Wal-Mart launches social networking shopping app

On Wednesday the world's largest retailer launched a new social networking application called "Shopycat". Shopycat uses data on Facebook to estimate a users top ten friends, and then recommends gifts for these friends, based on the information shared on Facebook. Facebook is able to see the interests and hobbies of these friends by analyzing the information they share online. The program also allows for users to search for a topic and then Shopycat will display the friends who have a connection to this particular topic and the gifts that are recommended for them.

This application could not come at a better time with Christmas just around the corner, but it does also bring a concern about the information being shared over Facebook and getting monitored without the users consent. In our group presentation last week, we shared some cases where users information that was shared online was used against them and hampered with. It will be interesting to see how many consumers will choose to use this application and how accurate the gifts recommended will be for the individual. In some ways this application takes away the sentimental value of giving a gift to someone that was well thought-out, but who knows maybe this application will be a hit this Christmas!

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