Facebook - too far?

So the world is obsessed with Social Networking websites, this I understand. What a great way to keep in contact with people blah blah blah. I can say that as I am a Facebook snob and will not accept just anyone who friend-requests me (always amazes me how you ignore a request and then they request again - get the hint people!)

At any rate, I do worry that people are replacing their lives with this site. Today Stuff had this article about lawyers in Canberra serving legal papers on defendants Facebook pages. Say what? How is this not a breach of some privacy law? Hmm, what could possibly be more humiliating that being served papers... I know, being served them on my Facebook page where everyone that I know can see them. What?

In addition to this, I was invited to a wedding via Facebook event invitation recently. This one seemed really odd to me, and has given me a very blasé attitude to the wedding in general. I kinda take my RSVP to the wedding as seriously as I would take my RSVP to party. I said yes, but will still decide on the night. I know that is bad, but if I had received a real invitation my attitude would be much different. Not that this is the invite, but its not far off:


I understand that we are all relying on the net and social marketing to make up for our own laziness but I do feel like some things should be left to the real world.

Ah, Fastline

What a wealth of knowledge this little publication is. I know, it is quite a rag sometimes and is pure gossip, but sometimes the gems that come out, just fantastic.

I find it curious that Fastline make the announcement that Kevin Bowler (Y!X) has been elected chairman of the IAB, Liz Fraser (MSN) as vice-chairman and Spencer Bailey (APN) as treasurer. Good on them all, I have no complaints (for a change).

I do however had 2 questions on this.
1. Why am I reading about this in Fastline and not a release from the IAB?
2. Where is Fairfax?

Further to question 2, where is Fairfax? Their digital team seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Don't come to Thirsty Thursday (except for the lovely Ros, but she isn't the interactive 'person') or the IAB Christmas party. They seem to be MIA at the moment, its a little disappointing considering the effort all the other publishers are going to at the moment.

Ideas/thoughts

Shall be very interested as to whether I get any credit for this idea, or if the person I told about it takes the glory, cos, dammit, its a good one.

After talking with Mark at the IAB xmas party I realised that the IAB seriously needs something that will make a lot more people in the industry stand up and go, hell yes, don't know what I'd do without them. With the likes of CAANZ coming up with this interactive industry body... something (I don't know, we're not a member of CAANZ because of their stance of advertising fast foods to children, anyway) the IAB needs to put itself in a position where it is indispensable. CAANZ has the numbers behind it when it comes to agencies and if they could initiate something that was useful, they could make the IAB redundant.

Rambling. So, the other day, when trying to make sure that I had all of the most up to date ratecards for some publishers (and not being able to find half of them because they are not on websites in an obvious place) I thought, you know what would be handy, if the IAB put aside a page where publishers could upload their ratecards. Then us agency folk could go to one place rather than 10 odd sites for just the main NZ publishers. More to the point, this would benefit both publishers and media planners. Sometimes you forget about the other publishers out there who perhaps don't have the huge traffic numbers, but could be environmentally a good placement. Nothing like a reminder.

There you go, if it comes to fruition, it was my idea first.