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Cashing Out: Week of August 24-30th, 2008 in Online Marketing News
Welcome to the first installment of Cashing Out, ReveNews’ weekly compilation of news and announcements that we feel will impact your business, your pocket book, and as sometimes is the case in this industry, your sanity.
Democracy gets Squirrelly
Kevin Cogill, known as Skwerl felt that ten years was far too long to wait for a Guns N’Roses album. So he posted nine songs from Chinese Democracy, the long awaited sixth album, on the blog Antiquiet in June. Not long after the posting Cogill was questioned by the FBI and was subsequently arrested for violating federal copyright laws. Bail was set at $10k with a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 17th.
Ebay Takes a Bite
The practice of cookie stuffing can be an easy way to cheat the system. Essentially a fraudulent publisher utilizes software programs to redirect a computer to an advertiser’s site, often without the end user knowing the action is taking place. Stuff enough cookies on end users computers and eventually cheaters end up getting paid for referrals they never really sent to the advertiser. On Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Ebay sued Shawn Hogan of Digital Point Solutions, Todd Dunning of Kessler’s Flying Circus, and Brian Dunning of Thunderwood Holdings claiming they had committed fraud. What is notable is that Ebay filed the suit under RICO which could lead up to $25,000 in fines and/or up to 20 years in prison. To read a pdf of the court documents go here.
Comcast puts up Size Limit
Comcast Corp, the largest cable operator in the US, announced it had a 250 gigabyte cap per customer account for residential customers. Although it has been reported since last year that Comcast had been enforcing unspecified limitations this is the first time the limit was defined publicly. Customers who surpass the usage limit more than twice in a six-month time frame face possible service termination. This could be in response to the Federal Communications Commission order (pdf) that Comcast not block or interfere with peer-to-peer applications like BitTorrent.
National Federation of the Blind Hits Bulls Eye
After two years of litigation Target has settled the dispute regarding the lack of access to Target.com for blind internet users. The National Federation of the Blind had filed suit that Target’s failure to make the website accessible was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The settlement reached on August 27th established a $6 million dollar fund from which litigants from the California based lawsuit can make claims. In addition Target agreed to a three year program which would allow the Federation to perform testing of Target.com to insure accessibility for the blind.
Affiliate Summit Wants You to Speak in Vegas
Affiliate Summit is taking speaker proposals for Affiliate Summit West 2009 in Las Vegas. If you have a great idea for a session submit your speaker proposal here. The deadline for proposals is September 12th.
If you have news tips or events you want us to highlight on Cashing Out, please submit them to angel@revenews.com.
Not sure about this cookie stuffing thing
I don’t know any serious marketer with as big a business as Shawns compromise it for a few thousand dollars
It was a few million from what I’ve read.
good new section for Revenews.thanks.
Niche,
If cookie stuffer is going to cheat, they usually don’t cheat just one merchant. The tactic is indicative of their overall strategy. Let’s say it was only a few thousand from Ebay. Combine that with every merchant that affiliate worked with. It quickly ads up to a lot of money.
If Mr. Hogan is guilty it is indeed too bad he would risk his entire business on such a tactic.