Category «Communications»

How Congress turns citizens’ voices into data points

Samantha McDonald, University of California, Irvine focuses our attention on an increasingly critical issue – big technology companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google aren’t the only ones facing huge political concerns about using citizen data: So is Congress. Reports by congressional researchers over the last decade describe an outdated communication system that is struggling to address an overwhelming rise in citizen contact.

Subjects: Communications, Congress, KM, Legislative

The Mindful Lawyer: Apps and Other Resources

Nicole Black discusses practical ways for lawyers to combat work related stress. One of the most effective ways she suggests that colleagues may can consider is to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. Fortunately, there are lots of mindfulness apps and tools available for lawyers seeking to reduce heir stress levels through mindful thinking. Black shares some of her favorites, all of which are low-cost or free resources designed to get you on your way to a more stress-free existence.

Subjects: Communications, Continuing Legal Education, Education, Gadgets/Gizmos

Harness the Melodic Robotic Voices of Our Eventual Overlords Now to Improve Your Proofreading!

As writer/editor for more than two decades, Sarah Gotschall’s article immediately piqued my interest. Gotschall writes that when she proofreads her own work product, she is doing so with what she think she wrote in mind, rather than than focusing specifically on the words on the page. The addition of Speak command to your Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Word will be of interest to writers, editors, researchers, librarians, InfoPros, students, and marketing folks too.

Subjects: Communication Skills, Communications, Grammar, KM, Legal Marketing, Software, Technology Trends

The Government Must Now Obtain A Warrant To Compel Disclosure of Cell Phone Location Records

Attorney Charles Holster discusses the ramifications of the June 22, 2018 Supreme Court decision, Carpenter v. United States that held a warrant is required before a wireless telephone service provider may be compelled by a governmental entity to turn over its customer’s “historical” Cell Site Location Information.

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Communications, Communications Law, Criminal Law, Legal Research, Privacy

Book Review of “Frenemies: The Epic Disruption of the Ad Business (and Everything Else)”

Advertising is now part of a complex ecosystem that engages a wide range of components, including but not limited to: social media, Big Data, AI, data mining, competitive intelligence, and marketing. Alan Rothman reveals and explains for readers just how utterly different and hyper-competitive advertising now is, with work product largely splayed across countless mobile and stationary screens on Planet Earth. Rothman describes how expertly chronicling and precisely assaying the transformative changes happening to this sector is an informative and engaging new book, Frenemies: The Epic Disruption of the Ad Business (and Everything Else), by the renowned business author Ken Auletta. Just as a leading ad agency in its day cleverly and convincingly took TV viewers on an endearing cultural tour of the U.S .as we followed the many ad-ventures of Bartles & Jaymes, so too, this book takes its readers on a far-ranging and immersive tour of the current participants, trends, challenges and technologies affecting the ad industry. Auletta’s book is not only timely and insightful, but demonstrably valuable for the professionals in the legal sector who are striving to effectively engage, employ and measure the value of marketing to clients and potential clients in a rapidly changing environment increasingly dependent upon using big data and analytical platforms.

Subjects: AI, Big Data, Blockchain, Book Reviews, Communication Skills, Communications, Competitive Intelligence, Law Firm Marketing, Privacy, Social Media

Misinformation Overload

Librarian John Hubbard’s extensively documented article is timely and prescient, with its first publication on March 9, 2017 prior to: the release of James Comey’s book; a long series of departures from the White House and even more from Congress; with a backdrop of a rising storm of controversy about purported misconduct by the current U.S .President – in the decade prior to his election and during his campaign. Hubbard’s introduction: “We live in uncertain times. With big data and a boom in our ability to transmit ideas comes a seemingly greater amount of erroneous information, and therefore the need for everyone to be able to properly identify, discredit, and prevent the spread of falsehoods. What follows is a tour of how much the misrepresentation of reality pervades our world (from whimsical pranks and well-intentioned hoaxes to full-blown propaganda intended to defraud and manipulate), concluding with a discussion of tactics for taking a rational and scientific view so that we may both decrease our susceptibility and improve our ability to detect misinformation.”

Subjects: Communications, Ethics, Internet Trends, KM, Social Media

The Disconnect Between Knowledge Management and Counsel

Stacy Nykorchuk’s article documents significant facets of determining organizational knowledge strategies, creating the appropriate architecture for the content, managing content creation by subject matter experts, aligning systems with objectives, understanding user, stakeholder and client feedback, and acknowledging associated risk based on work product.

Subjects: Communications, Competitive Intelligence, Information Management, KM, Leadership, Legal Marketing, Management

We Need Librarians Today More Than Ever – How an ancient profession stays on top of the digital age

Journalist and librarian Marcus Banks discusses the role, relevancy and impact of librarians in all sectors as we are increasingly overwhelmed with information and yet access to actionable resources is often blocked by fees and paywalls, and the goal of knowledge sharing is subsumed and often ill served by conflicting agendas. Librarians remain critical advocates for open access, teachers of digital literacy skills, proponents of services to all Americans, and touchstones for identifying truth in an increasingly growing sphere of fake news and information that fails to serve democracy, education, and commerce.

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Communications, Competitive Intelligence, E-Books, Education, Information Management, KM, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Reference Services