[UK] This week Stephen Fry – British actor, journalist, celebrity ‘Tweeter’ and self-confessed technophile – appeared alongside Biz Stone, Founder and Chief Executive of Twitter and Reid Hoffman, Founder and Chief Executive of LinkedIn. They discussed the future impact of social media.
The discussion was not very ‘tech’ or ’startup’ oriented, but it did touch very much on the cultural and social impact of social networks, and Twitter in particular. Stephen Fry in particular mounted a robust defence of social networks as culturally positive, not negative.
I asked a question toward the end about what Twitter does when Skype and, perhaps Facebook, enable status updates to be as public and open as Twitter, but Biz Stone simply said they ‘don’t look in the rear view mirror’. Which was not exactly a fullsome answer, but hey.
The event formed part of the Silicon Valley comes to the UK programme. The video comes from NESTA.
’til we get the code fixed, you can also listen on http://www.ipadio.com/mikebutcher
NESTA logo , who designed it? Such a Fail! One picture speaks more 1000 words looooool
Mike, are you there with them in Cambridge?
I had a Question I wanted to ask on ‘private’ network and danger of ‘convergence’ but sadly didn’t have a chance. ;( I will blog the question later but need super visible guys to make them see it…
anyway
this is you asking the above question: http://www.flickr.com/photos/garethwong/4119525430/in/set-72157622838413210/
or http://flic.kr/p/7h2Dow
and some more amateur videos & photos I took from my ‘front row seat’: http://www.flickr.com/photos/garethwong/sets/72157622838413210/
This was a fantastic video, a truly inspirational session. If anyone is looking at the daunting hour and 20 minutes of this video I would suggest you sit back and enjoy its worth every minute. Personally best bits were from @stephenfry at 5:55 minutes in and 63:55 minutes but I wouldn’t want anyone to just watch those bits. The whole panel had some great things to say.
The whole thing is well worth the watch! Big thanks to NESTA for the full length video.
Below are my Blogged Question.. for @Biz & Reid mostly
could some of you guys help RT.. & get some response hopefully here and or on my blog..
many thanks.
http://garethcxo.blogspot.com/2009/11/question-i-did-not-manage-to-ask-nesta.html
forgot to sign off as @GarethWong
(what amateur)
Question to Reid & Biz are these:
1.) Are you guys not trying too much to increase ‘reach’ by doing cross distribution deals that might be running the danger of ’scaring’ off potential new users (e.g. the user interface on LinkedIn is now very BUSY!).. what are you doing to as Biz put it, make it simple? twitter is simple, but very noisy (me included)
and the group is so much for popularist now that most become an email address farmer’s dream (thats why most groups are run by consultants & recruiters) {declaration: main group I run is for my business school}
2.) Exit strategy (for us users): What happens with our network of contacts/trusts/good will/ endorsements etc.? if/when you guys exit (Twitter don’t mind much for me, but no doubt for top guys like ChrisB, GuyK, etc. same question to Biz/Ev)?? what can we do as users to capture and export that?? have you guys got some API/expert standards agreed with other social networks?? I would hate for my years of time/energy investments to lay wasted..
3.) what can Twitter do for those of us who are not fame seeker and would like to engage but only mostly with qualified individuals? (not just verified celebrities/bloggers, there are more common people who’s voice need to be heard etc.)
=== more reasons for asking below: (full blog post below)
http://garethcxo.blogspot.com/2009/11/question-i-did-not-manage-to-ask-nesta.html