Slideshow: Enterprise 2.0 Launch Pad: 2010 Elite 8

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Eight semi-finalists have been selected for the Launch Pad award to be given out at the Enterprise 2.0 conference, coming up June 20-23 in Boston.

The contestants selected by a jury of enterprise social media experts are, in alphabetical order:

-- Acquia

-- Groupideo

-- Moxie Software

-- Next Principles

-- Personall Software

-- Podio

-- Saba Software

-- Splarchive

Next, videos submitted by each semifinalist will be shared with the Enterprise 2.0 community, which will whittle the list down to four contestants that will have an opportunity to demo their products live at E2 Boston. Attendees will use Mozes to text their vote and select the winner.

ZoomInfo Likes Proposed Privacy Law

Business contacts website operator ZoomInfo is praising the "Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2011" introduced Tuesday by Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.). ZoomInfo uses some aggressive data mining tactics to build its database, including a program for giving users free access in return for installing an Outlook plugin that extracts contact information from email messages and the Outlook address book.

ZoomInfo President Sam Zales said the proposed law does a good job of balancing the demand for personal privacy with the need for open access to business contact information needed by sales and marketing organizations. ZoomInfo has published a Business Information Manifesto articulating where it thinks those boundaries lie.

Around the Web

GigaOM: Published a review of Podio, a highly customizable enterprise social network product. In addition to providing the kind of enterprise activity stream typical of all these products, Podio aims to distinguish itself with an app store full of widgets for customizing your social home page and an application programming interface for creating more.

Social Times: In Quora Caters to a New User: Doctors and Lawyers, Social Times observes the question and answer service trying to break out of high tech and attract affluent professionals with tools for sharing their knowledge. To cover the legal and regulatory concerns of those professions, Quora includes disclaimers and cautions to users about the kinds of questions that can be asked and answered.

Attend Enterprise 2.0 Boston to see the latest social business tools and technologies. Register with code CPBJEB03 and save $100 off conference passes or for a free expo pass. It happens June 20-23. Find out more.