Is it ethical to steal a WiFi connection? Let’s begin by first defining what WiFi means. According to the WiFi Alliance, WiFi refers to:

A term developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to describe wireless local area network (WLAN) products that are based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 802.11 standards.

And according to Wikipedia, the main aims of WiFi are:

• make access to information easier
• ensure compatibility and co-existence of devices
• eliminate cabling and wiring
• eliminate switches, adapters, plugs, pins and connectors.

But I always thought that WiFi was a free service? Earlier this year, Ars Technica featured a post that talked about the ethics behind using WiFi connections illegally. Some might remember the incident in May of 2007 when a Michigan man was arrested for “piggybacking” or using someone’s WiFi connection without their permission. According to the news story, customers would regularly go into a local coffee shop that had WiFi and check their email, etc. while they enjoyed their favorite coffee beverage. The article goes on:

Sam Peterson II did the same thing. “I knew that the Union Street had WiFi,” he told 24 Hour News 8. “I just went down and checked my e-mail and didn’t see a problem with that.”

The only difference is is that he would drive up to the parking lot of the coffee shop on a daily basis and surf the net from his car. A police officer figured out what he was doing, and the gentleman ended up having to pay a $400 fine in addition to completing 40 hours of community service. Seems a little harsh for someone who didn’t appear to be doing anything other than what the other patrons were doing: surfing the Internet and checking email.

So, now comes the question, “Is it really a crime to ’steal’ a WiFi connection?” What’s the difference if you go into a coffee shop that has a WiFi connection versus parking in the parking lot? If I parked in the parking lot of the library and used their free wireless Internet connection, would I be placing myself at risk for being arrested as well?

For more information about Internet Marketing, contact Create Business Growth today!

Tags: Marketing, Social Media, Social Media News, Social Networking by Janelle - 1 Comment »

If you are a business in the 919 area code, you may wonder where on-line to network. Of course linkedin.com is worth having a profile on, but I want to talk about a new one– http://www.inside919.com/ (they also have ones for all US area codes — http://www.insideareacodes.com/ — but you need to really work or live in the title-designated area code ).

It is free to join, allows you to form local discussion groups like “Triangle Business Blogger” or “Podcasting.” It lets you list calendar events, have a blog so you can contribute useful articles, have a profile stating your business and it offers an RSS feed so you can keep up with it in your Blog Reader. By requiring you to live or work in the 919 area code and asking that people make at least one contribution a month, it keeps it smaller then the big guys offering a local connection. It was started by Pat Howlett who moved from a small town to the RTP NC area and wanted to create a small town business networking feel on-line.

My networking advice for using Inside919 is to take a little time to join it, fill out the basic profile, maybe join a few groups that are of interest and connect to some people you know. Next just check in once a week or even once a month based on your time demands and the importance of a web presence. When you check in, look for ways to help others or contribute to a conversation that is occurring in a Forum or group. If you use a blog reader then add the RSS feed to that so you can keep track of it.

I do recommend a picture and if you don’t have one you like, pay a photographer for one good one. The good photographers can offer Photoshop touch ups if that makes you more comfortable. You can find one in InSide919.com as well.

Next share the site with good local businesses you know to help them connect to others.

I like this group since Pat is a local person who truly wants to help the local business professionals and make it easy to participate. To me this can be one of the important pieces of your on-line presence and marketing plan.

Pat Howlett also is creating groups for other area codes and here is a website to find all the groups: http://www.insideareacodes.com/

If you join http://www.inside919.com/ , look me up and say hello!

By Martin Brossman - www.coachingsupport.com - Martin@CoachingSupport.com (919) 847-4757 - Podcast: www.InquireOnline.info

Tags: Business Building, Business Networking, Internet Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Social Media News, Social Networking, Using Technology by Martin Brossman - No Comments »

If you’re reading this blog, it’s probably because you have some level of interest in Internet marketing because you’re curious about how you can get your business to grow by using resources found on the Internet. Either that, or you’ve accidentally landed here for whatever the reason. However, for many of us who use the Internet on a regular basis, especially those who are most interested in social media, we know how valuable the Internet can be in terms of making connections with other people. James Karl Buck knows how valuable making connections is. You may have heard of him by now; he was the graduate student from the University of California at Berkeley who used the popular social networking site, Twitter, to tell people back in America that he had been arrested in Egypt.

The Value of Social Media

Buck’s story is an extraordinary example of the both powerful and significant role that social media plays in the lives of many people around the world. Do you think that had Buck not had some sort of relationship with the people following him on Twitter.com that he would have been released from jail as quickly as he was? Obviously, whatever work he had been doing to build somewhat meaningful relationships using this social media site was working-enough that it drew cause for concern from total strangers! Sure, social media sites such as Twitter can help you boost traffic to your web site and maybe increase business; but at the heart of it all, it’s about building lasting relationships. If you’ve got a social media-related story, we’d love to hear it; share it here!

For more information about Internet marketing, contact Create Business Growth today!

Tags: Social Media News by Janelle - 1 Comment »