Mediaboss Marketing

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Social Strategy1, a leading provider of online business intelligence and advocate for social media and small business, announced today the release of Beam Social, a revolutionary social media marketing application designed to help small businesses in America grow online.

The cloud-based small business software application, which is sold on a subscription basis for as little as $29 per month, makes it easier for small businesses to build an effective social media marketing presence with real-time conversations. Beam Social analyzes relevant data captured through online channels (social networks, microblogging, eCommerce, and other websites that share ratings, rankings, and comments) and delivers this information in a unified and meaningful way, enabling small businesses in America to directly engage with buyers real-time, by monitoring buyer behavior. Small business owners are provided with an easy to use platform, along with the engagement tools needed to administer social media marketing campaigns, coupons, sweepstakes, and other apps to help convert leads.

A recent social media study of small businesses [infographic] reveals that even though business owners use it for personal use, they do not know how to apply social media to their business. By giving small businesses access to a very simple, yet powerful analytics and engagement tool, Beam Social expects to see a growing number of SMBs finding success through social media in 2012.

With Beam Social, were looking to tear down the barriers between small businesses and social media, explained Social Strategy1s Chairman and Founder, Mike Lewis. Any small business owner will be able to build and manage an exceptional social media presence, easily and efficiently and ultimately grow their business. The potential is huge.

We really focused on building a simple and intuitive platform for Beam Social, said Alex Avendano, Product Manager and Strategist for Social Strategy1. You only need to know the basics of social media to start using it plus, its quite affordable. That opens doors that were previously shut off from small businesses.

Beam Social customers not only have access to the most powerful small business software currently on the market for social media - they also are able to rely on the knowledge of Social Strategy1s marketing experts to perfect their social media strategy.

Social Strategy1 unveiled Beam Social to a select group of OfficeArrow members in a webinartitled Cash in on Social Media led by Alex Avendano and joined by industry authority Steve Ennen, President and Chief Intelligence Officer of Social Strategy1. For additional information about Beam Social including pricing and features, visit http://bit.ly/beamsocial.

Beam Social is a service of Social Strategy1; a social media strategy and business -intelligence Company. The Company translates real-time social media activity into a framework for improving the fundamental areas of business (Operations, Human Resources, Customer Service, Distribution, Finance, Legal). Social Strategy1 was developed in collaboration with The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where students and academics used the platform to focus on the more meaningful metrics and proofs of performance in a total media strategy. For more information, visit http://www.socialstrategy1.com or follow @sstrategy1 on Twitter.

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New Social Media Marketing Toolkit Helps Small Business in America Make Sense of Social Media   

In celebration of World Day Against Cyber Censorship, activist group Reporters Without Borders named its new list of nations who have been deemed enemies of the Internet for their proclivity toward censoring the Web. Whether to quash popular uprisings, or stop online dissent during an election, more and more countries are turning to shutting down mobile phone networks or filtering content, according to the new report.

Reporters Without Borders' report features many reasons why a nation might be on the list. When countries tend toward removing content and pressuring technical service providers, they run the risk of making the list. Other reasons include, threatening net neutrality and online free speech, intrusive surveillance, using propaganda or even committing cyber attacks like DDoSing Web sites. Belarus, once under Soviet Union rule, and Bahrain both made the list after formerly being designated under surveillance by RWB. Venezuela and Libya, conversely, have been dropped from the list completely. The ten other countries to make the list have done so by continuing to restrict access to the Internet, tracking dissidents and pressuring companies to aid and abet government abuse. Start the slideshow to see the entire list.

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Who are the Enemies of the Internet? Reporters Without Borders Names 12 Censorship Ridden Nations

There are some surprising names on the 'Enemies of the Internet' list, such as Australia and France. Perhaps even more surprising are some of the countries that have been dropped from the list, including Venezuela and Libya. Next year could see Burma removed as well. "The news has thus been encouraging, but it can turn on a dime," noted Sheldon Himelfrab of the United States Institute of Peace.

While developments such as the Arab Spring show the power of the Internet, there remain news blackouts, harassment of bloggers, and even attempts to shut down social media in several nations. This is one of the key findings of Reporters Without Borders, which released its annual "Enemies of the Internet" report on Monday, listing countries that curtail access to the Web and freedom of expression.

The updated list was released in conjunction with World Day Against Cyber-Censorship.

"The enemies list contains nations that fall into categories of combining drastic content filtering, track cyberdissidents, or those who present themselves on social media, blogs or Facebook," Delphine Halgand, D.C. Director at Reporters Without Borders, told TechNewsWorld.

The category of "enemies" also considers those nations that "use the Internet as a tool of propaganda," she added.

This year's list saw the addition of Bahrain and Belarus for their restrictive control of the Web. They join Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. "Supervised" countries include Australia, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, France, Sri Lanka, Eritrea and South Korea.

Nations in the "supervised" or "under surveillance" category have been called out for less objectionable -- but still restrictive -- practices. Australia, for example, was included because of its content-filtering plans, and France made the list due to its antipiracy laws.

Other countries were names for more repressive measures -- such as Russia, which has used cyberattacks to thwart political debate; Malaysia, known to harass bloggers; and Turkey, which blocks thousands of websites.

Thailand could join next year's Enemies of the Internet list as it has sent bloggers to prison and has undertaken content-filtering efforts.

Bahrain found itself on the list for similar reasons.

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Journalists Battle Web Censorship With Internet 'Enemies' List

Sri Lanka has imposed censorship on security-related mobile phone messages despite the withdrawal last year of tough emergency laws following the end of its separatist war with Tamil rebels. The defence ministrys Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) in a directive to media organisations said they must get prior approval to publish SMS news alerts related to national security and security forces. The censorship, which was announced in a directive dated Friday but seen by AFP yesterday, appeared to be limited to SMS news alerts issued via mobile phones. The directive came after reports of the killing on Friday of three soldiers in the islands north raised fears that the Tamil Tiger rebels, crushed in May 2009, were re-gathering to resume attacks. However, tensions eased after the army announced that the killings were carried out by a soldier who later turned the gun on himself and no rebel activity was suspected. Any news related to national security and security forces (and) the police should get prior approval from the MCNS before dissemination, MCNS Director General Lakshman Hulugalle said in his directive. The government imposed censorship during the height of fighting between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels using emergency laws that were relaxed last August following intense international pressure. It was not immediately clear what legal provisions were being used to censor SMS alerts. The censorship directive came into immediate effect and applied to over a dozen news services. Sri Lankas five-player mobile industry has over 18mn subscribers. Almost all major media outlets have their own SMS alerts to complement their mainstream radio, television and newspapers. The directive came at a time when Sri Lanka is facing censure at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva over its handling of the war against Tamil Tigers as well as its treatment of the independent media. Some 17 journalists and media employees have been killed in Sri Lanka in the past decade, pro-opposition websites have been blocked and media organisations opposing government views have been attacked, according to rights groups. AFP

Navy denies attack The Sri Lanka Navy has denied attacking Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, saying it was worried over such malicious allegations. The navy said in a statement that a thorough inquiry found that no such attack took place March 9. Reports alleging an attack in the Indian media were based on inaccurate, hearsay reports without any evidence or credible proof, it said. There is a deep concern that such malicious allegations against the Sri Lanka Navy are disguised attempts to harm the friendship, co-operation and the excellent understanding between India and Sri Lanka. There is excellent co-operation between the navies of Sri Lanka and India, it added. It said the Sri Lanka Navy had come to the rescue of Indian fishermen in distress on humanitarian grounds on many occasions.

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Lanka slaps censorship on mobile phones

Sri Lanka has imposed censorship on security-related mobile phone messages despite the withdrawal last year of tough emergency laws following the end of its separatist war with Tamil rebels.

The defence ministry's Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) in a directive to media organisations said they must get prior approval to publish SMS news alerts "related to national security and security forces".

The censorship, which was announced in a directive dated Friday but seen by AFP on Monday, appeared to be limited to SMS news alerts issued via mobile phones.

The directive came after reports of the killing Friday of three soldiers in the island's north raised fears that the Tamil Tiger rebels, crushed in May 2009, were regathering to resume attacks.

However, tensions eased after the army announced that the killings were carried out by a soldier who later turned the gun on himself and no rebel activity was suspected.

"Any news related to national security and security forces [and] the police should get prior approval from the MCNS before dissemination," MCNS director general Lakshman Hulugalle said in his directive.

Censorship The government imposed censorship during the height of fighting between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels using emergency laws that were relaxed last August following intense international pressure.

It was not immediately clear what legal provisions were being used to censor SMS alerts.

The censorship directive came into immediate effect and applied to over a dozen news services. Sri Lanka's five-player mobile industry has over 18-million subscribers.

Almost all major media outlets have their own SMS alerts to complement their mainstream radio, television and newspapers.

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Sri Lanka slaps censorship on cell phones