It is a bit like your social network, but based upon trust (or lack of) in peoples recommendations so you can discover cool stuff from thousands of people, not just friends or immediate trusted connections. Rummbling is really easy online or from your mobile phone.  Its the best to Rummble when you’re actually at a place you love or loath, then you can add a photo & if you want, share it straight away on Twitter, Facebook, Bebo or more…

Together we discussed:

• The UK Queen’s use of email
• The UK Prime Minister’s use of YouTube
• The growing use of Social media sites
• Should company’s offer employees ‘gap years’ And,
• My moment of Reflection, ‘The Trouble with Twitter’

Although the video focuses heavily on ‘the trouble’ with twitter being an exhibitionist’s tool. It fails to outline practical benefits.
For example, potential pooling or what I call meshing of information into a stream of reliable data. The latter is often described as Mindcasting.

As computers have become increasingly part of our daily lives there is a natural emergence of dependency and sharing of information.

I remember reading about one of the pioneers of IT strategy, Joanna Woodward. She was way ahead of her time, writing back in the 1950s about how one day computers would be prevalent throughout an organisation.

Interestingly, whilst at University one of my lecturers suggested slyly, ‘Have you ever heard of people uploading stuff’!?
However, I doubt if at the time anyone realised that blogging would one day become so influential on the way modern day publications and corporate Public Relations now consider their place in society.

The video is extremely amusing, especially when it shows the range of Twitters, life-blogging!
It misses out on mentioning the race to get as many followers as possible? In my view the latter just results in lots of noise.
Being in the attention economy should not mean that there is no value in what you read or see.

I love the line from the video:

Question: Who are they talking to?
Answer: Noone and everyone!

Click here to view the embedded video.

You could argue that maybe I would not have come across the original item if it  had not been for Twitter !

Twitter will find its place, especially when all the noise has subsided.

When I first started blogging almost 5 years ago (!) I could never have dreamed of the power of social networks, for example: Twitter.

Take for example an application that converts your RSS feed to a iphone friendly site. Or, Friend feed, that aggregates all of your various social networking functions (pic sharing, Blogging, RSS subscriptions and media watching activities).

Here is the iphone URL for saviarora.com

http://tinyurl.com/6ff6yw

I wonder if we can harness this power to generate a collective opinion and power for change?
Change that will see that those who do not have such toys can at least get a start in life.

On a negative note, it was brought to my attention that if you wish to delete your entry on Facebook simply choosing the delete your profile is not enough. A full deletion takes time and is only possible through completing an online form.

Many people have decided to leave such social networking sites as they feel that they are either bored or feel that they may be staked! I know the latter sounds a bit extreme but by opening up your personal details, even if done innocently, these sites can allow other (non-friends) to find out about you (subject to how much you reveal on your public site).

A recent Ofcom report, which surveyed 8,500 adults and children, reveals that half of all eight to 17-year-old Internet users – about 4million people – have a personal profile. This compares with 22 per cent of adults. Ofcom said two-thirds of children using social networking sites were on Bebo, while another third were on MySpace and Facebook (Facebook is most popular with adults). The survey showed 16 per cent of parents did not know who can see their children’s profiles. A worrying 41 per cent of children admitted they did not use privacy settings and only 53 per cent said their parents set them rules for use.

NB ‘Non-friends’ can also be defined as commercial companies that can profile advertisements towards you. In addition, one should also consider that it has been reported that snooping by potential employers also takes place.

Another area to consider is the use of such networks in the workplace. The UK Trades Union Council has established some guidelines (see: http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/socialnetworking).

One a positive note, over the last 2 weeks I have managed to re-establish contact with a couple of really great business colleagues. It was great to catch-up with them, where they are now – NB Both after at least 10 years. One could argue and question why did it take so long to reconnect? The only answer I can give is that the world is a big place and we all get busy in our own lives.

In the future it is likely that Cyberspace will provide us with virtual worlds with advanced features that connect to existing networks – These worlds will allow people to interact in a chosen identity or identities, introducing the possibility of an even bigger potential for exploitation. I was recently told by an Internet security expert that

the problem with the Internet is that nobody knows if you are a dog and if you are a dog what kind of dog are you going to be!

With such power comes great responsibility – No, this is not just a throw away line or something that can be exploited by a Spiderman movies. It is true. Today we have more power at our fingertips than ever before and it appears that children are apt at adapting to the latest fads and openness offered.

It is important to understand the risks of being online but also the need to provide greater guidance for hovering around in Cyberspace.

I probably didn’t know what to expect as the way the event had been described to me was very different to what it turned out to be. Upon arrival we were led to the hotel’s grand hall. Waiters rushed backwards and forwards ensuring that upon entry each entrant was supplied with a glass of his/her chosen damage. In front of me was a sea of dark suits, both men and women engaged in filling the hall with the sounds of rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb… With a glass in one hand and a plate of mini quiche’s in the other I walked towards bunches of people in a hope to contribute at an appropriate point of interlude.

One group was busy discussing the power of quality procedures, another on how financial management (cash flow et al) is important and another discussing financial management arrangements. It then dawned on me that most of the conversations were being led by financial and legal consultants who would typically emerge from the right hand side of the hall and ‘net’ individuals within their vocal grasp. I remember being financially propositioned (in a ‘would you be interested in a business loan’ manner) at least twice. In addition, being introduced to at least two legal experts, ceremonially leaving their cards with me on departure.

OK, maybe what I have described is not typical of what happens at all these events and I have had described to me lots of similar events where guest speakers pitch their services and there really is potential to engage in valuable debate around gaining new clients, together with identifying possible synergies – some regional and others national.

Social media offers more that traditional online communication. Bulletin boards have been around for a while. However, Web 2.0 offers interactivity through RSS and greater chances for referencing, for example Facebook and Linkedin. With social media people can exhibit their personal creativity, share thoughts and record activities, assuming of course that they know how to use the required/necessary online tools. This raises the question of whether those that are more technically savvy have an unfair advantage?

If we take lessons from the example that I gave and create a blended networking infrastructure, then there maybe a chance that new and real business opportunities can emerge, niches can be identified, true friendship can emerge and less food can be wasted!

I wonder sometimes if Facebook is just a case of a fad or the development of another evolution in the world of online communication. Remember Friends Reunited? They are still around and have also innovated further. I guess the question to really ask is if it such technology brings people closer together?
Facebook is a great tool to connect and reconnect with people we know or have known. There is potentially the fear of rejection if they do not wish to engage with you any more. There is also the potential for your personal profile to be restricted or running an application within the system called, ‘Top friends’!

Of course there those that strongly resist its charm, don’t believe that they need it and many others who are techno phobic. Does this mean that we are creating a society that will have multiple levels of Information Technology competence and dependency. Certainly, Facebook like Instant Messenger (MSN, Yahoo) can be addictive. In addition, there are some users that believe that it is all about competition, i.e.: How many friends they can accumulate. I’m surprised that at this stage that know one is chasing specific people online!
In addition, some employers have begun to restrict its use in the workplace.

Ultimately, it can be peer pressure that bring some online. Or, businesses that believe that it can add to a customer experience. I’ve heard some people, Facebook opponents, suggest the following:

* It was always a student thing!
* How sad that you have to use it!

With regard to the latter, serious users will appreciate that Facebook is not the only social networking site but a potentially an extension to everyday living.
In this context it can be a potentially, ‘excluding technology’, i.e.: a system that prevents people from engaging with each other.

Facebook also makes a huge assumption that it is easy to share, video, audio and picture. The latter, appears to be the most popular form of content that is shared today. For example, over 8 million pictures are uploaded to Facebook daily.

So what is next in the world of online communication.
There is the potential that networks that are purpose built, private and even more exclusive could develop.
Ironic, in the context that a technology that has the potential to bring people together can also be divisive in keeping humanity apart!

Today, more than ever we need people to connect with each other.
I just realised that today is Sept 11th and as I am writing this, it was 6 years ago that we witnessed the awful Twin Towers attack. It is one of those events that automatically makes people remember where they were and what they were doing. It was two years before I started blogging (I wrote my first online journal in Oct 2003) or blogging was even heard of. Online tools can help people share their experiences and most of all potentially bring out the best in people!

If you get a chance, check out, ‘Facebook not for close friendships’ research results…