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BloodMoney Project

Challenges Entered: 
On the simple user level people will use the site to search for products from their shopping lists, and companies they are interested in or recognize as the manufacturers of the said products. By submitting querries on certain products and companies, users will give us an indication of where research is needed, and become integrated into a community as they receive prompt feedback and see the new information incorporated into the database. On the research level we will welcome submission of new data as it comes along - news items, financial info from less accessible local sources (other than the SEC and other government sources that make financial data public), and anything else that might prove helpful. The two categories of information on the BMP site are articles of critical nature with a business element, and financial affiliation networks.



What else have you done in this area of work?


This is my first web based project. I'm a sociology student at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and have been working on this project since the end of the previous academic year, along with a friend who does the programming. I have worked in public relations in the past, and intend to use my experiene in the field to push the site out to the mainstream media. I have several such stories "on hold" on national radio and a couple of newspapers, and I'm working to get the site to a point where such efforts won't be wasted.

Project Details
Project video: 
Project Assessment
Financial support: 
Project has financial support
Project goals: 
BMP is an experimental attempt to create a map of the business world that starts from critical information regarding certain companies, extends to their organizational structures, and spreads out to their shareholders, partners, etc. Our database grows through two main efforts: Searching for articles featuring a business element criticized for issues such as war profiteering, worker abuse and a bad environmental record, taking these companies and extracting all possible information on their business structure – including subsidiaries, affiliates, shareholders, owners and investments. Charting as much of the general business world as possible, with an emphasis on household names and companies that supply common services and produce consumer products. This growing map of the business world provides a scale by which to measure companies of interest, and to judge how much “blood money” runs through their corporate veins. By looking up their preferred toothpaste brand, local gas stations, insurance company or stock portfolios, users will help in the effort to make BMP a comprehensive tool that covers much of the business world. We hope to see ethical considerations become a stronger influence on shopping habits, and offer BMP as a research tool for professionals, activists, and consumers. Our view is that all our efforts in condemning these corporations are diminished when we end up buying their products, and that the public battle should be taken to the financial field. Instead of cooing at some of these companies when they pledge to make minor concessions, we should promote their best available competitors, and keep our grudge until the corporate climate and culture changes. 
Identified Obstacles: 
Feedback. Things are not yet what they seem/should be.  Graphic artists. Financial support - everything at the moment is paid out of my own pocket.

Location

Jerusalem, J
Israel

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