ItsMoi launches to protect your online identity, brand, messages

Here's today's Tweelease (a news release that was issued over Twitter): about ItsMoi --
the first solution for everyday users of social networks to protect their online identity on
Twitter and Blogs. Support for Facebook, LinkedIn and other SNs to come (with your help).
Sign up for the free Beta version at www.itsmoi.com

--Patrick "Yes, It's Really Me" Rafter


------------


For Immediate Release

ItMoi.com Launches Beta Solution for The Online Identity Crisis

Millions have personal Web presences—But how can people verify that communications from your blogs, Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn accounts really come from YOU?

Boston, November 24, 2009 -- ItsMoi, Inc. (www.itsmoi.com), the pioneer of identity verification for users of social media and blogs, today the Web-wide beta debut of a scalable, patent-pending freeware solution to the very real and growing problem of online impostors.

“Social networks are today where e-mail was before spam, spoofing and phishing,” said Floyd Backes, CEO and Co-Founder of ItsMoi, Inc. “The scary reality: There is nothing available today to protect Web users that can prevent cyber-impostors from establishing blogs or social media accounts and claiming to be someone else. Anyone can be adversely impacted.”

For more detail on the impending online identity crisis go to: http://itsmoi.com/identitycrisis.
ItsMoi protects social media users – individuals, professionals, businesses, and celebrities – from scams perpetrated by impostors.

How ItsMoi Securely Validates Your Online Identity
Unlike existing applications that provide necessary Internet privacy and security by verifying accounts, computers, or websites -- ItsMoi validates and verifies individuals, through its unique VideoPrint™ and Verifier approach.

Much as fingerprints uniquely identify a person—a VideoPrint is a short online video that a singular individual records using a Webcam in which that person is seen and heard by others reading some random text, the date, and their own name. The random text is the key. When an actual individual records a VideoPrint, they will not know ahead of time what the random text will be. When friends and followers playback an individual’s VideoPrint, they will see that individual user saying the same words that are scrolling across the screen. Because stolen video cannot show someone reading our authentic, random text, there is no way to fool ItsMoi into creating a phony VideoPrint.

Once a VideoPrint is made, the user places a Verifier – an unambiguous, non-reproducible link to their personal VideoPrint – on their social media sites and blogs.

ItsMoi then leverages “crowdsourcing” to further validate and authenticate an individual’s identity. People who know an individual personally can link from the Verifier to the VideoPrint and officially verify that person. People who do not know the individual as well can see who has verified that user’s identity and be confident that they are following the real person behind the VideoPrint and associated blog, Twitter account, or website.

Online Identity Theft Is Coming. Protect Yourself
There is nothing available today to effectively prevent impostors from establishing accounts on a social networking site and claiming to be anyone that they want to be. Anyone with Web access can (with a few clicks and keystrokes) pretend to be you in cyberspace. And because there is so much information available through search engines, impostors can create very believable imitation profiles. They know where you’re from, your sports and hobbies, if you won a fishing derby when you were seven. They know where you’ve worked, who your friends and colleagues are, where you live-- even who you supported for President. As more and more personal information is readily available online the problem will only get worse. ItsMoi was founded to help you protect your online identity, preserve your brand, and control your message.

ItsMoi: Help Us to Help You
Available after today, the initial Beta software version of ItsMoi now enables bloggers and Twitter users to validate that they are the legitimate and authentic owners of their accounts.

ItsMoi is intentionally using its public Beta program to gather users’ input on the service (impressions, feature functionality, process improvement suggestions and performance observations). Initial input from 2,000 Beta users will provide helpful feedback towards the full ItsMoi service launch in early 2010.

Future capabilities of ItsMoi will meet public demand for protection of Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, as well as other online expressions of personal or organizational brand identities.

Sign up for ItsMoi: It's Easy and Free:

• Sign up for ItsMoi at http://www.itsmoi.com/
• Follow the online prompts to use your Webcam to record your VideoPrint™ and make a Verifier
• Drop the ItsMoi Verifier into your Twitter or blog page
• Invite your friends and followers to link from the Verifier to your VideoPrint to validate your identity
• That's all there is to it! Your feedback is welcome and encouraged

About ItsMoi

ItsMoi (http://www.itsmoi.com/) is a free online identity validation service designed to address the growing identity crisis confronting bloggers and users of social networks. Each day, as millions publish blog posts, follow people on Twitter, and connect with others over Facebook and LinkedIn from legitimate accounts --Web users worldwide are victimized by online impostors who’ve hijacked others’ online identities by creating fake accounts and fraudulently pretending to be someone they’re not.

As our name suggests, ItsMoi helps prove that you are you, online. ItsMoi’s patent-pending VideoPrint™ technology and Verifier process helps protect your identity, preserve your reputation, and defend you from cyber impostors whose illegal activity can damage your personal brand and your livelihood. Through its built-in crowdsourced validation method, ItsMoi also protects your family, friends, followers and fans (the "four fs") from scams perpetrated by impostors in your name. To get your own free account, or for more info: go to www.itsmoi.com
ItsMoi VideoPrint and ItsMoi Verifier are trademarks of ItsMoi, Inc. All other marks are properties of their respective owners.

# # #


Contact: Patrick Rafter for ItsMoi.com, patrick@itsmoi.com, 617-901-2697 www.itsmoi.com

The Online Identity Crisis

Millions of bloggers and users of social media could potentially face what I call "The Online Identity Crisis." Since there hasn't really been an effective way to protect our online identity from online impostors who can masquerade as us-- we run the risk of having bad guys do things that can damage our reputations, hurt our brands, misrepresent our thoughts and messages-- by pretending to be us.

From Mashable, to the Huffington Post... from TechCrunch to blogs covering the Hollywood scene, stories of online impostors pretending to be celebrities and plain regular folk are popping up all over.

Fortunately, a solution to this problem is now available--a new, free online service that goes into public beta tomorrow:

ItsMoi ( http://www.itsmoi.com )

ItsMoi validates you are the actual owner/creator of your blog or your social media account
it then uses crowdsourcing to have those who know you verify your identity. Verify me on my blog at http://intrastand.blogspot.com/

While there are millions of people called Li in China, lots of Jane Smiths in the US, and Mohammed is the most common name worldwide, ItsMoi will be valuable as its tagline suggests:

"Because there's only one you"

I'm sure that Popeye would concur.

16 Best Quotes from #IMS09-- Day 1

Marketers:
#IMS09 is a seminal event.
Here are some highlights of comments from speakers at Day 1 of the conference.
I'll share day two tomorrow.

Connect, Engage, Benefit
--Patrick

Keller-Faye:
“90% of word of mouth takes place offline”

@GamePlanHaden:
“Marketing silos suck!”

@garyvee
“Content is King, but Marketing is Queen---and she runs the household.”

@DavidBaeza (Citrix):
“Customers controls the brand Be Transparent. Listen. Care”

@ChrisBrogan:
“Listening is the new black”

@BernieBorges:
“Be found, engage, build profitable relationships”

@AJGerritson
“Social media has forced companies to become closer—breaking down internal silos”

@bhalligan (Hubspot CEO)
“Now’s a great time to be in a small company!”

@paulroetzer
“How to measure effectiveness of PR 2.0?
Inbound links, search engine ranking, traffic hits leads”
#adweek:
“More change in ad biz in last 9 mos than in the last 9 yrs”

@richullman (Ripple6):
So what works in future of marketing?
• Low investment, high return)
• Well connected
• Highly collaborative
• Comfortable
• Self-sustaining
• Asset-creating
• Word of mouth inspiring
• Insight generating

@prafter
“Companies should issue news releases not press releases.
Today we (everyone) are the media.”

@ducttape (John Jantsch)
“Marketing is the technology to co-create know, like & trust”
“Trust is built when value is co-created at the intersection of hi tech, hi touch.”

@scottkirsner
“Social Media are changing the relationship between artists and their fans, creating new models of patronage, commerce. When artists give up control of their work (by putting it on the web and allowing their fans to participate and interact with it) great new art is created.”
Free collection of digital tools for audience building distribution and commerce: http://powertools.wikispaces.com/

@CC_CHAPMAN :
“Marketing puts people in buckets--- social media empties the buckets. Connect with the person behind that Twitter handle.”
One bucket we all want to hangout in: The beer bucket
Stay connected offline through social events where we can share experiences, have fun.”

Valeria Maltoni (ConversationAgent.com)
No Twitter account.
“Participation activates content”

Leveraging 4 Generations of Talented Workers

Leveraging 4 Generations of Talented Workers
(or “Is your Workplace Age-Friendly?”)

In the current economy, there’s no doubt that it’s a buyer’s market in the workplace(i.e. employers have their pick of available and abundant talent).The triple convergence of a bad economy, with new technologies for Web-enabled communications, and new work methodologies (telecommuting, job-sharing, E-Collaboration, outsourcing, flex-time)—has created an opportunity for creative talent strategies/programs that can align to benefit both employers and employees.

Recruiters and HR departments charted with retaining, attracting and re-hiring top talent to their workplace would be wise to ask themselves 2 questions:

1) Are we an “age-friendly” employer?

2) Do our policies and practices encourage the best from-and-between workers of all ages in our organization?

For the first time in history, four different generations are at work in the workplace simultaneously. This demographic alignment creates opportunities and challenges for management who should seek to ensure cross-generational alignment, improved understanding and cooperation so that workers “play well with each other”—whether an employee is 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, or beyond…

This topic has been ably explored in the current edition of the SHRM Research Quarterly (Q1-09), and featured in an article in the March 2009 issue of HR Magazine:“The Multigenerational Workforce: Opportunity for Competitive Success”

The chart at the top of this article (from the SHRM Research) describes “Assets to the Workplace” that each of the 4 generations provide. The SHRM report is well worth reading and concludes by noting that in order for organizations to optimize their talent “it is critical to leverage the strengths of each generation.”

Pioneering the value of “Age Friendly Employers” is RetirementJobs.com--- the leading career website for workers over 50. Through a process of age-friendly employer certification, RetirementJobs.com qualifies employers who’ve shown through their example that they value workers of all ages, and in particular—see that the career and life experience, common worker characteristics offered by “mature” workers are qualifications that make them excellent, loyal and reliable employees.

((Full disclosure:I’m proud to have been part of the leadership team at RetirementJobs.com since 2006))

Other respected workplace watchers who’ve commented on this subject include Brad Taft andmy friend Carleen MacKay, of AgelessInAmerica.com who co-authored a helpful book (“Boom or Bust!: New Careers in a New America”) and whose“10 Myths and 10 Facts About Mature Workers” is succinct and enlightening.

In my view, a seminal opinion on multigenerational talent comes from Bridget and John Sumser, a Daughter-Father team who gave a great joint presentation at OnRec (Internet recruiting conference) back in September 2006 on “Multigenerational Recruiting”.

The Sumsers set a great example about how different generations can contribute together: Bridget graduated from Mills College in 2006 and works for a non-profit in the Bay Area focused on encouraging elementary school kids to lead healthy lifestyles, be enaged students and active in their communities. John is Founder of IBN: interbiznet.com, a leading analyst firm for the Electronic Recruiting Industry and publisher of the Interbiznet Bugler a respected daily online update of recruiting news.

So… what can you do to make the most of employees/colleagues in your own organization (no matter their age)? Here are some thoughts…

Rafter’s Eight Tips to Leverage 4 Generations of Talent in Your Organization:

1. Seek to combine the best of The Old and of The New
   
2. Develop a workplace culture that values experience & rewards enthusiasm/creative thinking
   
3. Offer your employees flexible work arrangements. In most cases it doesn’t really matter how long people work or where they work. What’s important is results. Because people ofdifferent ages have different involvements and commitments outside of the office – offer work options such as flex time, part-time, contract work, seasonal work, barters, etc. in orderto get a win-win between employer and employee. Simple accommodations can make your employees more loyal (and you’ll avoid turnover and talent flight).
   
4. Always be learning: Spread knowledge, skills and wisdom up and down the age spectrum
   
5. Convene interactive in-person sessions (or workshops) to re-educate your workforce to think beyond stereotypes:
   ***All Boomers aren’t technologically illiterate (Jupiter reference)
   ***All GenXers aren’t lazy, selfish people who work at Starbucks.
   ***All GenY/Millennials don’t have multiple piercings and tattoos
   
6. Hierarchical organizations are atavisms of the industrial revolution—build a meritocracy in which talent and innovation are recognized, and rewarded.
   
7. Teach old dogs new tricks: While Boomers may have grown up with newspapers, records and only 3 TV channels, that doesn’t mean they aren’t eager and willing to learn how to Twitter or friend a 20-something on Facebook.
   
8. LinkIn with Senior Talent--- In the days before social networks, networking was more convoluted (conferences, old-boy networks, informational interviews). People who are in their early or middle career—can learn lots from the hard-won experiences of older workers. Similarly, older workers make great mentors with whom you ask questions, seek advice, bounce off ideas. Connect with them online and in-person. Often. Young and old will benefit.

Benjamin Disraeli could well be an example of the poster child for someone who was impactful at a young age and as an elder—and also as someone who navigated tough times such as our current “Great Recession.” After his failed career as a lawyer and financial ruin from the Mining Bubble of 1825--in 1832 at the age of 28, Disraeli embarked on a career in public service that would last 48 years—up until the year before he died.

Given his example and personal experience, Disraeli gets the final word:
“Experience is the child of Thought, and Thought is the child of Action.”

What are YOUR thoughts and suggestions?

LinkedIn-- The Platform for Mutual Advantage

A recent article in AdAge "LinkedIn Skyrockets as Job Losses Mount" notes that fueled by the troubled economy--- LI is now up to 7.7 million unique visitors, counts 36 million members and is adding a member a second. Impressive growth. The article comments on LinkedIn's business, its profitability and multiple revenue streams.

It's no surprise to me that LinkedIn is doing so well. I've been an unabashed fan of it as one of the most powerful 'free' online tools for any communications pro. Back in October 2007,

Ragan's Media Relations Report wrote on LinkedIn as "The newest way to connect to the media" detailing how "LinkedIn is helping PR people and journalists build virtual relationships—not to mention business connections."

MRR asked me for my thoughts for the article:

“Its principal value to PR pros is that it offers a free, Web-based way to research people you want to know more about,” says Rafter. “Being able to read the profiles of individual freelancers, writers, editors, analysts, pundits and conference organizers is enormously valuable. The more I know about someone before I pitch them, the more succinct and effective my pitch will be.”

Bottom-line:

LinkedIn is a helpful service whether you're a marketing/comms pro or someone in cleantech--its a great way to locate and connect with clients, enablers, references, opinions
Whether you're an employer, an in-house employee, an independent consultant, or someone who's currently underemployed in search of your next opportunities-- you can get a lot out of it.
Personally--- I find it much more substantial than Twitter and more professionally focused than Facebook.

To get the most out of LinkedIn let me recommend helpful tips from Sharon Thomas DeLay in her article: "Step up your LinkedIn Profile to stand apart"

Hope you can all stand apart and that people who will appreciate your value will connect with you. Long live "mutual advantage."

Check out my LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickrafter and let me if I can help you.

Don't Tweet What You Eat-- it ain't worth SPIT

While Charlie Hash is only 19--- there's a reason he's called Mr. Blog Professional.
His posts are helpful tips for people who want to get more out of their blogs.

Today he posted his 10 tips to get more followers on Twitter for Blog Promotion

See Charlie's Ten Tips at http://tinyurl.com/alnyk9

My suggestion for an 11th Twitter tip:
"Don't tweet what you eat"

Does anyone really care that someone just snarfed a slice of pizza)?
Use Twitter to communicate and connect with others on things that really matter.

I call those kinds of tweets "SPIT" (a combination of spam and Twitter).

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

Ravit Lichtenberg has written an interesting piece "10 Ways Social Media Will Change in 2009" delivering his perspective of the status quo and what's likely ahead in social media.

Ravit notes that while everyone seemingly is looking to leverage the power of social media—“social media today is (sic) a pure mess: it has become a collection of countless features, tools, and applications fighting for a piece of the pie.”

John Naisbitt made his oft-quoted comment "we're drowning information yet starved for knowledge" in Megatrends, way back in back in 1982. If we were drowning then, where are we now?

Despite all the innovations in tagging, SEO, new tools, etc.-- locating content and reliable sources on topics that are highly relevant and personally important is getting more and more difficult. Twitter Tweets on what someone had for lunch are a waste of time. While Social Media enable transparent communications-- we still can't effectively separate the wheat from the chaff?

Companies seeking to leverage social media for benefits—shouldn’t confuse the technology of communications with the higher purposes of communications:
connection, exchange, alignment, and learning

Leave it to a poet to articulate this much better:

“Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”
T.S. Eliot “Choruses from The Rock” (1934)