Twitter, Facebook and Rim Talk Riots
Twitter To Join Facebook & RIM for Riot Talks With UK Government
Twitter has confirmed that it will attend a meeting with UK Home Secretary Theresa May and other UK officials about the role social media played in riots earlier this month.
Facebook and BlackBerry-maker RIM confirmed their participation in the meeting last week, but at the time a Twitter spokesperson only said, “We’d be happy to listen.”
After it became clear that some rioters were using social media and BlackBerry messenger to coordinate violence, UK Prime Minister David Cameron told Parliament that the government was examining whether to ban suspected troublemakers in the riot from using social media and other digital communication tools.
“When people are using social media for violence we need to stop them,” he said, to the chagrin of many free speech activists. “So we are working with the police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality.”
Google seems to be missing from this gang. Maybe the fact that its requirement of users using their real idenity is keeping it politically neutral.
Categories: All, Social Tags: david cameron, facebook, free speech activists, google, RIM, Twitter, UK, uk home secretary
Posterous – One Awsome Blogging Tool
I decided to finally get around to check out ‘Posterous’, I have been pleasantly surprised. For those who are unaware; Posterous is an online blogging platform, much like WordPress.com or Blogger, but with some very distinct differences.
Posterous has taken the blogging concept and incorporated the use of email as its primary method of posting. You can still use a web interface, but why? The other aspect that this Free Service has added is the concept of AutoPosting. AutoPosting is the ability that when you post something to Posterous, it will turn around and post your content to your other services; such as: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
For me, the real power of this is that you can be selective on what service AutoPost posts to. As an example, when you email to:
· post@posterous.com – Autoposts to all of your services.
· posterous@posterous.com – Posts only to your Posterous site.
· Twitter+Facebook@posterous.com – Posts to Posterous, Twitter and FaceBook
If I have peaked your interest about this service, go to http://posterous.com to find out more about their platform. I think we will be seeing their name more and more.
Categories: All Tags: autopost, distinct differences, facebook, Free Service, Twitter, Twitter Facebook, web interface
Google Plus: Disendents Need Not Apply
There has been an uproar of late concerning the Google Plus Community Policy and requiring everyone to use their real name or the name they are known by.
Personally, I have no problem with this, as I run a blog and write for said blog, so I have always used my real identity. I also think that it is a forgone conclusion that when we use our real identities, we tend to be more thoughtful in our comments. But lets put all that aside.
I don’t think that Google would be taking all of this heat for this reason. So let’s take a trip outside of the box; Could it be possible that Google has global plans for G+ and is planning on staying Politically Neutral?
With all of the recent turmoil in the Middle East of late and seeing that the first thing these regimes do is block Twitter and FaceBook to hamstring their citizens from protesting, maybe Google is taking a different approach by keeping everything open. From a business point of view, I can see some value in staying neutral and providing a communication network that doesn’t appear to be involved with cloak and dagger policies.
I know this is a real reach, but I’m not sure Google would stick with a non-anonymous policy when the community of users would do much of the policing to begin with. But I can see some validity with a company that has world wide interests trying to stay neutral. Google may be learning from FaceBook’s and Twitter’s past woe’s and its own troubles with China and attempting to take some preventive measures in this arena.
Personally, I think I will just sit back; enjoy the ride, and see how it all plays out.
Categories: All, Editorial, Social, WWW Tags: Anonyomus, cloak and dagger, facebook, forgone conclusion, global plans, google, Google Plus, preventive measures, Twitter
G+ Is No FaceBook Killer
What it may be is a Social Network for Adults!
After having checking out Google Plus for the past three weeks, I have come to the conclusion that Google Plus seems to be attracting a whole different set of demographics. Granted it’s early in the G+ life span to be making snap judgments.
It may be worth looking at FaceBook and its original design concept for this. I’m sure most technology enthusiasts know that ‘The FaceBook’ was a project of Mr. Zuckenberg while in college to expand his friendship circle. The development from that point on has been one of expansion and additions to make the application attractive to other segments of society and of course monetization. In my opinion FaceBook has tried to be everything to everyone.
FaceBook seems to have grown past being a social communication tool to include social gaming, advertising and just about anything under the sun. Google Plus on the other hand seems to be focused on being a superb communication and data exchange platform, by tying existing Google Tools into a unified interface.
I think what may be interesting over the upcoming months is the demographics of who is moving to Google Plus and who is using FaceBook as their primary social network platform. For me this is not a case of which is better but which meets my needs. I will continue to use both of these services, but each one for different groups. I hope both networks do well as competition breeds innovation.
Categories: All, Editorial, Social Tags: facebook, friendship circle, google, google tools, snap judgments, technology enthusiasts, unified interface
Social Networking: Fake Profiles
The question is should they be allowed! Google Plus is now facing just that question. I allowed myself to get dragged in to this conversation a couple of days back and thought I would post.
Google very shortly will be discontinuing private profiles and everything will be going public. Of course to use Google+ you need a Google Profile. Its the glue that connects all of the different services.
I had commented to a post concerning this subject and stated that I didnt think Fake Profiles should be allowed. It seems this is a hot button with many.
Google has set up a reporting page that you can reach on a profile in question. It has Fake Profiles broken down as follows:
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Report abuse
Thank you for helping Google by reporting content which may be in violation of our Community Standards.
Why are you reporting this profile? |
One issue that I have experienced in the past is that if you are commenting under a Fake Profile then many times those comments are without constraint as you can be just another voice in the crowd. When using our real names we tend to be more responsible. The downside of being to truthful online is the fear of identity theft, with all of the security breaches of late is not to be taken lightly.
Unfortunately FaceBook and others has left a bad taste in many mouths with the difficulty in setting up security. Google has their hands full in building trust on their new network. But they are trying, read the Google+ Community Standards.
Categories: All, Social Tags: facebook, google, private profiles, security breaches, Social Networking
