The logic follows a pattern that one might call the spotlight phenomenon. When U.S. corporations go abroad, they take more than their capital and technology with them.They also take their brand names, their reputations, and their international images. They bring in their wake the scrutiny of U.S.-based activist groups and the international media. When U.S. corporations are caught engaging in unfair or abusive practices, these groups spring into action, casting a shadow of scorn. To some extent, the process echoes the familiar muckraking of decades past, but the combination of an increasingly global economy and ever-more sophisticated and diverse communication channels has recently expanded the reach of even small-scale critics. On the Internet, grassroots activism has, quite literally, been electrified. Using inexpensive electronic mailing campaigns, human rights groups can reach a far wider audience than in the past, drawing supporters from across national borders to mobilize consumer boycotts or political action campaigns. Once these campaigns reach the public arena, the perpetually hungry media brings attention to even small stories-especially those pitting giant U.S. corporations against hapless foreign workers.