Social Media Drove Just 1% of Black Friday Online Sales

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Despite the increased use of social media and new online platforms in the past decade, a direct measure of online traffic during Black Friday this year showed that social media played a very small role in the record hitting sales. In fact, only 1% of traffic and purchases on Black Friday and the week as a whole were directly generated by social media sites. That number is based on IBM tracking transactions across 800 U.S. retail websites. According to strategy director at IBM Smarter Commerce Jay Henderson, it has been the flat trend year-to-year, with no dramatic change. According to Henderson, although social media may not have a direct impact, it has a "huge indirect influence" on shopping decisions through brand building and product awareness. To illustrate this, Adobe Digital Index found that there were more social media conversations on Black Friday than Thanksgiving Day. IBM tried to analyze the indirect influence of social media on sales through two social media sites, Facebook and Pinterest. Shoppers referred from Facebook were found to have an average order value of $52.10 while shoppers from Pinterest had a much higher average order value of $92.51. However, Facebook converted sales almost four times the rate of Pinterest, which Henderson believes is due to Facebook's sophisticated ad tools. IBM hopes to have better methods of measuring indirect influences that social media has on shoppers in the future.

Although the direct correlation of social media and Black Friday sales are low, it is clear publics are on social media sites and using them as a platform to have conversations about retail stores and shopping. While companies such as IBM look to improve their measuring methods, how can companies be sure that their investments will translate into returns? Also, with the variety of social media platforms increasing on a daily basis, how can companies make the best selections of where they can advertise?

Where Teens are Going Instead of Facebook

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Teenagers are the biggest influencers of modern day communication trends, which make them an extremely important demographic for social media sites to target. Chief Financial Officer of Facebook, David Ebersman recently started seeing a downward trend of daily users on the site, especially among teenagers. In a survey of teenagers in 30 countries, they found that the number of teenagers claiming to be active on Facebook dropped from 76% in the first quarter to 56% in the third quarter of 2013. Instead, it looks like the young teenagers are more active on mobile chat services such as WeChat, which has grown 1,021% between the first and second quarters of this year and photo sharing apps such as Instagram. It looks like there is a clear shift to mobile in general, and companies should be adapting to that.

Have teenagers always been the trailblazers and biggest influencers of communication and media? If so, how can existing social network sites adapt to the changing trend of communication and keep the teenagers plugged in? Just because there is a decline in activities from teenagers, does that mean that Facebook is in true danger, despite the other demographics that are still active on the site?

Red Cross Apologizes for Tweeting False Typhoon Haiyan Image

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On Monday, November 11th, Red Cross posted an inaccurate graphic image comparing the size of Typhoon Haiyan to the continental U.S. The tweet read, "A storm the size of Typhoon Haiyan would cover nearly the entire continental U.S." The tweet went viral, with users retweeting the shocking image more than 700 times and appearing in blogs before the Red Cross issued a correction and apology hours later. Before the apology, Nate Cohn from The New Republic noticed the incorrect image that the Red Cross posted and tweeted "The map of Haiyan over the United States is a hoax and inaccurate". This prompted the Red Cross to looking into the inaccurate image and eventually issuing the correction and apology.

Although the Red Cross put out an immediate apology, it was an avoidable mistake that should have been caught before it went public. It is especially important for non-profit organizations such as Red Cross that seek donations to gain credibility and trust from the public. When people look to donate their money for a cause, it is important that they feel confident in the organization's ability to properly handle and allocate their funds. A loss of credibility over a false tweet can really affect people's decision to donate to the organization.

Twitter IPO

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Twitter, the online social networking and micro blogging service, had an initial public offering (IPO) on November 7, 2013. The company launched in 2006 and generates around $140 million in revenue per year and boasts around 200 million users worldwide. Prior to the IPO, private venture capital investors valued the company at more than $1.2 billion. Only a dozen private companies are valued over $1 billion and many of them have already had informal talks with bankers in regards to going public. Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan led the Twitter IPO and raised nearly $2 billion. A major concern around this IPO, is the lack of profits that Twitter has generated, but the current share price of $41 proves that it is no obstacle. The success of this IPO, paves the way for other private tech companies to rationalize their valuations, such as the company Square and Airbnb, which are exploring the possibility of going public in the near future.

Other companies such as Dropbox, Pinterest and Snapchat have raised valuations in the billions in a short period of time. Venture Capital investors are recognizing that social media services have huge potential to turn their mass users into reliable sources of revenue, even before posting a profit. When a company such as Twitter, is able to touch that many people, there is always a way to make money out of it. Every company is beginning to implement marketing strategies around facebook, twitter, tumblr, youtube, as they are becoming crucial elements in the success of these organizations. A Google ventures partner claimed that this Twitter IPO shows there is a strong demand for consumer web and tech companies which have not yet fully developed their business fundamentals.

Use Your Mind to Drive a Car

Use your Mind to Drive a Car

Alejo Bernal, a graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven, has recently developed a toy car that can be driven forward with thought, using NeuroSky EEG Headset. Aside from using this gadget for recreational purposes, individuals diagnosed with attention deficit disorders can also benefit from this technology. According to Bernal, "As you try to focus, the increased light intensity of the vehicle indicates the level of attention you have reached. Once the maximum level is achieved and retained for seven seconds, the vehicle starts moving forward. This project has helped users to develop deeper, longer concentration by exercising the brain. IT is possible for people to train or treat their minds through their own efforts and not necessarily using strong medicines, such as ritalin." This is a monumental advancement in EEG technology, which has been used in the past to control drones, exoskeletons, and even other human beings.

The mind controlled car is only in its prototype phase and not expected to hit markets anytime in the near future. However, the advancement of this technology is fascinating and can potentially lead to very effective treatments for patients and may even change the ways cars are driven some day! I am curious to see how the EEG sensors continue to advance and determine how strong the mind truly is.

Mobile Device Delivers Rapid AIDS Test Results in an Hour

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A nanotechnology firm by the name of Nanobioysm created a mobile device that can accurately test for AIDS/HIV in under an hour. The Gene-Radar is an iPad sized device that works by taking a drop of saliva, blood, or other bodily fluid and placing it on a nanochip that is put into the device. This new technology has the potentially revolutionize medicine by tracking disease outbreaks and helping contain them in remote places of the Earth. In places like Rwanda where there is an AIDS epidemic, they have tests that are fact but not accurate and others that are high in accuracy but take 6 moths to yield results. Even in the US, the "gold standard" tests take at least 2 weeks to get results and can cost $200. The Gene-Radar cuts the cost of these tests almost 50 to 100 times cheaper.

The new technology not only helps cut costs and turnaround time for the results, but it helps with the containment of the disease as well. The results get stored in a cloud so the data can be monitored and analyzed. The CEO of Nanobioysm states that there are 4 billion people on earth without access to healthcare and technology can change that. Instead of reactive care in hospitals and physician offices, this new device can help with preventative care. They are already working on new models that are smaller in size and possibly ingestible in the future.  

Facebook Lowers Age to Allow Teens to Post Publicly

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For the first time, Facebook is allowing teenagers ages 13-17 to have a public voice on the social media platform. Prior to this decision, teens on Facebook were only allowed to share content with friends, friends of friends, and custom groups. According to Facebook, this age group of people are among the savviest users of social media that simply want to be heard. Any teenager that wants to share a status update or post publicly must first manually change the audience setting on his post to "public" before sharing. After doing so, a pop-up explains that the post will be visible to everyone on the site. The post will go live once the user clicks "ok" on this pop-up box, acknowledging he has seen the warning and intends to share publicly. Currently, if a user shares a post publicly, the audience setting will remain on "public" for the user's next post. For teens, a second reminder message will pop up if they choose to post publicly the next time around.

What are some reasons why Facebook decided to make the sudden change? They have been around for nearly 10 years and have always had a large population of teenage users. If the organization had not deemed it as a safe practice in the past, what could have led to this decision? "While only a small fraction of teens using Facebook might choose to post publicly, this update now gives them the choice to share more broadly, just like on other social media services." This comment makes it clear that the organization is trying to keep up with competitors in order to keep their teenage population active on Facebook. What are parents' views on this? Would you feel comfortable having your teenager post publicly on the platform? What are some of the repercussions that can arise from this?

Your Face May Appear in a Google Ad Soon

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Google is following Facebook's footsteps in using its users for advertisement purposes without compensating them. The company announced that users' names, profile pictures, and endorsements may appear on
reviews, advertisements and other commercial contexts under a new terms of service. According to Google, "shared endorsements" help people "save time" and improve results. Recommendations from people that users already know is relevant and useful. Users may now think twice before they press the +1 button on endorsements of products and services. Otherwise, their face may appear on others' Google + accounts. The organization does give users the ability to opt out of the program and is targeting adults over 18. However, how many people will actually be aware of this and make the change to their settings?  

Based on the comments of the article, it seems as though the public has mixed feelings about this recent news. While some people simply do not care that their faces will appear on future advertisements, others are disgruntled that they are not being compensated by Google. Of course, there are those strongly feel that this is an infringement of privacy. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you feel taken advantage of?

Instagram Will Bring Advertisements in the Near Future

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Instagram is a hugely popular free photo and video sharing service that has become widely downloaded by users in the past several years. The organization recently announced that they will be serving ads to their users in the near future. They will be taking a subtle approach by delivering the advertisements in small numbers and in the form of photos and videos from a handful of brands that are already members of the Instagram community. Their objective is to make the ads feel as natural as possible so that it will not mar the user experience. Users will have the option to hide ads that they do not like and even provide feedback. As of now, the ads will be limited to users only in the United States. Instagram's reason for introducing advertisements is to build a sustainable business that will be able to support and prepare for the large future plans of the organization.

Is it inevitable for all large social media sites and applications to use advertisements in order to financially sustain themselves while continuing to offer free services? Even the social media giant Facebook was once without advertisements. Once the free site started growing exponentially in users and advanced in applications and programs, they implemented an aggressive advertisement plan to increase revenues. If that is the case, even though the ads may be annoying to some degree and is not a user-favorite, isn't it worth it for users to deal with them in order for them to continue enjoying free services with new and upgraded features?  

Facebook to Show Users Less Unwanted Ads in Newsfeed

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This recent news article talks about the decision that Facebook made to change their advertisement policy in order to contain fewer advertisements for products and services that users are not interested in. Facebook stated that "When deciding which ad to show to which groups of people, we are placing emphasis on feedback we receive from people about ads, including how often people report or hid an ad". The world's No. 1 online social network has been trying to make ads more prominent without receiving backlash from its users. However, it has started taking over more space on users' main newsfeeds. Nate Elliot from Forrester Research said Facebook needs to keep weight-loss and teeth whitening ads in the less intrusive, right-hand side of the web page while reserving the space within users' newsfeed for higher quality ads. The company did not elaborate on the details of the change, but users can expect to see some changes in the distribution of advertisements.

Advertisements generate roughly 85% of Facebook's revenues, so it must have meant that the organization was facing quite a bit of resistance and complaints from users in order for them to make this decision. As important as revenue from advertisements are, the user experience is even more important. In order to continue growing the the network of users and avoid backlash from individuals who feel that their private space is invaded, social networks need to be strategic and careful not to cross the line when it comes to advertisement. It will be interesting to see which approach Facebook takes to re-vamp their advertisement policy and whether it will change the types of organizations that advertise with them.

Facebook Partners with FOX Sports

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As football season comes into full swing, I am constantly reminded of how it has become such a large, popular part of the American culture. Although I am not a personal fan, it seems like once fall rolls around each year, football is all I read about on social media sites and hear about during conversations with friends, colleagues, and family members. It is no wonder that Facebook and FOX Sports engaged in a 6-month partnership during football season to bring polls, real time conversations, and viewer questions to enhance the telecast of games. According to the article, around 30 million Facebook users generated over 60-million NFL related interactions during the league's opening week. FOX Sports will take advantage of the high volume of activity on Facebook by using their data in a number of different ways to provide supplemental real-time social analysis to its live broadcasts, including the new FOX Sports 1 network. This is not the first time that a partnership of this nature has formed. In May, ESPN partnered with Twitter to promote television shows over the social networking site.

This partnership formed without any costs to either parties because it is a mutually beneficial endeavor. Social media sites thrive on busy conversations with many participants and organizations can use data on those conversations to target their topics and content around their audiences. In a statement given to Mashable, Justin Osofsky, VP of media partnerships and online operations for Facebook said, "Sports are inherently social and a big part of the conversations occurring on Facebook." Even for organizations that may not be traditionally "social", they can and should use social media sites to add an interactive spin to their product or service to enhance sales and production. It is a win-win situation!

Avoiding Post-Downsizing Voluntary Turnover

When an organization makes the difficult decision to downsize personnel, it is typically due to financial reasons. Even it is not necessarily due to economic hardships, without proper communication, internal and external publics often assume that it is. Naturally, survivors speculate on their personal future with the organization and wonder whether they have job stability or not. After all, if the organization decided to downsize, what is to stop them from doing another round of layoffs shortly after? The fear of being layoff victims themselves leave survivors to lose their loyalty their current employer and start looking for job stability in other organizations.

Management does not always know what is to come in the foreseeable future. In fact, it is quite possible that one round of layoffs can indeed lead to others down the road. How can employers retain employees with such uncertainty of the future? It would be unethical for employers to make false promises of stability to employees and difficult to give any definitive answers. The most effective ways that management can retain employees is to communicate any information in regards to the future of the organization honestly and frequently. Whether the news is good or bad, big or little, it is important for employees to be fully aware of what is to come so that they can appropriately plan for the future. Furthermore, organizations should invest in developing the existing employees' skills through training and seminars to increase their marketability. It shows appreciation and value to the employees, who in turn may remain loyal to the organization. The company ultimately benefits from staff development because it reduces turnover and improves skills, which leads to higher productivity.

Be a Transformational Leader

Successful management of employees is a challenging and dynamic task in any given situation. When companies go through organizational changes such as layoffs, it is especially difficult for managers to keep their employees focused and maintain productivity. Studies have shown that transformational leadership has an impact on cynicism about organizational change (CAOC). It helps to minimize resistance to change and negative emotions towards an organization during change.

So, what is transformational leadership and what does it entail? There are 6 dimensions or behaviors of TLB that are designed to help managers achieve successful leadership outcomes. The most important factor is identifying and articulating a clear vision to the employees. Regardless of whether an organization is going through change or not, it is important that employees are clear of what the company's vision is because it gives them insight on their future looks like with the organization. The second dimension is fostering the acceptance of group goals. Transformational leaders should promote cooperation among employees to encourage each other to work towards a common goal. This keeps them involved and reliant on each other to get through the change. The third behavior is the expectation of high performance from employees. Although the organization may be going through change, expecting high levels of quality and productivity builds confidence in employees and gives them a sense of accomplishment. Fourthly, transformational leaders should provide intellectual stimulation by encouraging employees to find creative ways of improving their performance. This should reduce cynicism because increased involvement helps enhance employees' perception of change. The fifth behavior, which is being a role model seems cliche but is extremely important. It is imperative for leaders to set behavioral examples that are consistent with the organization's goals and vision. This helps employees build a level of trust and commitment to the organization. Lastly, individualized support is key to transformational leadership. Employees are likely to respond to the initiatives of leaders who care about them as individuals and take the time to hear their input. Regardless of how busy each day is, it is crucial to set time aside to run pulse checks on employees in order to effectively lead them through change.

Honesty is the Best Policy

When employers make the difficult decision to conduct layoffs, it creates anxiety and tension for employees, mainly because they are unsure of their personal job security in the organization. Studies have shown that perceived threat of job loss is highly correlated with turnover intention. When employees feel that their jobs are in serious jeopardy, they inevitably start looking at other employment opportunities in which they can find stability. Feelings of uncertainty and intentions to leave the organization lead to unproductive behavior and ultimately affects business in a negative way. How can employers minimize the frenzy that goes on following the announcement of a layoff? 

Often times, employees act spontaneously based on assumptions and incorrect information from the rumor mill. If employers can engage in honest, clear communication with their employees, they can effectively diminish assumptions and eliminate unnecessary anxiety. Even when they have to deliver unfortunate news, it is beneficial to give employees a realistic idea of what is to come in the future so they can plan ahead and focus on necessary tasks. If there is no news to deliver, management should honestly state that there is no news but give a time frame of when employees can receive an update. It is important for management to create a communication schedule that consists of frequent communication to employees following the announcement of a layoff. In order to reach out to all of the employees, there should be mixed methods of communication including emails, phone calls, informational sessions, and even one-on-one meetings. 

Inclusion of Employees During Downsizing

Downsizing in organizations inevitably lead to low morale among surviving employees. They often feel uncertain of their own fates in the organization, disengaged, and unmotivated to concentrate on productivity. Studies have shown that perceived control serves as an antidote to these types of negative effects of layoffs. While the remaining employees may not have much actual say in major financial and organizational decisions in the company, it is extremely important to include them in discussions on what is to come in the future. By inviting them to be a part of the change processes, employers are empowering them and giving them confidence that may lead to increases in both loyalty to the organization and work productivity. One way that employers can do this is by conducting open forums with two-way conversations where management shares information with the staff and vice versa. While it may not be feasible to consider everyone's input and concerns, it is a helpful way for the employees' voices to be heard and possibly make a difference. If it is uncomfortable to communicate in large crowds, management can run smaller focus groups that are a more comfortable environment for employees to openly and honestly share their opinions.

Pay for it Now or Later?

One of the issues that has emerged as a common and important factor in the study of layoffs is perceived fairness in an organization's practices.During a period of downsizing, employees are sensitive to the way that the organization approaches the matter and how those who will be let go are treated. Some areas of focus are on amount of notice given to employees, amount of information communicated, and amount of severance and extended benefits. Studies have shown that when survivors feel that their colleagues have been treated fairly, their levels of loyalty and productivity remain higher than when an organization mistreats or short-changes the layoff victims. Thus, it may be a good idea for organizations to start investing in longer benefit extensions and more competitive severance plans. Sure, the main reason that companies need to downsize are due to economic reasons, but these investments can lead to long term increases in productivity and employee dedication.

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Layoff Blues

In doing research on the topic of layoffs and how they affect the "survivors", I have come across some interesting literature on some of the key factors that negatively and positively influence their work productivity and overall opinion of the organization. In several articles, it was mentioned that the bonds survivors had with the employees that were laid off is one of the most influential factors of post-layoff productivity and morale. The closer the relationships that the survivors have with the victims of the layoff, the degree of negative impact on the organization increases. How then, can employers minimize the decline in morale and work productivity after a layoff or downsizing? It is not as if they have the power to dictate relationships and the bonds that naturally form in the work place. One article suggests that communication from management to help employees understand why certain events are happening is crucial in ensuring their commitment to the organization. Losing a close colleague can certainly be detrimental for employees, but assurance and support from management can certainly help ease some of the anxiety.

McDonald's Tweet: Ulterior Motives?

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This week’s ethics blog is based off an article by USA TODAY. The article speaks on the story about the Ohio kidnappings of the three female victims, who were imprisoned for 10 years but were rescued by the efforts of a man named Charles Ramsey, who lived across the street from the house where the victims were being held hostage. During an interview, Charles described how he was at “McDonalds” and was eating his “McDonalds”, when he heard a scream and noticed a young girl banging on a neighbor’s door. He had gone outside to see what was wrong and the young girl (Amanda Berry) told him that she had been locked up in this house for several years. This discovery led to the police raiding the house and uncovering the rest of the victims, as well as the perpetrators. However, a side story that has arisen from this country-wide event, stems from a “tweet” made by burger giant McDonald’s saying “we are hoping to do what thousands of people have urged it to do: a good deed for the McDonald’s-eating hero who helped free the Cleveland kidnap victims”. In the world of rapid social media, this tweet has seen a controversial blowback to McDonalds, accusing it of “news-jacking”, where they are taking advantage of a situation to help their brand.

McDonald’s strongly insisted that there was no intention to use Mr. Ramsey’s words as an opportunity to strengthen its brand. Spokeswoman Danya Proud said that thousands of people reached out to them expressing their sentiment to McDonald’s to do something for Charles Ramsey. On one hand, some Public Relations experts feel that McDonald’s had no choice but to voice their support, with all the media attention that was surrounding the issue. Others claim that it raised too many eyebrows and opened up a whole can of issues, thinking it was more fitting for a local restaurant chain than a multi-billion dollar corporation. This just shows the vast implications on public perception through social media and that one should really discern what is the right way to respond to the public without leading to serious blowbacks. There could have been a way to reward Mr. Ramsey, without making a huge public commotion about it. Either way, this presents a new wave of ethical issues surrounding social media and public relations of large multi-national companies that are yet to come.

$100,000 – Cost to Stay Alive

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            This article sheds light on pharmaceutical companies and how they price some of their most sought after drugs at an astronomically high price that is unaffordable for most people. A recent paper published by American Society of Hematology’s medical journal Blood, looks at the cost of drugs that are used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) by increasing the 10-year survival rate at 80%. However, the cost for the medication is in the six figures, making it extremely difficult for patients with no insurance to obtain. One example of pharmaceutical companies naming their own price on medications is Gleevic, which is a miracle cancer drug that has dramatically increased the survival rate for patients with CML. Initially, the drug was priced at $30,000/year, then took a dramatic increase over the past decade to more than $76,000/year. The pharmaceutical companies blame the insurance companies for the hike in prices, but according to this article, it seems like they are taking advantage of the high demand of these life-saving drugs to increase their profit margins. Physicians hope that pharmaceutical companies will take action and make their costs affordable to give everyone a fighting chance to survive.

            Pharmaceutical companies understandably need funds from their sales to put into research and development in order to continue making effective drugs for the infinite amount if diseases and illnesses that exist. However, it is clear that the companies are hiking their prices to unreasonable amounts knowing that people have no other alternative in order to survive. While pharma companies do give out free drugs to some patients that are unable to afford the medications, there is still a large patient population that continues to struggle to meet the high cost of these life-saving drugs. The practices of these companies seem to be unethical, as it is causing extreme hardships for the majority of people who need to be on the medication. In extremely unfortunate cases, patients are not able to afford the drugs altogether and are forced to suffer. What changes can be made to lower their costs? Would the government need to get involved?

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The recent incident at Rutgers University and former basketball coach Mike Rice has the public questioning the ethical practices of the leadership team in the organization. This blog entry by Keith Lee Rupp highlights the fact that Rutgers University is ironically the home of the prestigious Institute for Ethical Leadership (IEL), which recently received a 2.6 million dollar grant from the Prudential Foundation. This blog post notes that there are three broad levels of ethical behavior: basic compliance of rules, sense of social fairness, and principled response. The fact that students had been complaining about Mike Rice and his abusive coaching approach before the video was leaked suggests that leadership was already aware of his behavior but did not do anything about it. Only after the public caught wind of the incident did Rutgers decide to terminate the coach and take action. They failed to carry out the third level of ethical behavior, which is making the right choice even when nobody is watching or aware. In other words, the organization lacked integrity in their actions.

The IEL's mission statement includes a line that states, "Leaders must be prepared to deal the more complicated and subtle critical care thinking and decision-making processes required to create an organizational culture where ethical practice and behavior become habit". It is clear that the organization did not act according to these standards and the fact that they took the appropriate measures after the incident was highly publicized made their response seem insincere. It also devalues the IEL and the work that they are trying to accomplish. The PR team at Rutgers needs to ensure that the leaders are re-trained on the fundamental ethical decision making processes in order to prevent future instances that can lead to even further damage for the organization.

Ex-Con Turned Professor

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In recent news, there has been controversy over Kathy Boudin, an ex-con who was convicted of murder, working at Columbia University as an adjunct professor in the school of Social Work. Boudin was a part of a radical group called Weather Underground and was involved in a 1981 armed robbery which took the life of two police officers and one security guard. She was convicted of murder in 1984 and was sentenced to 22 years in jail. She was released from prison on parole in 2003 and was hired by Columbia University in 2008 to teach coursework on re-entering society after incarceration. Although she has been with the organization for the past five years, media outlets recently caught wind of the news and there has been uproar from members of the community, especially from family members of the victims of the murder case. They claim that she is not remorseful of her actions and that she is utilizing her position to push for release of her accomplices that still remain in prison. On the flip side, there are others, including her students that feel as though she is an excellent professor with high evaluations year after year.

Life after prison is never easy, especially for those who have been in there for long periods of time. As a society, we are taught that the ethical thing to do is to give these people a fair chance at life again. By Columbia hiring this woman and giving her the opportunity to lead a normal life once again, it seems like they were doing what was morally just. However, in the viewpoint of the family members of the victims, it is completely understandable as to why they would be upset with her re-entering society and holding such a prestigious position. They have suffered for decades due to the crime that Boudin is responsible for and it is understandably difficult for them to accept it. It is difficult to determine how Columbia University should respond to the backlash they have been receiving. Is it ethical to stand by Boudin or to take a different approach? It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

Plan B Available to Girls of All Ages

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A federal judge on Friday ordered that morning-after pill Plan B be made available over the counter for children of all ages. Currently, girls 16 and under require a prescription to obtain this hormone filled emergency contraceptive. The judge gave the Food & Drug Administration 30 days to lift the age restriction on the the pill. As the court awaits the FDA's response to the order, there is much debate on whether it is the right decision to have young children easily access the pill without having to go through their physician or parental guardian. Dr. Manny Alvarez speaks out about the reasons why this can be potentially harmful to young girls in terms of what the pill can do to their bodies and the message that it sends out. According to Dr. Alvarez, Plan B may lead to side effects including nausea, headaches, and menstrual changes. The effects can be even worse on an adolescent children who have menstrual changes to begin with. Emergency contraceptive is intended to be used for true emergencies and not as a regular method of preventing pregnancy. Without proper sex education, it is difficult for young adolescents to make responsible decisions. Furthermore, Dr. Alvarez feels that the easy access to Plan B fails to teach young children about respecting their bodies and protecting themselves against sexually transmitted diseases.

The argument for allowing Plan B to be easily accessible as an OTC drug for people of all ages is that it will help prevent unwanted pregnancies in young adolescents and teenagers. However, do children that are as young as 11 years old have the maturity to make proper decisions on their own? Shouldn't a pediatrician be involved in educating them and guiding their decision making process? The emergency contraceptive is loaded with a high level of hormones and should not be taken regularly. If there are fully informed grown adults who irresponsibly take the pill regularly as a contraceptive, what is to stop a developing child from misusing the OTC drug that is so readily available? Birth control pills still require a prescription and healthcare providers can not even administer aspirin to underage children without parental consent. It seems like a final decision will not be made soon but these are factors that should certainly be considered.

Soda Ban or Psychological Manipulation?

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Mayor Bloomberg's supersized soda ban proposal, which would have prohibited eateries from selling non-diet sodas larger that 16 ounces was rejected by the Supreme Court earlier this week. In order to protect the welfare of the poor communities who are suffering from the obesity epidemic, the mayor finds the ban on sodas a moral obligation. At a press conference on Monday, Bloomberg said "we have a responsibility as human beings to do something, to save each other, to save the lives of ourselves, our families, our friends." He will continue to press the issue and fight against the obesity crisis, which is expected to claim the lives of 70,000 Americans this year.

In an article by psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow, he believes that it was wise for the Supreme Court to reject Mayor Bloomberg's proposal. According to Ablow, instead of outlawing supersized sodas, tapping into people's inherint desire to be accepted and respected by the community is a more effective way of having obese individuals refrain from picking up a large soda. Instead of spending money on enforcing the soda ban, he thinks the money would be better spent on billboards to psychologically affect the way obese people feel about drinking soda in public. The idea is to have people be shameful and self conscious of drinking 32 ounce sodas so they would opt for the smaller size. This way, they are still acting on their own free will but still making the wiser decision.

The story of Mayor Bloomberg's efforts to enforce the soda ban is ethically questionable. His intentions seem to be valid, but how can one justify taking away people's rights to eat and drink what they want? Where does the line get drawn? Once the soda ban effect, what would be the next item that people would be prohibited from consuming?  On the other hand, the number of obese individuals in the US and New York City is alarming and leaders should be making efforts to get Americans on a healthier track. In any regard, Dr. Ablow's idea of psychologically manipulating individuals to stop drinking supersized sodas seems ethically wrong in my opinion. While it is important to educate the community on the harmful effects of supersized sodas and obesity, psychological manipulation can lead to further issues such as depression and low self esteem. By making people feel shameful of their actions, it sends out the wrong message to the public and children. The more positive way to affect people's psyche is to educate and promote healthy actions, not reprimand them for their actions.

Fired for Being Gay in 2013

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Andre Cooley, a gay man from Mississippi was allegedly fired from his job as a corrections officer due to his sexual orientation. 27 year old Cooley managed to keep the fact that he was gay a secret from his employer and colleagues until one day, when he called the cops due to a violent altercation with his boyfriend and his colleague showed up at the scene. Three days following the incident, Cooley was fired from his job. His employer denies that he was let go due to his sexual orientation and instead argues that it was because of his unprofessional behavior that reflects negatively on the organization. However, Cooley was off-duty at the time of the incident was a victim in the case. Even further, Cooley claims that he was told directly from a supervisor that he was fired for being gay.

After Cooley was fired from his job, he immediately contacted local lawyers to take on his case, but he had no luck because Mississippi is one of the 29 states in the US that do not protect discrimination based on sexual orientation in the work place. Discrimination based on sex, race, age, religion, national origin, and disability are all covered under the federal law, but in these 29 states, sexual orientation and gender identity are not. This means that an employer has the right to not hire or fire people simply because they are gay. This is astounding considering that our current president supports gay rights and marriage and the majority of the general public believe that the LGBT community should have the same rights as anyone else. After investigation, Cooley was eventually granted his job back on the basis that his employer is a federal government and firing an individual for being gay goes against the constitution. However, if it were any other organization that was not apart of the government, it is likely that Cooley would not have been able to win this battle and continue to be out of a job.

This case illustrates how an action can be legal and ethically wrong at the same time. Based on the laws of Mississippi, employers can legally get away with refusing or firing employees simply based on their sexual orientation. Regardless of their work performance, intelligence, talent and excellent work ethics, sexual orientation can take precedence over one's career. Cooley was reportedly an excellent worker before he was fired and after he got his job back, but that did not stop his employer from immediately canning him when his sexual orientation was revealed. The US has dealt with unjust discrimination for decades and it is unbelievable that it still goes on today in 2013. Although it is legally acceptable, organizations must follow their personal code of ethics and mission to determine whether discrimination in any form is morally just.

Gambling or Business?

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Intrade is an online betting site that allows people to make predictions on the outcome of hundreds of actual events throughout the world.   Similar to how stock exchanges show the value of a company share and futures show the value of commodities; prediction markets show the value in the probability of a future event.  Users on this site can buy or sell shares in a specific event from other players in the market and either make a profit or take a loss.  The company was on-track to having a successful year in 2012, until the Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed a lawsuit against Intrade in November, claiming that the Ireland-based company was operating an illegal online business. Intrade immediately banned all its U.S members, but this may cause trouble for the company’s future since they U.S users make up a majority of the site’s business.

However, in March of 2013, New Jersey became the 3rd state to pass an online gambling bill, which reverses the policy made by the US Department of Justice which stated that online gaming was illegal across state lines, since 1961. This turn of events and sudden change of viewpoint on this industry has presented a new way for Intrade to revive as a predictions betting site. The CFTC’s main issue with the site is its involvement in betting on currency prices and a few current events, but nothing related to wagers on politics, which has been a large source of the site’s activity. Also, Intrade also has an opportunity to obtain a license in Nevada, which allows over 20 types of games and continue it’s business with minimal restrictions.

Although Intrade has been portrayed as a gambling site, it wants to present itself more like a market or exchange, having been founded by a former stock trader.  I believe that regardless of the purpose behind the business, it presents and portrays itself with the same qualities as a casino. This may pave the way for very dangerous and potential unethical issues.  Banning of such inter-state and overseas gaming transactions has been to deter severe negative social impacts, associated with gambling addictions. Also, these used to only be limited to traveling to casinos and narrowed down to a specific set of games. A site like Intrade, unleashes a realm of possibilities which allow for wagering on anything from what the weather will be like in a week, who wins the next presidential election, or if the United States will bomb a certain country in a certain year.  I cannot help but see a slippery slope that leads to a serious social dysfunction and addiction that may appeal to a larger population that has typically not been exposed to gambling.  These ethical issues need to be closely monitored and addressed before allowing any more states to reverse the original policy made.

Seafood Fraud

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Consuming seafood has become an essential part of our normal diet and even the AHA (American Heart Association) has recommended eating two seafood meals per week.  Recently, a study performed by a non-profit ocean conservative group called “Oceana” has found many fish, such as snapper and white tuna, to be mislabeled and actually replaced with harmful substitutes such as tilapia and escolar. Oceana employees and volunteers purchased around 1,200 samples from 674 retail stores in 21 states, from 2010 to 2012. DNA results from the study showed that 87% of snapper samples and 57% of tuna samples were mislabeled. Overall, the worst violators of this mislabeling came from sushi venues, where the fish mislabeling was up to 74%, while restaurants had 38% and grocery stores with 18%. Also, certain regions had a higher percentage of offense, with Southern California with 52% mislabeling and Houston/Austin with 49%.

This causes various problems related to health of the consumers, lack of oversight, unfairness to honest parties in the supply chain and fraudulent advertising.  In terms of health, substituted fishes usually are associated with health advisories and sometimes, severe dangers. For example, the Escolar, mislabeled as “white tuna” nearly 84%, is actually banned in many countries such as Italy and Japan. This is due to it containing a natural toxin that can cause serious gastrointestinal effects when ingesting several ounces. As for lack of oversight, the seafood industry has become increasingly complex and is a part of a global network that makes it extremely difficult to track the movement of the fish all the way from the fishing boat up until the final retail store. Only about 2% of all imported seafood is inspected by the FDA and a majority of them are sold in fillet form, processed or in sauce, which causes identifying the fish to be extremely difficult. Being able to pinpoint at which step in the process, the fish was replaced by a substitute is quite a challenge. This mislabeling not only cheats the customer but also the honest fisherman or suppliers who stick to the rules.

There is no clear solution to this mislabeling and fraudulent activity, but it is clear that the global network of seafood supply needs to create a tracing system of some sort that would be able to track the movements of the fish from beginning to end. It is completely unfair for consumers to be paying money to be eating potentially harmful food. If government is unable to intervene or present this type of solution, the customers can take extra precautions by becoming more inquisitive into the species and origin of the fish they are looking to purchase. Becoming educated about the fish they are selling and asking the retailers questions such as if they were wild or farmed, can motivate a more cautious attitude throughout the supply chain.

Ex-mayor Gambles 1 Billion Dollars

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Maureen O'Conner, former mayor of San Diego has had a gambling addiction for the past nine years, having won and lost 1 billion dollars. Initially, she went through her personal funds to support her addiction by liquidated her savings, selling real estate holdings, auctioning valuables and taking out a third mortgage. When she needed more to keep up with her habits, she embezzled over two million dollars from her late husband's  foundation, in which she was a member of the board of trustees.

In court, O'Conner's attorney defended the case by stating that she had a stroke and tumor growing in her brain in 2011, which impaired her judgement to make proper decisions. The court ruled that she would pay the foundation back its two million dollars, pay owed taxes and get treatment for her addiction. If she fulfills the conditions of this deferred prosecution, the court will drop the prosecution in two years.

In this case, is it ethical that O'Conner was let off so easily due to her health condition? Her gambling habits were from nine years ago, long before her stroke. The foundation was a supporter of various philanthropies such  as City of Hope, the Alzheimer's Association, Sharp Healthcare, Little Wishes Foundation, San Diego Hospice and the John Burton Foundation. Due to her actions, the foundation allegedly went bankrupt and many people may have been negatively impacted. I think that the court let her off too easy without any repercussions. However, it will be interesting to see how she manages to fulfill the conditions of her deferred prosecution since she has depleted her funds and is unable to work due to her medical conditions.

Breast Milk for Sale on the Internet

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In today's NYTimes, there was an article on the growing sales of human breast milk on the Internet. Due to the overwhelming demand for natural breast milk, established banks that carry safe, tested milk are limited to distributing their supplies to those who are most in need. As a result, other parents are forced to look into alternative sources on the Internet that are not always reliable. While it is a known fact that breast milk is extremely beneficial for newborns, purchasing milk from strangers on the Internet can potentially lead to health risks for infants. Bodily fluids can hold harmful bacteria and viruses that can pose threat to babies that have underdeveloped immune systems. In addition, substances that are dangerous to newborns such as alcohol, marijuana and certain medications can also be carried through breast milk. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends individuals against feeding babies breast milk acquired directly from individuals or online.

With the alternative of baby formula, is it ethical for parents of healthy babies to be putting their newborns at risk by feeding them breast milk from unidentified sources? It is understandable for high-risk, premature babies who need breast milk for survival to be put on a breast milk diet through a reliable bank. However, it may be counterproductive for most parents who go to these extremes to benefit their children. In addition, it is unfair for parents of healthy babies to tap into the scarce supply of breast milk when there are very sick babies in dire need of this resource.

Is a Fetus a Person?

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This CNN article covers a story about a Catholic hospital in Colorado that is involved in a lawsuit that deals with both ethics and morals. In 2006, a 28 week pregnant woman bearing a set of twins went into cardiac arrest in the Emergency Room of St. Thomas More Hospital. Both the mother and twins died in this tragedy. After the event, the woman's husband, Jeremy Stodgill proceeded to sue the hospital for wrongful death of his wife and unborn twins. The hospital's lawyers defended the case by referencing Colorado's Wrongful Death Act, which does not consider fetuses to be persons. This lawsuit soon gained a lot of attention and criticism for hypocrisy from the public and media, which caused the owners of the hospital, Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) to respond. According to CHI representatives and the state's bishops, they were not aware that their attorneys were referencing the Wrongful Death Act, which clearly contradicts the Catholic belief that human life starts during conception. Furthermore, they promised that the hospital's attorneys would not reference the act in the future.

The moral issue of this story and a large factor of this lawsuit is whether fetuses should be considered persons or not. Clearly, there are opposing views from the State of Colorado and the Catholic church. If the hospital was not affiliated with any religion, it would not have received the mass criticism that this particular hospital did. The main reason why the media responded to this story is because the organization's beliefs were not aligned with their actions. Morals are deeply rooted by factors such as culture or religion and defines people's characters.  There is no right or wrong answer to whether the unborn twins should have been considered persons or not because people have different morals and viewpoints on this topic. However, the contradiction of CHI's religious beliefs and their attorney's actions in court stirs up an ethical issue.

The ethical question in this story is whether CHI was indeed unaware of the fact that their attorneys were citing the Wrongful Death Act. Some may argue that a business is a business and upper management of CHI could have agreed for their attorneys to refer to the Wrongful Death Act, even if it was against their religious beliefs. After all, even hospitals are companies and would lose a large sum of money on a lawsuit as major as this one. The truth may never be revealed, but I personally find it hard to believe that the organization was completely in the dark about the actions that their attorneys were taking.