ShareThis Helps Regulated Industries Meet Disclosure Standards For Sharing Online
ShareThis Partners with Digital Marketing Agency Bridge Worldwide to Give Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and Financial Companies Complete Control Over Shared Content In Order to Comply With Federal Guidelines
Mountain View, CA - September 28, 2010 - Today, ShareThis, in partnership with Bridge Worldwide, announced a new way for companies in regulated industries to enable the sharing of their content online without violating strict information disclosure standards. By incorporating Open Graph protocol in its sharing tools, ShareThis gives companies precise control over exactly what content from their websites get shared to Facebook and other social networks and sharing services using the protocol.
Open Graph protocol allows a Web page to be dynamically integrated in to Facebook's social graph, and share "smart" information across the Web. Until now, publishers have been unable to control exactly which information text and photos are published when a user shares their page.
Without the ability to precisely dictate what content is shared, companies can accidentally violate federal information disclosure standards, simply by offering standard share buttons on their websites. Using the Open Graph protocol, ShareThis can give these companies complete control over what information is shared so they can be sure they are complying with regulations that govern their industry. For instance, pharmaceutical companies can use ShareThis to ensure that, if information about one of their products is shared to Facebook by a visitor, the content that shows up in their stream contains fair balance to claims made in the description of the medicine, which is required by the FDA.
"It's incredibly important for drug companies to be able to provide an easy way for people to share information about their products, especially at a time when more consumers are using the Internet to find and share healthcare information," said Jonathan Richman, Director of Social Media for Bridge Worldwide, the digital and relationship marketing agency that co-developed the new technology with ShareThis. "Compliancy is crucial to companies in regulated industries who face multiple regulations and restrictions about information disclosure, and ShareThis is giving them a way to get the word out using social networks without having to worry about violating any federal guidelines."
ShareThis' Open Graph integration is also applicable to companies outside regulated industries. By giving companies the freedom to choose what content is published to social networks, they can maximize a user's experience by providing them with the most comprehensive, relevant and engaging information about products and services to improve their impact and social performance. Read Bridge Worldwide's recommendations regarding sharing for companies in regulated industries here: http://www.doseofdigital.com/bridge-worldwide-sharethis-pharma-sharing
About ShareThis
ShareThis is the largest market for sharing and influence across the web, reaching over 450 million users on 900,000 sites. ShareThis makes content more engaging for publishers and marketing more impactful for brands by tapping in to its true influence and value. Based in Mountain View, CA with offices in New York and Cincinnati, the company is privately held with funding from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Blue Chip Venture Company, DFJ Mercury, Reservoir Partners, Illinois Ventures, Queen City Angels and RPM Ventures.
About Bridge Worldwide
Bridge Worldwide is a leading digital and relationship marketing agency based in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a New York City office. Bridge Worldwide is a member of the WPP network, the world's largest communications services group. Serving clients with their Marketing with Meaning philosophy, Bridge Worldwide seeks to create lasting bonds between brands and consumers that lead to sustainable growth and profitability. Advertising Age ranks Bridge Worldwide among the Top 40 Digital Agencies in the country. In addition, Bridge Worldwide has been named one of the Best Companies to Work For in America for five consecutive years. The agency's client list includes several FORTUNE 500 companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Abbott Nutrition, ConAgra Foods, and Kroger. For more information, visit www.bridgeworldwide.com, and follow company updates on Twitter: @BridgeWorldwide.
Contact information
For ShareThis:
Corey Lewis or Tory Whitney
LaunchSquad
415.625.8555
sharethis (at) launchsquad (dot) com
For Bridge Worldwide:
Meghann Craig
Associate Communications Director, Bridge Worldwide
513.824.6237
m.craig (at) bridgeworldwide (dot) com