Nadir of coolness

The Massachusetts state legislature seems to be gearing up to put limitations on word-of-mouth marketing to youngsters, according to a report in Groton, MA-based Adrants. One state representative introduced a bill that would require kids under 16 to get parental permission before joining up with a buzz campaign. Of course, there may be no more powerful poison to hipness than parental permission. The issue takes on national importance, as state limitations on online marketing have in the past effectively forced marketers to work with the most restrictive measures across the board to ensure compliance.