The short: Last week Path, a social photo-sharing service, issued an apology to its users for digitally accessing and storing contacts without explicit permission. This week Twitter and others stepped forward and admitted the same blunder, making it clear that numerous social networks were ignoring common sense best practices around permissions and privacy.

Why it matters: Sharing and word-of-mouth recommendations are the currency of social media, and for users to feel comfortable sharing about themselves or, even better, sharing about a brand, they not only need to “Like” the brand, but also trust it. Each of these social platforms seems to have forgotten a basic rule of experience design: never surprise your users. If you are accessing users’ data, tell them why; if you are publishing users’ actions, ask for permission first. A sincere apology can go a long way, but prevention goes a lot further in earning your users’ trust.

The short: Social media tore down the walls of Fall 2012 New York Fashion Week, granting VIP access to online fans: designers tweeted entire collections before they hit the runway; shows were streamed live on Facebook; and brands took the plunge with new apps and devices that haven’t been embraced by the mainstream. Two prominent examples: DVF tweeted, Facebooked and partnered with Viddy-- the video answer to Instagram -- to post behind-the-scenes movies of events throughout the week, while the Wall Street Journal sent nine reporters to record the NYFW goings-on using Pinterest and Instagram.

Why it matters: In fashion, the lines between consumer, creator and reporter have been blurring since the dawn of the Internet, but this year, we saw an abrupt turn toward prioritizing the audience of the masses over those in the tents. As a result, these brands are not only setting trends on the runways and sidewalks, but also in social media. By experimenting with relatively new, exciting platforms to part the curtain and share exclusive content, these brands are capturing the attention of an eager, engaged audience.

The short: Social data provider Gnip has struck a deal with Twitter to provide access to data going back thirty days in the past, not just the seven-day history that regular folks have had access to.

Why it matters: Gnip’s Thirty-Day Replay offers brands a service that few can provide: a robust understanding of consumer sentiment via Twitter and access to data from a longer period of time. By channeling these insights, brands can use this new service to better target their most active consumers and build the strongest possible digital presence.

The short: A recent article in Fortune magazineoffers insight into Nike's massive, impressive shift in marketing strategy. Nike's spending on TV and print advertising has dropped by 40 percent in the past three years even as the total marketing budget climbed to $2.4 billion. Nike Digital Sport, a new company division launched in 2010, is responsible for this change. As Nike focuses its product strategy on personal tracking devices that follow the success of the Nike+ running sensor, the new division is also focused on creating an online community for its most dedicated customers. Has the new strategy actually paid off? The article states that Nike's stock has returned 120 percent over the past five years as the S&P 500 Index has returned just 2.5 percent.

Why it matters: Gone are the days when marketers could focus on quick-hit campaigns featuring celebrities or a simple catchy slogan. While many smaller brands are already aware of this, Nike is one of the few big players to put their marketing dollars behind digital content. As the article asserts, Nike is going where its customer is. Top executives have realized that creating a continuous conversation with core consumers leads to a greater return than simply putting out a product and promoting it. As Nike CEO Mark Parker says in the piece, "Connecting used to be, 'Here's some product, and here's some advertising. We hope you like it... Connecting today is a dialogue.’" To get the same benefits, brands should know their core customer inside and out and invest in creating content and community that will serve them.