Mobile Users' QR Code Scans Soar in 2012

Scans of quick response (QR) barcodes on printed materials are rising dramatically worldwide, led by U.S. mobile device users. The 13 million mobile-device scans in the first quarter of this year reflected a 157% increase over the same period a year earlier, according to Scanbuy Inc., a QR barcode platform company. Videos, as the most common type of content delivered by scanned QR codes, were a key impetus to that growth. The leading medium for QR code placement is packaging, followed by the Web, direct mail, magazines and in-store displays, according to Scanbuy's study. For more, see the report at http://www.btobonline.com/article/20120518/ADVERTISING13/305189993/study-qr-code-scanning-surges-spurred-by-video

Privacy Legislation Debate Continues to Simmer

Privacy legislation to limit business information collection is a sword of Damocles for marketers. It hasn't fallen, but it won't go away either. This year's first privacy hearing by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation sounded familiar themes as witnesses from the Federal Trade Commission advocated Do Not Track legislation and increased FTC enforcement authority. Democratic committee members leaned toward baseline privacy legislation, while Republicans looked to industry incentives for privacy protection. That political logjam may continue through the end of the year, but then watch for the debate to revive in 2013, warns the Association of Business Information and Media Companies (ABM). ABM lobbyists are continuing efforts to advocate self-regulation and a business capacity exemption so b-to-b companies can gather data on individuals in a business capacity. To learn more, see the ABM report at http://www.abmassociation.com/News/2767/Senate-Commerce-Committee-holds-privacy-hearing