“Show Me The Proof That Facebook Is To Blame In Cambridge Hack”

Facebook is a merely a “conduit” and it’s “hard to say” that the social media platform is solely to blame for the data breach that saw 87 million accounts exposed to Cambridge Analytica. That’s the stance of Ken Wisnefski, founder, and CEO of digital marketing agency WebiMax, and he’s withholding judgment until someone can show him that Facebook willingly offered up this data that was eventually used as campaign subterfuge to steer voters during the 2016 presidential run.

Wisnefski says “it wouldn’t make sense” for Facebook to knowingly release such a massive amount of data. For its part, Cambridge Analytica says it hired a research firm to scrape it up and then went off and put it to use. With CEO Mark Zuckerberg now finished with two days of testimony before legislators on Capitol Hill, Wisnefski weighs in on the future of Facebook, modern advertising tactics and how online privacy has finally made it front and center.

1) First and foremost, relaxed oversight or truly nefarious motives? Cambridge Analytica claims in an April 9 press release that it “legally obtained” Facebook account data from a research company in much the same way “hundreds of data firms” have done in the past. For its part, Facebook has denied it was complicit in this “breach of trust.” Who is really at fault here?

Answer: According to Zuckerberg, he felt his data was breached in some way and in reality, there would be no way for someone to get all of that data unless they illegally accessed it or Facebook provided it. That will continue to be the core question: Did Facebook provide the data or was it obtained illegally? Until we know that answer, it’s hard to say Facebook is really at blame.

2) The data obtained by Cambridge Analytica was eventually put to use by the Trump presidential campaign (among others) for digital advertising purposes. There’s also plenty of talk of how Russian entities used Facebook to spread polarizing political content ahead of the 2016 election. The data also provided a way to learn more about the electorate and possibly sway those reached with targeted images and articles. At its core, using “psychographic modeling techniques” is what drives all forms of advertising. What’s the difference here?

A: While television marketing is not what it used to be, you can see a difference in who advertises during a football game compared to who advertises during a daytime soap opera. The notion of identifying an audience by what their perceived likes are is nothing new. The aspect that Facebook provides is it gathers far more data than just the fact you like a certain TV show; it has deeper insights into your behavior which can, in theory, allow an opportunity to target people based on their perceived political bias. Nothing has really changed in the marketing aspect but the fact Facebook has that much data on you, the marketers can be that much smarter.

3) Are we going to learn anything from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s Congressional hearings? If you could ask him anything, what would it be? What’s one thing you want to hear or learn from these proceedings?

A: The big question is if he knowingly released this level of data. While I could ask this question, I am not certain I would ever get a true response but I will say this: The level of data that Facebook was leveraged for is core to its ad-serving unit. While that data lives behind the scenes for those who advertise on Facebook, I do find it hard to believe that this level of insight and data would be willingly provided to a third party. That’s the key asset that Facebook possesses and one of the reasons their ad platform has grown so much. To simply hand it off? It wouldn’t make sense.

4) When viewed as a “data breach,” obtaining user data from 87 million Facebook profiles is a pretty big event. Zuckerberg said Tuesday that beefed-up security is on the horizon and it’s going to cost quite a bit to achieve that. Is the cat already out of the bag, so to speak? Do you think a Facebook with more rules and regulations will still appeal to users and advertisers?

A: From a user perspective, I don’t expect to see all that much of a change.

5) Companies such as Pep Boys, Mozilla and Sonos pulled their ads from Facebook once the scandal came to light. Do you see this as an emotionally-charged reactionary move or a general display of corporate values?

A: This is very irrational. In reality, it’s highly unlikely Facebook willingly did anything wrong. This isn’t a scenario where Facebook is necessarily the bad guy. They are more the conduit by which this information is stored. With that said, advertisers could feel that consumers will be “turned off” by Facebook advertising and they are going to move budgets to other platforms. I would not be so quick to make that sort of decision.

6) Is Facebook a monopoly? Some senators suggested that on Tuesday and with earnings of $40 billion in 2017, the lion’s share came from companies purchasing the digital real estate for advertisements. Is it so bad that a single social media platform is home to “friends” we know both in real life and only online?

A: Facebook isn’t a monopoly — they have just done the best job of growing their platform and keeping their relevancy. That might change over time, but they shouldn’t be treated as a monopoly for doing a great job.

7) The filtering of “fake news” and hate speech is also on Facebook’s agenda. Too little too late, squashing of free speech or an admirable effort to provide a service to the public?

A: Fake news is a hard topic. It’s hard to determine what is fake news. With some much “news” out there, it’s hard to validate real from fake. The notion that Facebook is shutting down sites that consistently promote false information is a good thing but with more news sources, everyone is looking to be the one who breaks the story and in some cases, that information is inaccurate. I think back to the infamous “War of the Worlds” broadcast. Imagine that today across social media? It would be catastrophic!

8) Speaking of the general public, are you encouraged by the fact that people are finally paying attention to the pilfering of information we put online? Does this event finally put a face on all those instances where people wondered how advertisements for products they’d previously checked out started popping up elsewhere and everywhere?

A: We are constantly being marketed to: Billboards, TV ads, radio commercials. I think people are used to the level of marketing and it’s how sites like Facebook can put out a good product by leveraging their ad revenue.

9) Are we watching the end of Facebook– with Instagram (another Zuckerberg-back property) as the heir apparent? Will these hearings usher a transformation into a more user-conscious platform or is this bound to be a dog-and-pony show until the end?

A: Facebook offers aspects Instagram doesn’t. Facebook has already slowed in growth with younger users. It will still have value but nowadays, there will be a shelf life for all platforms. Is Instagram the heir apparent? Probably not but what is… that’s the next big idea that someone is working on as we speak.

10) Knowing what we do now about how information we voluntarily add to the Internet can be used, will you be changing any of your personal browsing habits?

A: I am not active on social media platforms at all, which people find hard to believe because of my business and my level of knowledge on the topic. I have always been more of a private person and never felt the need to take pictures of my meals at restaurants to post them or finding the perfect selfie. So for me, there isn’t much to change. For others, I think the fact someone is able to make up assumptions about you based on your likes and habits, it will make people evolve their habits.

Ken on CBS3 Eyewitness News – Momentum in Camden

CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) – Dreams are taking shape along the Camden Waterfront.

The city’s planning board has approved a new 156-unit apartment building next to Campbell Field to compliment the billion-dollar Camden Waterfront mixed-use development project.

The apartments will be developed by Dranoff Properties which also did the Victor Lofts.

They will be incorporated into Liberty Property Trust’s mixed-use development that will bring a hotel, shops, restaurants and a million and half square feet of office space in a high-rise building.

“Literally within 5 years this will be a completely different waterfront. It will be thriving with residents, with commercial visitors and with the over 2 million visitors a year to this waterfront,” says Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli.

The Grow New Jersey Assistance Plan has helped Camden bring in billions of dollars worth of investment by offering tax incentives.

76ers Basketball, Subaru and Holtec International highlight some of the larger companies to move their headquarters to Camden. One of the first to make the move to Camden under Grow New Jersey is the digital marketing firm Webimax.

Founder and CEO Ken Wisnefski says his new neighbors bring excitement and will be pleased with the location.

“It’s been a great move, honestly every day that we have clients come to our office people are always amazed and say wow we can’t believe how beautiful it is here, how great Camden really is,” says Wisnefski.

Ken Comments on the Republican Race to the White House

The Washington TimesReputation Management Expert Ken Wisnefski comments on why it seems Donald Trump is rewarded for saying things most would be criticized for.

“While I certainly wouldn’t advise my clients to make such defiant political statements, I do advise my clients to acknowledge the importance of transparency. In a world where people have so much information at their fingertips, it’s never been more important for a business to take control of their message. Trump’s proven that the masses appreciate directness in all manners,” says Ken Wisnefski, CEO and founder of WebiMax, a reputation management group. “Trump has garnered more media attention than any other candidate because of his ability to throw political correctness out the window.”

Ken in NJBIZ Discusses Moving to Camden One Year Later

Ken in Camden office - Employees in the background

As he sits in a conference room that overlooks the Delaware River and the Philadelphia skyline, WebiMax founder and CEO Ken Wisnefski is also enjoying his view of Camden.

A Newark native, Wisnefski says he’s proud of the fact his company was the first to commit to Camden under the landmark Economic Opportunity Act of 2013’s revised Grow New Jersey incentive program.

And on the two-year anniversary of being one of the first companies to gain state approval for a project under the new law, Wisnefski said he’s never been more confident in his belief that Camden is the right place for his business to grow.

“This is where we’ve really kind of staked our roots at this point,” he said. “This will always be kind of our main corporate hub. While our expansion probably leads us into other cities on a much smaller scale and other countries on a smaller scale, this will always be our corporate location.

“This will always be our headquarters. I think that that’s just kind of the basis of it. We’ve really been pleased with it.”

For the state, WebiMax’s move to Camden is a sign that the revised incentive programs, which took years to plan and finally sign into law, are actually working and may help to reverse the long-held notion that New Jersey-based businesses are lining up to flee the high-cost state.

It’s also a milestone for the state Economic Development Authority, which administers the programs: WebiMax was the first company to actually collect its tax credit under the revised Grow New Jersey program after meeting its commitments for new and retained jobs this year. The firm recently was issued a $603,500 credit, the first of 10 annual credits under its $6.035 million award.

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Ken Wisnefski Talks with Greg Adomatis of NJ.com about Moving WebiMax to Camden

NJ com logoCAMDEN — They could have gone to Delaware or stayed in Mount Laurel, but Webimax opted to invest in the “city invincible”…

As of October, the NJEDA has put more than $1.1 billion on the table to lure businesses to Camden. Holtec International will receive $260 million as they construct a nuclear power plant production facility. Others, like Subaru, received $117 million to move from Cherry Hill and bring 500 jobs with them. The Philadelphia 76ers received $82 million to build a practice facility at Delaware Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Webimax, which began operations in Mount Laurel in 2008, was named one of the top 30 fastest growing companies in the U.S in 2010 and one of the best places to work by the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2011. The company of approximately 80 employees handles search engine optimization and web design for business clients.

A “sight unseen” offer from Delaware’s governor to move south left Wisnefski and company intrigued, but they figured an attempt at contacting New Jersey officials first was worth their time.

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno made Wisnefski aware of Grow NJ, which was signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie in early 2012. Under the program, businesses can receive millions in tax credits in exchange for capital investments in a redevelopment zone.

“It was easier for us to stay in New Jersey,” Wisnefski said, adding that the company was told it would receive the maximum benefits if they moved to Camden. Also, there was the fear that current employees wouldn’t be able to make the commute to Delaware.

“At first, some just didn’t want to go to Camden,” Wisnefski said of his employees.

Now, they’re walking around more than they ever did in Mount Laurel, where the office was a “nameless, faceless building with no engagement with the community.”

“We’re kind of happy to be a part of what’s going on in Camden,” Wisnefski said.

Ken in NFIB on the Hyper-Local Movement

“People used to predict the end of brick and mortar because shopping online was so much more convenient with more choices—no searching through a huge store looking for a small item, no carrying items around a store, no traffic and no checkout lines,” he says. “But that prediction supposes that people really hate leaving the house, which is a fallacy. People love getting out and doing things—even shopping. So people are looking for the businesses that are streamlining that process.”

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Ken Wisnefski offers a marketing tip in Fit Small Business

 

 

The sudden rise in use of mobile technology and the innovation in that technology is opening up new opportunities for small businesses to increase their foot traffic and sales. Next time you’re in a public space look around and you will see a lot of people on their mobile devices, and chances are those folks are either checking their social media profiles, i.e., Facebook, or conducting a local search.

Luckily, Facebook has provided a way to for your company to reach out to those people that are near your business while at the same time targeting folks that are interested in the types of products that your business carries. This is something Facebook calls Local Awareness ads, and you can easily get started using them for as little as $5 a day.

By using Local Awareness ads, you can set the radius around your business that you want Facebook to push the ad out to. Facebook also has a lot of options to target the right people based on their interests, purchasing behavior, even job title. Facebook also just purchased the ecommerce search engine “The Find” last weekend, which should make Facebook’s already stellar targeting even more so.

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Ken Wisnefski talks about the worst / best office holiday gifts with ABC News’ Susanna Kim

Kenneth Wisnefski on ABC

When it comes to holiday gifts at the office, when your job and reputation are on the line, it’s not just the thought that counts.

Ken Wisnefski, CEO of Internet marketing firm WebiMax, based in Camden, New Jersey, learned that lesson the hard way.

“A few years back, I went through a lot of trouble getting everyone gift baskets with gourmet coffee, holiday nuts and cookies,” Wisnefski told ABC News. “I heard a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, we already have so many cookies. I don’t want to eat too much.’ And others were saying, ‘I hate nuts.'”

Wisnefski learned a lesson from the experience: While some people might be ecstatic if a co-worker bestowed a generous gift of gourmet coffee, others might prefer a spot of tea.

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Ken Wisnefski profiled in CBS Philly online

 

Ken Wisnefski was profiled in CBS Philly online to talk about his success being an entrepreneur and to offer advise to those seeking  a career in business management.

Knowing how to delegate tasks and who to delegate them to is a skill, but don’t be above tasks. Know when to step into those tasks and learn some of the process behind your business, otherwise you won’t understand where the problems are, and surely won’t know how to solve them.”

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Ken Wisnefski – Sioux Falls, South Dakota 99.1 ESPN Radio – Ryan Braun and Reputation Management

 

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Ken – WBKV Radio Appearance – Radio Appearance West Bend Radio

 

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Apr. 16th: Ken Wisnefski Discusses the Importance of Branding with ABC News

Kenneth Wisnefski on ABCKen Wisnefski, Founder & CEO of WebiMax, recently discussed the importance of branding with ABC News.

In the interview, Ken explains that the rising cost of Masters Tournament ticket prices is “100 percent related to Tiger (Woods)” and details the impact of Tiger’s name value as a brand for the Masters.

Read More on ABCNews.com

Nov. 20th: Ken Wisnefski Featured on CSMonitor.com

Kenneth Wisnefski in The Christian Science Monitor

“In-store sales at major retailers this week will be significantly influenced by mobile applications,” marketing expert Kenneth Wisnefski said in a statement released this week by the company he founded, WebiMax.

The mobile apps, by the way, include Amazon’s Price Check, which allows you to scan a bar code in a store and then view prices for the same product online, or to read online product reviews before buying.

Read more at CSMonitor.com.