India's internet subscribers cross 100 crore by June rising 3.48 pc quarterly (2025-09-16T11:11:00+05:30)

IANS Photo New Delhi, 16-09-2025, (IANS): India's internet subscribers surpassed 1 billion, reaching 1,002.85 million by June 30, 2025, surging 3.48 per cent from March, driven by broadband growth, government data said. According to a report from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), of these over 100 crore subscribers, 4.47 crore had wired internet connections, while 95.81 crore have wireless connections. Broadband subscribers increased by 3.77 per cent to 979.71 million, while narrowband users decreased to 23.14 million. Total telephone subscribers reached 1,218.36 million in the March-June 2025 quarter, marking a 1.46 per cent increase from the previous quarter. This raised the overall tele-density to 86.09 per cent, up from 85.04 per cent the previous quarter, an official release said. In terms of demographics, urban internet subscribers number around 57.94 crore, while rural internet subscribers are not far behind at 42.33 crore, it added. The data indicated that the monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for wireless services is Rs 186.62, while the average Minutes of Usage (MOU) per wireless subscriber each month is 16.76 hours. The telecom sector's gross revenue reached Rs. 96,646 crore, a 1.63 per cent decline from the previous quarter but a 12.34 per cent increase year-on-year. Adjusted gross revenue was Rs. 81,325 crore, up 2.65 per cent from the last quarter. Access services accounted for 83.62 per cent of adjusted gross revenue. The licence fees rose by 2.63 per cent to Rs 6,506 crore and pass-through charges dropped 19.45 per cent to Rs 10,457 crore, the release further said. Around 912 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for uplinking or downlinking or both.Out of 902 permitted satellite TV channels which are available for downlinking in India, there are 333 satellite pay TV channels as of June 30, 2025, the release noted. India's internet subscribers cross 100 crore by June rising 3.48 pc quarterly | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Why am I online? Research shows it’s often about managing emotions (2025-06-14T12:25:00+05:30)

Wally Smith, The University of Melbourne and Greg Wadley, The University of Melbourne Most of us go online multiple times a day. About half of 18–29 year olds surveyed in a 2021 Pew Research Study said they are “almost constantly” connected. How are we to make sense of this significant digital dimension of modern life? Many questions have rightly been asked about its broader consequences for society and the economy. But there remains a simpler question about what motivates people across a range of ages, occupations and cultures to be so absorbed in digital connection. And we can turn this question on ourselves: why am I online? What are we doing when we go online? As the American sociologist Erving Goffman pointed out, asking “What is it that’s going on here?” about human behaviour can yield answers framed at different levels. These range from our superficial motives to a deeper understanding of what we are “really” doing. Sometimes we might be content to explain our online behaviour in purely practical terms, like checking traffic routes or paying a bill. Other times we might struggle to articulate our reasons for going or remaining online. Why are we continually looking at our phones or computers, when we could be getting on with physical tasks, or exercising, or meditating, or engaging more fully with the people who are physically around us? The ever-present need to manage our emotions As researchers of human-computer interaction, we are exploring answers in terms of the ever-present need to manage our emotions. Psychologists refer to this activity as emotion regulation. Theories of the nature and function of emotions are complex and contested. However, it is safe to say they are expressions of felt needs and motivations that arise in us through some fusion of physiology and culture. During a typical day, we often feel a need to alter our emotional state. We may wish to feel more serious about a competitive task or more sad at a funeral. Perhaps we would like to be less sad about events of the past, less angry when meeting an errant family member, or more angry about something we know in our heart is wrong. Digital emotion regulation is becoming increasingly common in our everyday lives. One way to understand our frequent immersions into online experience is to see them as acts within a broader scheme of managing such daily emotional demands. Indeed, in earlier research we found up to half of all smartphone use may be for the purpose of emotional regulation. Digital technologies are becoming key tools of emotion regulation Over the pandemic lockdowns of 2020–21 in Melbourne, Australia, we investigated how digital technologies are becoming key tools of emotion regulation. We were surprised to find that people readily talked of their technology use in these emotion-managing terms. Occasionally, this involved specially designed apps, for mindfulness and so on. But more often people relied on mundane tools, such as using social media alongside Zoom to combat feelings of boredom or isolation, browsing for “retail therapy”, playing phone games to de-stress, and searching online to alleviate anxiety about world events. To some extent, these uses of digital technology can be seen as re-packaging traditional methods of emotion management, such as listening to music, strengthening social connections, or enjoying the company of adorable animals. Indeed, people in our study used digital technologies to enact familiar strategies, such as immersion in selected situations, seeking distractions, and reappraising what a situation means. However, we also found indications that digital tools are changing the intensity and nature of how we regulate emotions. They provide emotional resources that are nearly always available, and virtual situations can be accessed, juxtaposed and navigated more deftly than their physical counterparts. Some participants in our study described how they built what we called “emotional toolkits”. These are collections of digital resources ready to be deployed when needed, each for a particular emotional effect. A new kind of digital emotional intelligence None of this is to say emotion regulation is automatically and always a good thing. It can be a means of avoiding important and meaningful endeavours and it can itself become dysfunctional. In our study of a small sample of Melburnians, we found that although digital applications appeared to be generally effective in this role, they are volatile and can lead to unpredictable emotional outcomes. A search for energising music or reassuring social contact, for example, can produce random or unwanted results. A new kind of digital emotional intelligence might be needed to effectively navigate digital emotional landscapes. An historic shift in everyday life Returning to the question: what am I doing online? Emotion regulation may well be the part of the answer. You may be online for valid instrumental reasons. But equally, you are likely to be enacting your own strategies of emotion regulation through digital means. It is part of an historic shift playing out in how people negotiate the demands of everyday life. Wally Smith, Professor, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne and Greg Wadley, Senior Lecturer, Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

New moms & dads increasingly turn to social media for parenting advice (2024-07-09T12:11:00+05:30)

New York, (IANS) New parents facing tough times to handle their newborns and toddlers with rocking them to sleep, feed and potty training, are increasingly turning to social media for help, according to a study. The study is based on a US national poll on responses from 614 parents with at least one child aged 0-4. It showed that four in five parents go to social media to discuss such parenting issues. Nearly half of parents rate social media as very useful for getting new ideas to try, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. “Many parents turn to online communities to exchange advice or discuss parenting challenges because it may seem faster and easier than asking a health professional,” said Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark. “Finding parent comradery in this space can have benefits but parents should keep in mind that every family’s experience is different and not everything they hear online may be accurate or the right thing for their child," she added. Most mothers and over two-thirds of fathers of children these ages look to social media for parenting advice or to share their experiences. The most common discussions included toilet training (44 per cent), kids’ sleep (42 per cent) nutrition/breastfeeding (37 per cent), discipline (37 per cent), behavior problems (33 per cent), vaccination (26 per cent), daycare/preschool (24 per cent), and getting along with other kids (21 per cent). Three fifths of parents said they talk about these topics on social media because they want to hear different ideas while one in four said it’s convenient or they want to do things differently than their parents. Fewer said they use these platforms because they don’t have family or friends nearby, don’t have enough opportunities to ask their child’s healthcare provider or are too embarrassed to ask in person. More than a third of parents also rate social media as very useful for making them feel like they’re not alone and learning what not to do while a fourth said it helps them decide whether to buy certain products. One in 10 parents of young children who use social media also described it as very useful in deciding when to take their child to the doctor. However, with young children, Clark noted, “it is usually prudent to contact the child’s primary care provider with any questions.” Telehealth visits and messaging through patient portals, she added, are efficient ways for parents to ask for guidance and determine if the child needs to be seen in person. Most parents also identify at least one aspect of social media sharing that concerns them, such as seeing other parents doing something unhealthy or dangerous for their child or others finding out their family’s private information or sharing photos of their child without their child’s permission. Nearly 80 per cent of parents also feel other parents overshare on social media by bragging about their child or sharing too often or too much. Meanwhile, over 60 per cent believe parents may give personal information that could identify the child’s location or embarrass the child when they’re older. Nearly half also said they have seen parents post information that is false while more than a quarter have noticed some parents sharing inappropriate photos of a child’s body. “Parents acknowledge concerns related to sharing too much about their kids on social media,” Clark said.“Families should consider whether their child may one day be embarrassed about having personal information shared without their consent; a good rule is if you have any doubt, don’t share it. In addition, parents should consult with parents of other children in photos for approval before sharing them on social media.”, New moms & dads increasingly turn to social media for parenting advice | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

The Apple and Google app store monopoly could end (2024-05-14T12:06:00+05:30)

Rules are regulations may be introduced to cut out the monopoly the two main players have over app developers, Greig Paul, The Conversation: New rules on mobile app stores could trigger a wave of creative, cheaper apps with more privacy options for users. Every budding developer dreams of creating an app that goes viral and makes lots of money overnight. The Angry Birds game became a worldwide phenomenon within weeks when it launched in 2009 and made US$10 million in its first year. But, overall, the numbers make it clear that mobile apps don’t guarantee wealth. A 2021 study showed only 0.5% of consumer apps succeed commercially. Developers have to jostle for attention among the almost 3 million apps and games on Google Play and 4.5 million apps and games on the Apple store. On Apple’s iPhone and iPad platforms, the App Store is the only way to distribute apps. Until recently, Apple and Google’s stores charged a 30% commission fee. But both halved it for most independent app developers and small businesses after lawsuits such as in 2020 when video games company Epic Games claimed Apple had an illegal monopoly of the market. Epic Games lost, but Apple was subject to App store changes that are on hold. Both Epic Games and Apple are appealing. Epic Games has filed a similar case against Google, which is set to go to trial in 2023. App stores set the rules on privacy, security and even what types of apps can be made. Third-party stores could set different rules which might be more relaxed and allow developers to keep more of the money from apps they sell. You have been Sherlocked: Independent developers say they are sometimes being “Sherlocked” by Google and Apple. They develop an app, and not long afterward the platforms embed the app’s features in the operating system itself, killing the developer’s product. FlickType was developed as a third-party keyboard for iPhones and Apple Watches in 2019. Shortly afterward, Apple apparently told the developer that keyboards for the Apple Watch were not allowed, they announced the feature themselves. It can take between three and nine months to develop one app and can cost between $40,000 and $300,000 to build a minimum viable product. Some apps take much longer than this to develop. In 2021 a group of UK-based developers filed a £1.5 billion collective action suit against Apple over its store fees. The case will be heard in the UK. The European Commission told Apple it had abused its position and distorted competition in the music streaming industry and its restrictions on app developers prevent them from telling users about cheaper alternative apps. For instance, when Apple builds a music app, rivals such as Spotify argue this is unfair. They have to pay 15% or 30% of their revenues to Apple, their rival, which operates the store platform. Until recently, Apple prevented Spotify from telling users about cheaper options, like by subscribing via the service’s website. A report from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority highlighted concerns that the tech giants were creating barriers to innovation and competition. Their full market study is due to report back in June 2022. The UK government has pledged to introduce new laws “when parliamentary time allows.” Alternative app stores: The EU’s Digital Markets Act could be in force by Spring 2023. The legislation is designed to open up mobile platforms by allowing users to install apps from alternative stores, and ensure app store providers don’t favor their own products or services over third-party developers’ offerings. In February 2022 a US senate panel approved a bill that aims to rein in app stores. It is possible to install apps from other niche stores on Android hardware – such as the F-Droid store for open source apps. But the Play Store is available on almost every Android phone by default, meaning the apps available on it can reach a much larger number of users. Both Apple and Google’s app review processes (which looks at developers’ apps before making them available) have been heavily criticized for their lack of transparency, consistency and general inequality. Independent developers have no real leverage against international billion-dollar companies. Google has been criticized for failing to provide meaningful clarification when it removes apps from its store. Users’ privacy: Apple expressed security and privacy concerns about allowing apps from other stores on its devices. App store review processes can try to ensure that apps follow their privacy policies. Most users don’t read these however, and apps can already access and share a lot more data than users realize. Third-party app stores are likely to create a trade-off between user freedom and user safety. Some users may prefer Apple and Google’s approach to privacy. Others may prefer a more open experience, where they can install apps from smaller independent developers, who can develop their apps without having to jump through the large app stores’ hoops. The fact is that it’s possible to give users this choice – evidence from lawsuits shows that Apple originally planned to support running apps from outside its app store. The Digital Markets Act might force Apple to reconsider. The DMA won’t deliver results for users and developers unless it is properly implemented. The European Commission looks set to become a dedicated regulator for the first time. This will take time though, and the commission will need to grow a team large enough to provide meaningful oversight and enforcement. Greig Paul, Lead Mobile Networks and Security Engineer, University of Strathclyde.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. The Apple and Google app store monopoly could end | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

How social media can assist designers in brand building (2016-05-13T12:03:00+05:30)

By Gautam Gupta, Up until a few years ago, name and fame for a fashion designer meant playing the publicity game. You either needed pushy PR agents to get you and your garments featured in newspapers and tabloids or had to participate in fashion shows and exhibitions on a regular basis. Times have changed now — I’m not saying the aforementioned are not needed any more — my point is that there has been huge transformation of the fashion scene these days thanks to social media. As we all know, communication through online modes has a wider, more effective reach. Seeing these trends, international brands and designers have started using sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to promote their labels. Now, a designer can easily create his own website or twitter account or upload a work-related video on Youtube and ask family, friends, acquaintances and prospective clients to “like” the page, follow him on twitter or see his video respectively. This helped prospective clients or a target group become aware about the latest happenings and launches regarding the designer’s brand. Yes, everyone knows about this revolution but there are certain facts that I would like to share which will explain the reach and the scope of social media. International labels realised the potential of social media much earlier so they have a legion of followers on Facebbok — Converse has more than 36 lakh, Zara has over 18 lakh and Louis Vuitton has about 13 lakh. Since our domestic brands had a late start, Shoppers’ Stop has 4 lakh, Westside has about 1.5 lakh and Sabysachi has more than a lakh followers. Yes, these pages are advertised and there is a possibility of lot of fake or dubious accounts in their name but talking from my personal experience on my page, there are some good leads too. Indian brands and designers may have lesser numbers as of now, but there is an overall acceptance that social media marketing will be an important part of the marketing and branding strategy in the future. The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) had a Twitter party right before the fashion week that was a huge hit. Also, take for example the case of luxe brand, Burberry, that released its spring summer collection’12 on Instagram and Twitter and did a live streaming of its show on YouTube. A lot of fashion weeks are also being uploaded on YouTube, if not live streamed. After every show there are pictures uploaded and then what follows are comments and feedback which are extremely critical. Clearly, social media gives a brand a podium to narrate its history, design philosophy, new product line, offers, trends, share behind-the-scene pictures at a very negligible cost. It is like your website on a mass platform which you can edit at will. The major advantages of social media is that lot of feedback and opinions can be procured, myths about pricing and quality can be broken and so on. With the integration of all social media platforms and mobile applications, its scope will further become a force to reckon with. (The writer is a Delhi-based fashion designer). Source: mydigitalfc.com, Image: flickr.com

PM to launch national career services portal next month (2015-09-16T15:38:00+05:30)

BY Sameersachdeva: Mumbai, Aug 7 (PTI) Having already launched National Career Services (NCS) portal for the unemployed youth to get their names registered, the government will now launch smart cards for unorganised workforce in the country, next month. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already launched the NCS portal. It is part of the modernisation of the employment exchanges. So far 4.5 crore unemployed youth have registered with employment exchanges. With the portal going online, they need not go to the exchanges to register their names but can be done online," Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told reporters here today. "Around 40 top companies have joined the portal through which they can provide direct recruitment through the information available on the portal," he said. "We will provide a smart card, known as U-Win, to 35 lakh people. The scheme will be launched by the Prime Minister in the first week of September. We have asked all the states to register their unemployed workforce for the scheme," he said, adding, "we are developing 100 model centres for this in the first phase itself." The minister said unorganised workforce constitutes 93 per cent of the total workforce in the country and for them the government has already launched a host of schemes like Rashtriya Suraksha Bima Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana. Talking about the other plans his ministry is working on currently for the unorganised sector, he said we need to skill 30-35 crore workforce as the present skilled labour is merely at 1.9 per cent and hence the Prime Minister has launched the Skill India initiative. My job at the labour ministry is to train the workforce. Coming on construction workers, he said "for the construction sector workers, we have got a training programme under which we provide work-site training at the work site and we will also provide a certificate to them at the site itself so that they should earn more in future and get more jobs."  Union labour secretary Shankar Aggarwal made it clear that as of now there is no plan to bring Employment Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the purview of the pension funds regulator Pension Funds Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). He also informed that the ministry is working on reducing the currently existing 44 labour laws to four so as to facilitate the entrepreneurs set up an industry. EPFO is planning to provide housing to its members. "We have already received a committee report on providing housing to EPFO members and we are gearing up to launch the scheme," Central provident fund commissioner KK Jalan said. Source: igovernment.in

The Leadership on a Safe and Secure Cyberspace (2015-06-14T17:07:00+05:30)

Kang Seong-ju, Director-General of IT Strategy Bureau at the MSIP

By Kim Yu-Na The first installment of “Leadership on a Safe and Secure Cyberspace” series The Korea IT Times will run the series “ Leadership on a Safe and Secure Cyberspace” from April to December. The first installment sets forth shortcuts to arming the SouthKorean cyber security industry with international competitiveness,and explores ways towards intentional cooperation. The installment revolves around an interview with Kang Seong-ju,director-general of the IT Strategy Bureau at the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, to shed light on the Korean government’s policy directions following the passing of amendments of the Personal Information Protection Act.  The building of a virtuous cycle in the Korean data protection industry necessitates the nurturing of talent, developing technology,amending laws and institutions. Recently, red flags have been raised about South Korea’s handling of cyber security. Korean banks, credit card companies,and telecommunications operators have had stolen customer personal information in the recent massive data leaks, caused by either web hacking or managerial negligence or both. New cyber security solutions have been initiated following such large-scale cyber security breaches, but shown to be ineffective by another round of data breaches. Fears of data leaks damaging national defense, in addition to individuals, have intensified. Yet, there is an upside: they served as a wake-up call to the government and the private sector. This very expensive lesson has prompted the nation to come to grips with cyber “security”before a potentially much worse cyber attack occurs. Kang Seong-ju, director-general of the IT Strategy Bureau at the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, takes a three-pronged approach towards information protection. First: nurture talent. “Experts on data protection technology are in high demand. Universities need to set up departments related to data protection to ensure a steady supply of cyber security experts to the market. And the nation’s cyber defense command needs to recruit more experts on protecting military data,” said Kang. The private sector also offers programs designed to train experts on data protection. For example, the Korea Information Technology Research Institute (KITRI)’s BOB (Best of best) program aims to produce cyber security leaders. BOB graduated 120 counter white hackers this year. BOB, the nation’s leading cyber security expert training program, was launched last year to produce quality cyber security experts with a sense of duty and a positive view about national security. Under the guidance of renowned cyber security experts, both domestic and international, those admitted to BOB are taught key technologies in each information protection area and go through cyber security awareness training. Second: develop technology. With studies on ubiquitous cyber threats like wiretapping, spamming,and smithing ,endeavors to develop new solutions to foil the latest evolving cyber threats should be urgently made. Governmentlevel efforts are underway in the country. The government is thrashing out ways to scale up budgetary support for the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI),a government-backed agency, and for KAIST, and to assist universities and companies in nurturing talent and developing data protection technologies. Third: reform legal bodies and institutions. Moves to revise the Personal Information Protection Act are again afoot at the National Assembly in order to impose tougher penalties on companies and organizations guilty of negligent data protection. Above all, Director-General Kang underlined the importance of adopting an “information protection rating system,” whereby companies are rated based on their data protection level. The information protection rating system, based on voluntary self-regulation, is devised to encourage private companies,prone to cyber attack,to enhance their cyber security systems

Once this rating system is put in place, protected companies can use their high cyber security scores as a consumer marketing tool, thereby boosting sales and market share. On the whole, this rating system is expected to significantly improve Korean companies’ data protection levels. Taking on the global market by narrowing the gap with cyber security powerhouses and collaborating with developing nations. Varied missteps, such as technical limitations and personnel mismanagement, can be blamed for the previous data leaks. Despite continued monitoring, the leakage of specific traffic went undetected for a year. Furthermore, employees at cyber security contractors, hired to manage the customer databases for large companies, were poorly supervised. In response to continued public outcry about shoddy management of customer databases, affected companies’ top management bowed low in apologized to their angry customers. From a long-term perspective, South Korea must learn something from such bitter experiences in order to take the domestic data protection industry and technologies to the next level and to nurture the industry into one of the nation’s key export industries. To that end, domestic companies that specialize in data protection technology and home-grown technologies related to data protection must stay competitive. As global cyber security companies become notable names around the world after the investiture of time and energy to underscore their competitiveness, domestic cyber security companies have to strengthen their competitiveness;and the Korean government has to aid them in entering overseas markets through the provision of government assistance and global cooperation projects.  Preparations for global cooperation projects have occurred. A number of projects are occurring to help Korean cyber security companies make forays into overseas markets - for instance, a Korean-Kazak joint project for data protection and support for domestic companies’ participation in global data protection exhibitions. Such efforts will help reduce the gap between South Korea and advanced nations well prepared for cyber attacks,expediting the growth of domestic cyber security companies. At the Declaration Ceremony for Mutually-beneficial Cooperation on National Informatization, held in March, Director-General Kang mentioned, “Today’s declaration ceremony is designed to offer all participants in national informatization an opportunity to focus their minds before setting about the building of an ICT industry ecosystem and the advancement of national informatization.” In other words,the government, clients, suppliers and the public should communicate with one another for close cooperation at a critical juncture when the nation’s data protection industry is in bad need to make a stride forward. Hopes are pinned on the possibility that the South Korean data protection industry morphs into one of the nation’s key economic growth engines, which can lead the global market and enhance national competitiveness. KISIA actively supports Korean information security firms that advance into newly emerging markets The Korea Information Security Industry Association (KISIA) will place its 2014 focus on helping Korean information security companies advance into newly emerging markets, including Israel and the African continent. "With the importance of overseas projects by domestic information security companies growing, KISIA strives to expand their overseas markets from existing Japan, the U.S. and Southeast Asia, in to Israel and Africa this year," said KISIA chairman Shim Jong-heon. In an interview with Korea IT Times, Shim said, "In particular, domestic firms' entry into overseas markets is indispensible this year, considering the sluggish domestic market that resulted from the current economic slump. "Related to this, KISIA plans to participate in such global information protection exhibitions as the Security Show 2014 (Japan), ISC West 2014 (U.S.), IST 2014 (Japan) and Security China this year, while dispatching market exploration teams to Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Israel," he said. Noting that Korea's information security-related exports to Southeast Asia are steadily growing, Shim said, "I expect the domestic information security industry to achieve tangible results this year. "Through expansion of exchange cooperation between Korea and Israel, two leaders in information security, we plan to seek joint business

Shim Jong-heon, Chairman of the Korea Information Security Industry Association(KISIA)

opportunities and find bilateral cooperation models in the global market this year." Operation of a monitoring center to keep information protection KISIA plans to operate a monitoring center this year to help domestic information security companies receive due payment for maintaining information protection by strengthening monitoring activities for bidding offered by government agencies and public institutions, Shim stressed. "In line with this, KISIA will develop a guideline to calculate a proper ratio to maintain information protection and prepare a standard contract for information protection products and services," added Shim. In a separate move, KISIA is moving to expand skill-enhancing education and mentor school programs this year. "Last year, about 80% of graduates of the KISIA-operated mentor school succeeded in getting a job and over 400 incumbent workers in the information security sector finished the skill-enhancing education program, upgrading their skills and knowledge in the sector," he explained. KISIA plans to start the 2014 skill-enhancing education and mentor school programs on June 1 after developing on-the-spot curricula that reflect current technology trends. "Fostering talent in the information security field is very important as manpower shortage is serious for smaller, domestic, companies at present, despite the fact that information protection is emerging as a promising area," he noted. Steps to prevent security accidents. As a measure to prevent security accidents, Shim said, "As we acknowledged from the 2013 Korea Credit Bureau (KCB) case, enterprises should strengthen their supervisory function on staff members and enhance employees' ethics, while preparing institutional tools such as the bolstering of punishment against those who steal data, and compensation for damages." An employee from personal credit ratings firm KCB was arrested and accused of data theft from customers of three credit card firms while working for them as a temporary consultant last year. "For prevention of important data leakage, users' rights and responsibilities should be defined exactly and such rights and obligations should be managed through documentation and systematization," he pointed out. Mentioning that financial companies tend to excessively collect customers' information and manage them poorly, Shim said that they need to minimize the gathering of customers' information by removing unnecessary items and destroying information on personal affairs instantly, except those necessary for storage for a certain period. "Actually, most general companies are poor at investment and management in information security. Accordingly, if they pay more attention to basic facility investment, including firewall and virus vaccines, the ratio to prevent hacking will go up," he said. "The most important matter is the mind of all executives and staff, considering the fact that most information leakage has been made not on the outside but by in-house staff. As a result, a persistent education on information security is necessary," Shim said. Measure for development of domestic security software industry. "For development of domestic information security technology and software industry, securing enough of a budget related to information protection is very important. For instance, the U.S. has invested over 9% of the budget for informatization into the security field since 2007. In particular, the U.S. has increased the cyber security budget by a factor of six in 2013, from a year earlier," said the KISIA chairman "On the contrary, Korea's budget for information protection has so far witnessed no significant change from ₩270 billion in 2010. To develop information security technology, a drastic hike in the budget is essential," he said. Meanwhile, domestic information security companies exported products and services worth ₩70 billion in 2013, according to a KISIA survey. The breakdown is 70% or ₩49 billion to Japan; 7% or ₩4.9 billion to China; and 5% or ₩3.5 billion to the U.S. KISIA's role for international cooperation. "To secure leadership in the information security sector of a global society, KISIA has concluded a memorandum of understanding with information protection public institutions of many countries since 2009 including Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Singapore" he said. "Through close cooperation with such foreign institutions, KISIA plans to hold consultation meetings and help domestic information security companies expand business-to-business projects this year as part of its efforts to enhance their global competitiveness," he mentioned. Commenting that a growing number of Korean companies are showing a strong will to exchange technology and products with their counterparts in Israel, Shim said, "They seem to advance into the European market through close cooperation with Israel, not simply aiming at the Israeli market. The association plans to dispatch a market exploration team for information protection to Israel for the first time this year." Asked about his policy direction as a new KISIA leader, Shim said, "I plan to make KISIA an association covering not only member companies but also general information security firms. To this end, we will activate various section gatherings, including meetings of information protection-specialized companies, control specialists, export-oriented departments and common criteria certification councils." Source: Article

Social Secrets (2015-06-08T10:40:00+05:30)

By Shaku Selvakumar: Confessional apps are the next face of social media which take expression and news to the next level: Imagine you could say anything you wished and get away with it. Imagine you had no one to place any kind of censorship, social, work, or otherwise. With LinkedIn, there is a bonafide record of you. Much of what you place on the site can be easily cross-checked and referenced. You are also very aware of appropriate behaviour. What you like, what you comment on, what you write, or endorse appear on the newsfeed for all to see. With Facebook, it’s a little more relaxed. Your tone relaxes. You can be less informal and your social self is more evident. Your friends, where you go, how you party are all rich fodder for someone who is gathering social data and deciding how to market their wares to you. Moving on to Twitter, your tone changes once again and there is some scope for anonymity. While with LinkedIn and Facebook you have connections and friends, Twitter is for followers who may or may not be connected or friendly. With Twitter, there is more scope for curiosity, interest and volatility. As quickly as we jumped into the social bandwagon with multiple accounts on numerous channels, sharing everything from bands, books, clothes and relationships, there is an equal and opposite trend that has coexisted in parallel. Paying a privacy price: As more hackers easily infiltrate accounts, Pew Research has some alarming facts. At least 21 per cent of internet users have had an email or social networking account compromised or taken over by someone else without permission. About 13 per cent have experienced trouble in a relationship between them and a family member or a friend because of something the user posted online. About 12 per cent have been stalked or harassed online. About 11 per cent have had important personal information stolen such as their social security number, credit card, or bank account information. Also, about 6 per cent have been the victim of an online scam and lost money. About 6 per cent have had their reputation damaged because of something that happened online. And about 4 per cent have been led into physical danger because of something that happened online. Unsigned and anonymous: Anonymity has its benefits, whether to initiate a heated dialogue on a sporting event or to weigh in on a political stand or to jump into a religious debate. Initially it started with multiple email and social accounts that would allow folks to troll sites, leave comments, many times unprovoked and nasty. According to Pew Research, most internet users would like to be anonymous online at least occasionally, but many think it is not possible to be completely anonymous online. New findings in a national survey show that 86 per cent of internet users have taken steps online to remove or mask their digital footprints — ranging from clearing cookies to encrypting their email, from avoiding using their name to using virtual networks that mask their IP address. About 55 per cent of internet users have taken steps to avoid observation by specific people, organisations, or the government. The dark web or the hidden web has provided a forum for users who don’t wish to be observed. Sending encrypted messages and using secret chat platforms ensure that their identity is not invaded. Trading secrets made easy: As the line blurs between protecting identity, reckless social sharing and spurred by the quick hit of instant popularity, more social apps are cashing on the “confessional” trend. Forget all the intricate planning that goes into catfishing, with the advent of new apps like Secret, Whisper and YikYak, it looks like anyone can easily “out” someone. The new trend that takes a leaf out of our reality TV shows and gives us a starring role, can start a scandal anywhere. It could be your own secret, or not. Unsubstantiated rumours or malicious gossip. It could just be venting. But the next face of social clearly has moved beyond the tried and tested wall. Secret and Whisper can connect people anonymously to share information anonymously. While YikYak calls itself a local bulletin for your area that pushes you the latest information, it is used widely in colleges and has been blamed for being the source of much cyber bullying. Confessional apps are the next face of social media where the audience can take expression and news to the next level. The problem is that without any accountability or social responsibility, it can very easily degenerate into a spectator sport where each secret or whisper or yak has to be louder than the one before.  (Shaku Selvakumar is a US-based marketing and digital communi­cations expert; and founder of Coeuredge, a digital experience company) Source: mydigitalfc.com, Reference-Image: flickr.com

How to use social media in your business strategy (2015-06-06T15:15:00+05:30)

Having a social media presence is a critical part of any business, but what is the best way to get started? Five years ago, using social media to spread the word about your company was regarded as an incredibly progressive thing to do; today, it is an important part of any business. This article outlines the considerations and opportunities of using social media. A recent report by Nielsen on global trust in advertising and brand messaging found that types of communication typically associated with social media, such as word-of-mouth recommendations and consumer opinion posted online, continue to rank as the most influential of all. 84 percent of global respondents across 58 countries to the Nielsen online survey said word-of-mouth recommendations from family and friends were the most trustworthy source of information. So how do you take advantage of this growing area of communication? And what are some of the pitfalls to avoid while doing so? While some businesses find it entirely natural to involve themselves with customers online, others - particularly those who have not yet cultivated a social media audience - may find the notion of getting online and joining the conversation daunting. Why use social media? : For Mark Brayton, Director, Interactive Marketing, Barclays, using social media is all about encouraging communication between your business and your audience: "My team are there to try to enhance the interactions between our colleagues and our customers," Brayton says. He adds: "There are two reasons all brands should have a social media presence. First, this is where consumers at large already are – they are already operating within the social space, and all businesses need to be present where their customers are. The second is that from a reputational perspective, conversations about your business are taking place anyhow, so it is important to be part of that dialogue." So how do you get started? First, work out where your audience is already operating. Are they largely using Facebook and Twitter? LinkedIn and Pinterest? Or perhaps YouTube? In his book Tweet Naked, online marketing expert Scott Levy suggests that you should pick one or two platforms and do them well, rather than trying to be immediately present in every social space. "When it comes to choosing which social media platforms you'll utilise, select those that offer the best potential for reaching your ideal audience and broadcast the type of media you've decided is best suited for your company,” Levy says. “Most people and companies can't be amazing on every platform; that takes a huge amount of bandwidth and resources. Instead of having a sub-par representation in a lot of places, be awesome on a few of them." In Entrepreneur magazine, Levy lists the advantages of the major social networks: Pinterest is good for communication via visually rich imagery and has a large female audience; LinkedIn is good for growing connections in the business world; YouTube is good for reaching a vast audience but requires good videographers; Twitter is perfect for "in the moment" communication; and Facebook is one of the "most powerful social platforms in the world" not least of all because of its enormous scale. Considerations: There are potential pitfalls of using social media to consider, and not all uses of social media are successful. Brayton says: "I think there are two key things that could potentially present a pitfall. First, we have seen many brands using social in a way that isn’t very relevant – either they don’t have the authority to talk to a customer in a particular place or they are not communicating with a customer in the way they want. The second is around the issues associated with real-time communication. I think brands who set up an expectation that they are responding quickly and then don’t deliver can seem like they are not really listening." Other considerations of using social media include: sending poorly timed or ill-thought out messages, failing to identify and address legitimate concerns, finding your brand subject to abuse or ridicule, and failing to respond to feedback in a timely or adequate manner. The possible rewards: While it is important to bear in mind the potential pitfalls around using social media, there are many rewards especially when considering customer relationship management. Savvy customer service teams have seen huge success with social media as a means to promote goods, services and initiatives, and this positive client experience can end up being spread virally around the world by word of mouth. Just some of the potential advantages of using social media include: direct communication with your audience, reaching your audience in their space, not your own, and being able to jump on trends and address concerns both publicly and immediately. Which companies get it right? For Brayton, Virgin Atlantic provides a brilliant model for successful social media servicing communication. He says: "Virgin are hugely customer-centric, very focused around why you might want to engage with them, and they always do what they say. They are very open and transparent - it feels like social is at the very heart of the organisation." He also identifies B&Q, the DIY and home improvements company as a model of good social media communication: "they have created some lovely YouTube content to guide customers through the different ways they may be able to use their products," he says. Brayton also praises high-end British fashion house Burberry, who use social media to show off their new collections and generate user interest and feedback. So how do you make sure you get it right too? To do it right, you may need to have the right staff who can execute your social media strategy properly, and understand the importance of upholding the standards of your brand. Using social media requires commitment and attention, so it is important that staff are fully committed to delivering once your accounts are up and running. Writing for Bloomberg Businessweek, Stephen McKee, the author of Power Branding, says that the most important thing to do when using social media, is always to make sure you are opening up dialogue and talking to people, not just talking at them. "Customer relationships are built on trust," McKee says. "And relationships are reciprocal; I’ll share with you my deep thoughts if you’ll share yours with me. The problem with traditional CRM is that it turns people into data and relationships into rules of engagement. But technology has no empathy, and a database will never be as responsive as a living, breathing person." With social media fast becoming a key part of all businesses' communication strategies, it is important not to get left behind. Pick the social media platforms that suit your business best, get the right team around you, engage with your audience and commit to building a long-term relationship with your customers. If you use social media right, the potential rewards are huge. For further concise, balanced comment and analysis on the week's news, try The Week magazine. Subscribe today and get 6 issues completely free. Source: The Week UK

Customers use various retail platforms before purchasing (2014-12-18T13:47:00+05:30)

By Sangeetha G: Integrating different platforms — offline, online, social media and smart phones —has become imperative for retailers as the urban consumer is making increasing use of them to make his choices, a study by payment processing company First Data Corporation says. The study done among credit/debit card holding educated urban middle-class Indians in the 18-45 years age group found that consumers, more time-conscious and value-conscious than ever, were using these platforms while making a purchase. “A merchant cannot remain isolated in one platform anymore. Consumers prefer retailers who are available across these platforms,” Nitish Asthana, director-commercial at First Data Corp- ICICI Merchant Services said. According to him, customers are using social media, seeking better information about products, prices and services and credible reviews from their peers. The study finds that 81 per cent of respondents frequently or sometimes use social media to seek advice before making a purchase. Saahil Goel, CEO and co-founder of Bigfoot Retail Solutions, finds that in categories like fashion, accessories and other lifestyle products and services, social media work well. “In product categories, which are visually appealing, social media work well. Many of our clients have seen higher conversions in referrals made through social media compared to Google. Social media drive consumer behaviour as the consumer is interacting with his peer group,” he said. Alberto Torresi finds that social media help the brand directly connect with the customer. “It has made customers more aware and receptive to international fashion and this has helped a brand like ours. More than conversions, it promotes the brand and enables receiving feedback from customers”, said Ishaan Sachdeva, director of Alberto Torresi. In case of smart phones, the study found that almost 65 per cent of users had used their phone’s web browser to visit a retailer’s website to make a purchase. Around 78 per cent of smartphone users frequently or sometimes use their mobile phone in a store to compare prices in another shop and 79 per cent of them have at least one retailer application on their phone. sangeethag@mydigitalfc.com, Source: mydigitalfc.com, Reference-Image: flickr.com

Alia Bhatt goes digital with Maybelline New York (2014-10-18T18:39:00+05:30)

. Hosts India's first multi-city integrated Google Hangoutto interact with her fans on beauty trends for the season National, 30th July 2014: Alia Bhatt loves her fans and this time around she put together an innovative method to spend a fun evening with them talking about the things she loves most – make-up and her films! Staying true to its core values of being fun, edgy and fashionable,Maybelline New York, the world’s No. #1 make-up brandhosted India's first multi-city integrated Google Hangout with the Bollywood diva and brand ambassador, Alia Bhatt. Pioneering the digital space with groundbreaking initiatives and launches, Maybelline New York once again proved itself to be a front runner in innovation, beauty and youth connect. Visitors at Shoppers Stop in Delhi and Mumbai were in for a treat as they got the chance to interact with Alia Bhatt LIVE via a Google Hangout. Since Alia’s latest make-up favorites from Maybelline are the new Color Show nail colors, she quizzed her fans on the names of the shades and had a fun session with them sharing make-up and beauty tips. In addition to this, a few lucky shoppers were handpicked by Alia Bhatt from the crowd and received nail art tutorials from an artist present during the Hangout. Commenting on this fun way to interact with her fans, Alia Bhatt, brand ambassador of Maybelline New York, said, “I’ve always loved Maybelline New York not only for the innovative products they launch, but also for the initiatives they take up to engage with their consumers and fans. The experience of talking to so many fans in two different cities at the same time and sharing some of my thoughts on beauty was fantastic. It was such an interesting way to brighten up a regular Friday evening and at the same time get some amazing feedback from the fans on my work and Maybelline’s new launches.” Leena Shoor, Marketing Manager, Maybelline New York India, said, “As a tech savvy make-up brand, Maybelline New York has always aimed to engage with its consumers and fans in a very innovative manner. In order to continue representing the essence of the brand of being fun, edgy and fashionable, Maybelline introduces various novel initiatives with new product launches. Taking the brand to a next level of engagement, Maybelline decided to host India's first multi-city integrated Google Hangoutwith Alia Bhatt who is the face of the brand and represents the brands core values.” Across India, over 92,121fans tuned-in LIVE to the Hangout which received an overwhelming 92 Millionimpressions across Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram.The popular make-up brand represents the young, contemporary cosmopolitan girl who is attuned to fashion and loves to experiment with make-up products. Hence, all of its campaigns have been clutter breaking in the cosmetics industry. Over the years, Maybelline New York has pioneered various brand engagement strategies through innovative use of the digital platforms to get fans and consumers to sit and take notice, get educated and eventually use the unique products on offer by the brand. Source: Article

little girls at the Barbie and Hot Wheels show at LFW (2014-10-10T20:44:00+05:30)

Barbie and Hot Wheels in association with Hamleys hosted a first of its kind fashion show at the Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014, where 29 kids aged between 6-12 years from across India walked the LFW ramp. To be a part of the grand finale, children from across India went through the Hamleys Ramp Camp workshops which helped them from confidence building exercises to posing on the ramp, followed by a Facebook contest and final auditions. 25 lucky kids from across locations were selected on the basis of their confidence, enthusiasm, poise and overall personality. Accompanying the regional winners on the LFW ramp were the celebrity kids Kuhu Singh, Kashvee Barjatya and Mark Raut, while the showstopper for the evening was the beautiful Ruhanika Dhawan. The show was choreographed by the talented Rashmi Virmani. At the Lakme Fashion Week, the girls walked the ramp in the mesmerizing latest collection from Barbie signifying the brand message ‘With Barbie, Anything is Possible™’. The collection highlighted Barbie’s signature style through its themes which are pink, playful, iconic, luxe and full of sparkle-shine called Fab Icon, Sweet Socialite, Pink is the New Black. The range includes party wear, casual dresses, tops, tees, denims, trousers, leggings, skirts, jumpsuits in addition to season specific apparel like jackets & sweaters. The latest addition to the range is skeggings (Skirt + leggings), a perfect amalgamation of fashion & comfort for girls. This range is readily available at Barbie Stores across the country. The edgy collection by Hot Wheels comprises stylish jackets and t-shirts for little boys that display the brand attributes of speed, performance and power. The themes, The Boy in all of us and Pit Crew are inspired by dynamic cars and racing. The range includes cool graphics with cars in action combined with Hot Wheels logo play and racing and stunt cars with chequered flags & badges. Speaking about the event Manu Sharma, Business Manager for Hamleys said, “Hamleys has always aimed at providing a magical experience for all its customers and we are pleased to have given the kids from across India a platform to showcase their talent at the Lakme Fashion Week. We are heartened by the amazing response we have received from both children and their parents and are happy to be able to reiterate the promise of being world’s finest toy stop” Speaking about the event Rahul Bhowmik, Marketing Director, Mattel India said, “We are pleased to have associated with Hamleys and Lakme Fashion Week and reach out to young Barbie and Hot Wheels fans in India. This LFW collection combines the latest trends in international fashion and blends it with Barbie’s signature style, which any fan can easily buy at their nearest Barbie store. The kids truly gave a spectacular performance today and we are thrilled to have given them this chance to walk the LFW ramp. With this Barbie and Hot Wheels event, we want to give the kids an opportunity to believe that they can dream big in any part of their day whether it is school time, play time, bedtime, sports time or lunch time. Source: http://www.page3bollywood.com

More and more companies hiring via social media: Experts (2014-08-14T00:32:00+05:30)

The social media has moved rapidly from being 'purely social' to a 'business tool' as more and more companies are now using the platform to recruit the right people for specific jobs and this trend is expected to grow by about 50% this year from 2013, according to experts. "In day-to-day busy schedules, people only get social media platform to know about what is happening in the industry and their social network and they also update about their own status and change of roles. This trends began almost in 2010, and is growing by 50 per cent every year," leading executive search firm GlobalHunt Managing Director Sunil Goel told PTI. Most of the updates, he opined, gives the recruiter an information link to reach to the right people for the specific job of for their client companies. "Mid and senior-level professionals do not want to project themselves as easily available resources but by putting up their resume in job portals or an agency makes them easily available resources, which affects their role and compensation negotiations," he added. Sectors like IT, ITES, banking and financial have been recruiting across levels using this platform, he said. However, even FMCG, manufacturing, power and energy, retail, automobile are also using the social media for mid to senior level hiring, he added. Career adviser firm Michael Page's India Regional Director Alf Harris said social media is obviously a much-talked about aspect of recruitment and it undoubtedly offers individuals an excellent opportunity to access opportunities and for companies to reach out to talent. "However, one must keep in mind that social media is part of the recruitment process. Once the recruitment process moves into the assessment cycle, there is limited impact from social media," he said. The advantage of social media is the ability to reach a significant number of people quickly and easily compared to traditional recruitment process, he said. Source: Mydigitalfc.com, Image: https://pixabay.com/ under Creative Commons CC0.