A technology for the cyber-marketing age

Article Abstract:

First Virtual Holdings announces a system of virtual tags that promises to simplify electronic commerce and revolutionize advertising. Advertisers embed the tags in their multimedia advertisements. Users see the sales copy by moving a mouse over the ad, and if they decide to purchase the item, they may do so without leaving the advertisement. Although both the merchant and the consumer must employ Virtual Holding systems, they do not have to add hardware or software to their systems, and the technology occupies only several thousand bytes of memory. The consumer's credit card number travels as an e-mail message over existing, secure financial networks. Only a personal identification number and a code name pass over the Internet. To commit theft or fraud, a thief would have to break into a consumer's private mailbox and capture both the confirmation messages that come from First Virtual and the individual merchant, a step experts say is unlikely.

Advertising, Advertising and Related Services, Methods, Innovations, Telecommunications industry, Communications industry, Electronic commerce, E-commerce, Advertising services, Company technology development, Advertising (Industry), First Virtual Holdings Inc.

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Judge stands by ruling on Prodigy's liability

Article Abstract:

Judge Stuart L. Ain refuses to reverse a ruling that Prodigy Services could be held liable for messages posted by its subscribers, claiming that precedents for dealing with online issues must be established. The original ruling that Prodigy acts as a publisher and not merely a carrier rose out of a $200 million libel suit that was later dropped. Judge Ain determined that Prodigy acts as a publisher in part because the company makes an effort to screen its content for objectionable words and pictures. Ain did say that Prodigy's lawyers had substantially changed their arguments since the original decision, but still claimed that they offered insufficient evidence to rehear the case and that the dropping of the libel suit was also insufficient reason to reopen proceedings. Prodigy's lawyers and industry observers claim that the precedent will carry less weight because of Ain's acknowledgement of the significant changes in the lawyers' arguments.

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For an apology, firm drops suit against Prodigy

Article Abstract:

Stratton Oakmont Pres Daniel Porush drops a $200 million libel lawsuit against Prodigy after the on-line service apologizes, and Stratton further agrees not to block Prodigy's attempt to persuade the presiding judge to overturn an earlier ruling that states the on-line service was the publisher of on-line postings. If Justice Stuart L. Ain refuses to overturn the decision, Prodigy and other on-line services may be held held responsible for messages passed among their users. Prodigy contends that it is merely a distributor and therefore not legally responsible for the comments its users exchange. The disputed message was posted on Prodigy's 'Money Talk,' the service's most popular bulletin board and claimed that Porush had made fraudulent stock offerings. Prodigy states that its apology contains no acceptance of responsibility, and the company had planned to use truth as a defense in the lawsuit, since Porush is under SEC investigation.

Stratton Oakmont Inc.

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