Facebook’s Q1 results reassured Wall Street that the world’s largest social network was keeping up with consumers’ shift from PCs to smartphones. Today’s graphic looks at the share price performance for a variety of Web 2.0 companies (LinkedIn, Yelp, Pandora, Facebook, Zynga, Groupon, & Friendfinder). Besides LinkedIn and Yelp, the other companies’ share prices have struggled significantly since their IPOs.

A banking education company that took over a former employee’s LinkedIn account misappropriated her identity and right to publicity under Pennsylvania law, but did not commit identity theft and owes no compensatory or punitive damages, a federal judge has ruled.

“The outcome of this case results in a somewhat mixed bag for both sides,” U.S. District Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said.

(Westlaw users: Click here for more stories from Westlaw Journal Computer & Internet.)

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Here’s a quick check-in with our friends over at Westlaw Insider to see what’s been going on in the legal world this past week: (more…)

At this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival, we were pleased to host a Knowledge Exchange panel exploring the idea of “the new professional.” Our moderator Heidi Moore, New York bureau chief and Wall Street correspondent for American Public Media’s “Marketplace” led the discussion. The conversation focused on changing values, skills, and the continuous need for individuals and companies to adapt. Reid Hoffman, co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn, stressed the need for professionals to be more self directed and take “responsibility for their own evolution.” He talked about adaptability being the new stability. He was joined on the panel with Deirdre Stanley, executive vice president and general counsel for Thomson Reuters, Mark Penn, worldwide CEO of Burson-Marsteller and Susan Peters, vice president of executive development and chief learning officer for General Electric Company.

Three big themes emerged. Technology and the reliance of networks and communities for information, distributed teams that bring multiple cultures and diverse thought together, and the true value of this new professional class emerging in terms of our ability to problem solve, interpret data and put into context. (more…)

Today was the first full day of the Aspen Ideas Festival, and it was a very full day indeed, with more than 30 sessions and events focusing on themes ranging from world affairs, the economy, our planet, arts and culture and America 2012. We were very pleased to be involved in today’s conference program: 

Thomson Reuters Digital Editor Chrystia Freeland opened the day with a session in which she interviewed Honeywell CEO Dave Cote about his proposal for an “American Competitiveness Agenda.”

Chrystia also interviewed Simon Johnson, professor of global economics at MIT’s Sloan School of Management in a session titled “White House Burning: The Founding Fathers, Our National Debt, and Why It Matters to You.”

We also hosted a Knowledge Exchange panel discussion on “The New Professional,” featuring our chief counsel Deirdre Stanley.

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Some of the most interesting, provocative and salient quotes we heard around the Aspen Ideas Festival today:

“We are not perfect, but we are a force for good, and things are better because we are here.” – Douglas McMillon, President & CEO, Walmart International

“Storytelling gives soul to technology.” - Kenji Williams, Founder & Director of Bella Gaia

“When did we start to give the responsibility of job creation to administrations as opposed to companies that have a lot more control over that?” – Heidi Moore, New York bureau chief and Wall Street correspondent

“Does leadership create the culture, or does the culture create leaders?” Susan P. Peters, VP of Executive Development & Chief Learning Officer, General Electric Company

“There is no distinction between social and ecological.” – David McConville, President, Buckminster Fuller Institute

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The Flame virus is on the attack. LinkedIn, eHarmony and Last.fm users had their passwords stolen. Hackers are targeting smart phones. Reuters social media editor Anthony De Rosa gets three top cyber security experts to disclose the best ways you can avoid becoming a victim.

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The constantly changing and evolving nature of the Internet and social media presents unique challenges to those managing trademarks and brands online. There isn’t always a clear answer when it comes to things like how best to protect your brand’s reputation online, how to interpret new policies and procedures of ICANN, and how to decide which social networks to monitor for trademark infringement, just to name a few of the issues.

Thomson CompuMark has created a new LinkedIn Group to provide a forum for trademark professionals, brand owners, and others from around the globe to exchange ideas and opinions, and share news and information, to gain a better understanding of the issues and challenges faced, and ultimately to help you successfully manage your brand online.

Join the conversation