In Response to Matt Panicali's Post...

     As of today, I can finally say that I too have seen Social Networks!  I am astonished at how quickly the site took off, but not incredibly taken aback by its overall success.  Facebook is incredibly popular today, and has been used time and again as a great networking tool.  Not only as an innocent and playfully social networking, but also for business to network.  In my opinion, although Facebook is considered by many to be a "personal space", it's also on the internet which basically makes this target group fair game to marketers.  The advertisements posted on Facebook do not hastle account users, but are just present on the side.  They do not prevent you from seeing a friend's page, or from commenting on a status.  However, if a user is interested in looking through the list to see the different types of stores, products, and services that might interest said user, they are more than welcome to browse.  I think, from a business standpoint, this is a GREAT marketing tool.  Thousands of people use Facebook daily, and you have a chance to reach out to people all over the world through this website that is common ground.

Mobile Marketing?

     When the first telephone was invented, society at the time probably never expected anything like a mobile cell phone to ever be available to consumers.  At the same time, the telephone gave companies an entirely new way of marketing their products, services, and ideas.  Likewise, when the first computer was assembled, no one immediately thought that the laptop would be so popular so soon.  But with the computer and accompanying internet, companies have been able to once again expand their audiences.  Each advancement of technology has not only benefited society overall, but it has also greatly improved and increased the way marketers do their jobs.
     It's no secret that cell phones and other mobile devices have become incredibly popular, especially over the last few years.  So, perhaps it should be no surprise when Google executives estimate that by 2015, about 67% of consumer transactions will be done via some type of mobile equipment. (Martinez)  The population of mobile users is constantly growing, so it only makes sense that companies are working on breaking into this more technologically advanced group of consumers.  But with this new variation of consuming comes a new approach to marketing.
     Should we be concerned, then, with this new possible marketing strategy?  Chances are, whenever you make a purchase from your mobile device, all of your personal information that is usually stored today, will continue to be saved.  With this, companies can gather more information about you as a consumer.  To some, this may sound harmless- producers are learning more about their consumers, which can lead to companies offering more of what their clients want.  However, others may look into this new market strategy as more of an invasion of privacy.  With the internet, spam e-mails were created, companies got a hold of your e-mail and people were bombarded with advertisements, newsletters, and countless other irrelevant things.  So what if they could get a hold of the applications we use on our phones, websites we most often visit, perhaps even places we have been?  Instead of companies being able to view buying patterns based solely on your credit card information, mobile  purchases could quite easily be letting the consumer industry into your personal life.  Are YOU comfortable with Apple, Banana Republic, and Barnes and Noble Bookstore knowing your personal information?  I don't think I am.

http://www.dmnews.com/most-purchases-half-of-transactions-to-be-mobile-by-2015-google/article/195728/