PUBLIC MARKS from phdunay with tag google

Most companies are totally unprepared to deal with the new e-nastiness. That's worrisome as the Web moves closer to being the prime advertising medium—and reputation conduit—of our time.

Consider Jason Goldberg, CEO of the job-finding site Jobster. He discovered what blogs can do, the hard way. In December, rumors began swirling that Jobster was planning layoffs. On his blog, Goldberg stoutly denied everything. A week later, Jobster announced it was laying off 40 percent of its staff, something Goldberg had to have known all along. The mocking blog entries piled on.

Google users trade personal information in return for free use of Google's online services. This situation creates a perfect market for disintermediators like Seth Goldstein, who think the personal information is worth far more than users are getting back in services from Google and other providers.