For technology companies, information about what people do online is extremely valuable - it can be used to sell targeted advertising or sold to data clearinghouses.

“Early on we saw the power of the Domain name in our own projects. Through direct navigation, good generic domain names generated invaluable targeted traffic to our sites. Owning the perpetual traffic reduced customer acquisition costs and provided an advertising advantage. And keyword-rich domain names brought instant credibility with consumers, business and the media alike. It was a huge strategic advantage and cost saving for our own businesses projects."

There is something not entirely satisfying about an online memorial.

When locational information is collected, people should be given advance notice and a chance to opt out. Data should be erased as soon as its main purpose is met.

Serving up ads based on behavioral targeting can itself be an invasion of privacy, especially when the information used is personal.

Web sites are extremely important to the technology industry, ... Companies can benefit from the independent evaluation recognition of their online efforts that the award judges provide. That is the goal of the WebAward Competition - to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective websites on the Net today.