Andy Sternberg's posterous

Andy Sternberg's posterous

Andy Sternberg  //  http://andysternberg.com

 
Jan 12 / 11:11am

Real Time Charitable Giving Since Haiti Earthquake (via @PewInternet)

Real Time Charitable Giving

via Pew Internet & American Life Project

 

Technology is increasingly relevant to Americans’ monetary contributions to the causes and organizations they support. Previous research from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project has found that one in five US adults (20%) have made a charitable contribution online, and that one in ten (9%) have made a charitable contribution using the text messaging feature on their mobile phone. Mobile giving played an especially prominent role during the aftermath of the January 2010 Haiti earthquake, as individual donors contributed an estimated $43 million to the assistance and reconstruction efforts using the text messaging feature on their cell phones.

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Sep 6 / 2:49pm

28% of U.S. adults use mobile and social location-based services (via @PewInternet)

A report released by Pew Research today indicates that 55% of smartphone owners use their phones to get location-based directions or recommendations, while geosocial services and location-tagging features are less popular.

More than a quarter (28%) of all American adults use mobile or social location-based services of some kind. This includes anyone who takes part in one or more of the following activities:

  • 28% of cell owners use phones to get directions or recommendations based on their current location—that works out to 23% of all adults.
  • A much smaller number (5% of cell owners, equaling 4% of all adults) use their phones to check in to locations using geosocial services such as Foursquare or Gowalla. Smartphone owners are especially likely to use these services on their phones.
  • 9% of internet users set up social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn so that their location is automatically included in their posts on those services. That works out to 7% of all adults.

 

Read the full report at: pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Location.aspx.

 

 
Aug 25 / 8:54am

5 Myths About AT&T's T-Mobile Takeover

via freepress.net/att-tmobile

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has opened a proceeding on the mega-merger and AT&T is everywhere, buying up support and spreading misinformation in any way it can. Click here to tell the CPUC what you think.

Five Myths About AT&T's Takeover of T-Mobile

 
Jul 22 / 2:16pm

CREW Asks Congress to Investigate Murdoch's FCC Licenses

Washington, D.C. – Today Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sent a letter to the House and Senate Commerce Committees asking for hearings into whether James and Rupert Murdoch meet the character standards set out by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to retain their 27 Fox broadcast licenses.  Under the law, broadcast frequencies may be used only by people of good “character,” who will serve “the public interest,” and speak with “candor.” Significant character deficiencies may warrant disqualification from holding a license. Click here to read CREW’s letter.

CREW Asks Congress to Investigate Murdoch's FCC Licenses

CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan stated, “Given all the underhanded, devious and illegal activities of News. Corp, combined with James Murdoch’s failure to be candid when he testified before a parliamentary committee, it seems evident the Murdochs don’t meet the FCC’s character standard.”

Yesterday, former News of the World editor Colin Myles and legal manager Tom Crone said that when testifying before parliament on Tuesday, James Murdoch inaccurately denied seeing the so-called “for Neville” email before settling the lawsuit of Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association in 2008.  The email apparently contains information indicating more than one rogue reporter was involved in the hacking, meaning Mr. Murdoch was aware over two years ago that the hacking was much more significant than the company ever admitted before the scandal exploded earlier this month.

In addition, on Wednesday, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) sent a letter to the attorney general and the FBI director noting that another News Corp. subsidiary, News America had been involved in computer hacking in 2004.

“News Corp. has a pattern of outrageous and illegal conduct, including bribery, wire fraud, computer and phone hacking. Add to that James Murdoch’s lack of candor in confronting the scandal and addressing the parliamentary committee, and it is hard to see how the Murdochs meet the FCC’s character standard,” said Ms. Sloan.  “Congress should hold hearings on this issue and forward its findings to the FCC for further action against News Corp.  Holding U.S. broadcast licenses is a privilege, not a right.  The Murdochs – through a pattern of misconduct and deception – may have lost that right.”

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via CREW.