a Holiday Gift: Photos and Comments

Need To Change Your Google Place Page Information? Buy the Building!

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 06:24 AM PST

Google has finalized the purchase of the largest building in Manhattan. We talked about the rumor of this purchase back in October.

At the time we also noticed that despite the apparent importance of the building to Google, their own Place Page for the site had it located in Brooklyn. Yikes!

Well, maybe you just need to buy the building to actually get something that even looks like support from Google as it relates to Place Pages. We are happy to pass along that the new Google Manhattan location is indeed in Manhattan and not Brooklyn. Here's the updated result as of today.

Phew! Is that a relief!

Now, Google, about that support issue ………..

European Commission Fined By EU Court for Copyright Infringement

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 05:57 AM PST

In the past we have looked at how the European Commission does its business and let's just say that we don't always see eye to eye. Well, a recent ruling from an EU court has me taking a step back and asking more than a few questions.

The folks at ZDNet’s Between the Lines blog report

It's kind of ironic that the European Commission, a proponent of the international trade agreement to enforce intellectual property rights, is being slapped with a fine of 12 million euros for infringing on the copyrights of a software company.

A European Union court has ruled against the European Commission, the EU's own executive branch, over a years-long case involving the alteration of a language translation software system created by a French company.

And as if the fine – nearly $15.8 million – isn't enough, the court ruled that the company could bring another complaint against the commission if it fails to protect the company's copyright in the future.

It's ironic for sure and makes me wonder just what the EC is up to as well as what the combination of the EC and EU can do. There's a few different scenarios that ran through my mind when I saw this. But before we get to those, a little more from the ZDNet post to see just what the EC did to warrant this penalty from the mothership.

At issue was a language translation system that was built by Systran specifically for the EC and managed by Systran from 1997-2002. Later, the EC hired a third-party company to alter, revise and update the system without the consent of Systran, arguing that Systran "had not produced 'probative documents' capable of establishing the rights which Systran might claim" and adding that the company had no right to object to the alteration work.

This case has been around for quite some time and broken out the fines are being applied as described below

Broken down, the EU is being fined 7 million Euros in fees that the EC should have paid to Systran between 2004 and 2010 for permission to alter its intellectual property and another 5 million Euros "as compensation for the effect which the Commission's conduct might have had on Systran's turnover in the years 2004 to 2010, and more widely on the development of that company. The court also fined the EC another 1,000 Euros as compensation for non-material damage.

So it looks like the EC's actions may have affected how this company developed. Think about the time and resources used to keep a case like this rolling then not having revenue during these years that should have been paid.

Systran's press release puts it this way

Following ten years of fighting and a court proceeding lasting nearly four years, the General Court of the European Union has recognized SYSTRAN’s intellectual property rights.

The Court has affirmed the SYSTRAN Group’s ownership of SYSTRAN software and declared the infringement of the copyright and know-how held by the SYSTRAN Group by the European Commission, and has ordered the Commission to pay SYSTRAN liquidated damages in the amount of €12,001,000.

For the first time, a European institution has been condemned in such a manner and to such a degree.

So back to just what this says about the EU and the EC. Here are some options to consider.

The EC Goes By “Do As We Say” Doctrine

Apparently, the EC needs a little attention as to its own practices with running roughshod over companies in their own backyard. Is the EC a classic case of "Do as we say and not as we do"? Let’s hope not but that is always a distinct possibility.

The EC and EU Will Take Its Own Medicine

Whether it is intended or not, seeing an action like this where the EU punishes its own watchdog arm for crimes that that arm should be guarding against shows that the EU is willing to punch itself in the face. It shows it takes their rules seriously (not seriously enough to actually follow them but who’s counting). This can have the effect of scaring those who are fighting the EU / EC on any level because you know they are serious or it can also have the opposite effect of emboldening companies that are being monitored by the EC. The companies under the EC microscope now can say that the EC can't even manage its own affairs let alone pass judgments on others'.

The EC Is a Train Wreck and Can't Keep Itself Under Control

I know that in the US when we have people inside the government being revealed as some kind of law breaker or rule bender it almost never makes the people feel that the government is a good watchdog. Most of us just say that the government is inherently corrupt and they only go after their own if there is absolutely no other choice. As a result, many in the American public have a very skewed view of just how competent the government really is since they can't even keep their own shop in order. The EC getting slapped down by its own court system could show that this is just the most egregious act that has been committed and it had to be handled because it was so public. In other words, is it safe to assume that the EC doesn't follow its own rules in other instances? You make that call.

Conspiracy Theorists' Special

The EU court took this final action against the EC just to show the rest of the world that it will do anything, even cutting itself, to carry out its mission. Radical extremists who blow themselves up for their cause or cut themselves in rituals to show their 'faith' use this tactic to strike fear in the hearts of their enemies. If the EU / EC alliance is perceived to be crazy enough to harm itself it may give those they are after pause as to how far they want to push a group. Sometimes acting crazy is enough to keep people away from getting involved.

Of course, all of this is pure speculation but if you are Google, for instance, you are paying close attention to this kind of activity. Google is always in the EC crosshairs (no doubt in part to Microsoft egging the EC on which is just weird but whatever). As a result, any action that is taken by the EC must be closely watched and all possible angles need to be taken into consideration.

So, if you made it this far, what is your take on this action by the EU against itself? Is it poetic justice? Is it irony? Is it deserved? Is it contrived? Is it nothing? Did you just waste precious minutes of your day reading it?

Give us your take, please. We suspect there are more than a few opinions floating around about this.

Facebook and Google Expand on Social Shopping

Posted: 22 Dec 2010 10:59 PM PST

I don’t think of shopping as a social experience, unless it’s a day at the mall with my friends. But when I’m online trying to fill a particular need, I’m not all that interested in sharing my choices with those who follow me on Facebook. Apparently, I’m alone in this because Google and Facebook are both working hard to make shopping a big part of their business.

Back in November, Google bought Boutiques.com. This site groups high-ticket fashion items by celebrity then uses a Likes and Dislikes algorithm to determine which tops, dresses and shoes are good for you. There’s an option to follow each of the celeb boutiques and every item has a share button so you can show those sweet $800.00 shoes to your boss on Facebook to explain why you need a raise.

Now, Facebook is coming back strong with their own ecommerce solutions that will allow users to purchase items without ever leaving the site. According to Business Week, Facebook is actively courting several large brand names in hopes of getting them to set up shop inside their fan pages.

Says Sucharita Mulpuru, an analyst at Forrester Research;

“It’s not natural to go to Facebook to shop—yet. But it’s not a long step.”

Facebook already has a few companies on the line. Delta is already set up to allow you to buy tickets from inside their Facebook page, but JCPenney’s shop and share function goes to an error message so it looks like there are a few bugs in the system.

For smaller companies, Payvment is beta testing a Facebook store app that sets up a storefront in under 15 minutes. They say they’ve timed it and I believe them.

I tested their system as a buyer and it’s very simple to use. I went to the fan page of Game Intern and put a Final Fantasy XIII Fang Play Arts Kai Action Figure in my cart. (Nothing special there.) Then I was prompted with a message that said if I “Liked” the fan page, I’d get a discount. Sure enough, after hitting the like button, I clicked to buy and $2.50 was deducted from the price. Not a huge discount but the fact that I could make it happen that easily was impressive. Of course, the item comes with the usual share buttons so I can show my friends the cool action figure I just bought. Hmm. . . I could get to like this.

Maybe social shopping is a good thing. It certainly makes it easier to rub your friends noses in the fact that you own a $25,000 replica Lost in Space robot and they don’t.

What are your thoughts on social shopping?

Foursquare Hands Out a Holiday Gift: Photos and Comments

Posted: 22 Dec 2010 01:50 PM PST

Foursquare has a gift for all of their users, a shiny new, souped up version of the app that will allow you to add photos and comments.

The ability to add comments turns this app from a trendy toy into something really useful. You can send a comment to a friend confirming your meet at a restaurant or send one to yourself to say, “don’t forget to use that coupon!” You can send comments through the website, Facebook or Twitter so it’s easy to access no matter where you are.

Foursquare has also added the ability to upload a photo and associate it with a checkin spot. Though most people will probably use this feature to show off pictures of their lunch, it could also be used by location owners to show their decor or their signage. The app also allows you to upload photos that are only visible to your friends by putting them in the checkin area and not the Tips or Venue section.

Another, more obsessive feature is access to your history. Now you can look back at the photo of what you had for lunch last month and count the number of times your friend left a comment saying he’s running late. The mystery writer in me sees this as the perfect alibi breaking tool. “Your honor, I’d like to submit the defendant’s Foursquare history into evidence.” Don’t laugh. You know it’s going to happen someday.

Right now the update is only available for the iPhone. Android and other platforms are expected to follow early next year.

Foursquare says they’re also working on ways to track comments and the ability to push photos to Flickr or Facebook. With the addition of these new levels of social media, Foursquare is on their way to turning a novelty act into a sought-after star.

Are you using Foursquare to promote your business? Tell us about it.