iTunes Ping: Apple's Socially Networked Music

Apple couldn't stay away from social marketing. The company today introduced iTunes 10 a music-oriented social marketing network called Ping. 
 
iTunes users can follow their favorite artists and friends to discover what music they're listening to and downloading.  iTunes Ping also enables iTunes users to post thoughts and opinions, favorite albums and songs and music they have downloaded from iTunes.
 
“iTunes is the number one music community in the world, with over 160 million iTunes users in 23 countries, and now we’re adding social networking with Ping,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With Ping you can follow your favorite artists and friends and join a worldwide conversation with music’s most passionate fans.”
 
But beware, iTunes is also the number one source of revenue for scammers. iTunes seems to be one of the most 'insecure' services around. 

According to NetworkWorld, "For more than a year now, scammers have been racking up unauthorized charges on iTunes accounts, leaving Apple's customers to clean up the mess," reported NetworkWorld. Apple reportedly does nothing to stop such scams."
 
"Tech Crunch and the San Jose Mercury News report that the scam is ongoing -- often draining hundreds of dollars or more from accounts -- but consumers have been complaining about the problem since at least early 2009," reported NetworkWorld.
 
The website reported one user claiming "My iTunes account just got hijacked and someone made about $700 worth of purchases," one Facebook poster wrote Monday. "I contacted Paypal (who was awesome btw, refunded all) and they said Apple has gotten so many attacks since June, they can barely keep up with reporting them all!"
 
Adding social marketing feature like Ping to an highly insecure service like Ping is dangerous.
 
Apple says in its press statement, "With iTunes 10, you can rent your favorite HD TV shows commercial free from ABC, ABC Family, Fox, Disney Channel and BBC America and watch them at home or on the go for just 99 cents an episode. Thousands of episodes are available, many the day after broadcast, to watch on your Mac® or PC, iPhone, iPod touch and the all-new Apple TV®, and you have 30 days from the moment you rent an episode to start watching it, and 48 hours after that to finish it.
 
iTunes 10 also features AirPlay wireless music playback to listen to your music on remote speakers using Apple’s AirPort Express® base station. In addition, AirPlay now works without AirPort Express, using speakers, receivers and stereo systems from companies including Bowers & Wilkins, JBL, Denon and iHome, so you can enjoy your entire iTunes music library wirelessly from any room in the house with no extra gear required.