The FTC, along with state and federal officials, filed numerous criminal and civil law enforcement actions and froze corporate and personal assets of some defendants.

According to FTC, they went after a wide array of deceptive schemes and illegal scams including auction fraud, illegal sale of controlled substances, bogus business opportunities, deceptive money-making scams, illegal advance-fee credit card offers, and identity theft.

In other words, Uncle Sam gave notice that people can no longer treat Internet like Wild, Wild West!

I welcome this long overdue crackdown on Internet evildoers.

For years, honest business owners suffered because Internet scammers caused consumer fear and reluctance to conduct business online.

As government cleans up back alleys of Internet, consumer confidence will rise and sales will increase.

However, as with any crusade to bring about law and order, innocent businesses stand a real chance of getting caught in crossfire.

Let's face it, if you get named in a lawsuit by government - even if you're innocent -you'll still lose a lot of time, energy, emotion, and money defending yourself.

I recently spoke with Ronni Rhodes of WBC Imaging, http://WBCImaging.com, who specializes in Streaming Media services. She is here to help us understand how and when to use Streaming Media in our marketing activities.

Bobette: Hello Ronni. Thanks so much for taking time to share your knowledge of Streaming Media. I understand you have a good deal of experience working with digital media.

Ronni: Yes. My husband Don Rhodes is Chief Engineer here at WBC Imaging. He has been working with digital media since early 90's. We understand how to produce and handle digital media so that visitors to your site have an optimum streaming experience.

Bobette: What are some of advantages of delivering information via Streaming Media rather than with file downloads?

Ronni: A streaming file starts within seconds. Downloads often take several minutes before user can see/hear file. Downloaded material also remains on visitor's computer.

Bobette: Some folks see Streaming Media in a bad light. They think of tedious flash pages and music or audio clips forced upon them.

Ronni: I feel strongly that Streaming Media should not be forced upon user. There are ways to add Streaming Media to a site so it enhances user's experience. I encourage site owners to regard a Streaming Media message as part of site content by letting users choose to listen to or watch a clip.

Bobette: Can you give some examples?

Ronni: The potential applications are endless.

Retailers can enhance product descriptions and deliver product information in ways far more persuasive than plain text.

Booksellers can have "special events" that offer excerpts from selected titles.

Art dealers can use voice to give value added information on an artist or a period of history depicted by an artist's work. (Think of those audio tours that museums offer.)

Gift sites could give visitor facts about certain holidays and how they came into being.

A candy maker can provide story of how chocolate came to be so popular.

The florist could tell his visitors how and why a particular flower represents a special occasion.