Having been wandering about the Digital Economy Bill's status, today I found out that it was passed in the final days before the dissolution of Parliament and is now the Digital Economy Act.
The Digital Economy Bill comes out of the Digital Britain Report which was published in June last year and involved everything from the digitisation of Government services to the transfer from analogue to digital radio in the coming years. Being over 300 pages long it may not be your chosen night time read(!) but it will have far reaching consequences. You can find the full Digital Britain Report here. Most relevant to what this blog discusses is Chapter 4: Creative Industries in the Digital World as well as the discussion of privacy and safety in Chapter 7, although it is very detailed. A useful introduction to the Report's consequences can be found here.
A question about the Act also formed part of the very sparsely covered Youtube/Facebook primeministerial debate yesterday. This has had 160,000 views at the time of writing. Interestingly far lower than the TV debates...
Thursday 29 April 2010
Tuesday 27 April 2010
The Seven Inviolable, Irrefutable, Ingenious Things Your Business or Institution or Candidate Can Do in the Age of the Internet...
"The Seven Inviolable, Irrefutable, Ingenious Things Your Business or Institution or Candidate Can Do in the Age of the Internet That Might Keep You from Getting Your Ass Kicked But Then Again Might Not"
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Joe Trippi, 2004)
The following are the seven things that Trippi describes in his book with a simplified explanation of each. Please do get hold of a copy and read these in full!
1. Be First - There is very little about the Internet that is proprietary...the first everything has a headstart building a community...(rule 1a - If you're not going to be the first mover, you'd better be a hell of a lot better.)
2. Keep it Moving - Don't be static... Don't let your website be wallpaper.
3. Use an Authentic Voice - Have real people write real stuff.
4. Tell the Truth - The internet has an inherent transparency... Tell them what you want. Don't manipulate
5. Build a Community - Create a commons, a town square, a place where people can come together...
6. Cede Control - Once you invite people in, they're going to want to do more.
7. Believe Again - Have some faith in the [] people again.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Joe Trippi, 2004)
This advice is still massively relevant to all sorts of organisations today. They are very important areas that we see missed so much - we see 'websites as wallpaper' all the time! Bland press releases with no space for community. Many examples, in my own immediate experience spring to mind of organisations that believe this in their ethos and are trying to engage but miss out on the potential of the internet as a way to do it.
The tools for the job have improved massively since 2004; many of them free. What is holding you back? Will your organisation survive and thrive without this sort of engagement?
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Joe Trippi, 2004)
The following are the seven things that Trippi describes in his book with a simplified explanation of each. Please do get hold of a copy and read these in full!
1. Be First - There is very little about the Internet that is proprietary...the first everything has a headstart building a community...(rule 1a - If you're not going to be the first mover, you'd better be a hell of a lot better.)
2. Keep it Moving - Don't be static... Don't let your website be wallpaper.
3. Use an Authentic Voice - Have real people write real stuff.
4. Tell the Truth - The internet has an inherent transparency... Tell them what you want. Don't manipulate
5. Build a Community - Create a commons, a town square, a place where people can come together...
6. Cede Control - Once you invite people in, they're going to want to do more.
7. Believe Again - Have some faith in the [] people again.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Joe Trippi, 2004)
This advice is still massively relevant to all sorts of organisations today. They are very important areas that we see missed so much - we see 'websites as wallpaper' all the time! Bland press releases with no space for community. Many examples, in my own immediate experience spring to mind of organisations that believe this in their ethos and are trying to engage but miss out on the potential of the internet as a way to do it.
The tools for the job have improved massively since 2004; many of them free. What is holding you back? Will your organisation survive and thrive without this sort of engagement?
Monday 26 April 2010
Embracing the "bottom-up" nature of the Internet
"The companies that will thrive - the companies that are thriving - are those that embrace the bottom-up nature of the Internet culture." In the final chapter of his book Joe Trippi outlines what was learnt through the course of the Dean Campaign in the prospective 2004 Presidential election campaign, which acted as a pioneer and record breaker in use of the Internet.
As they are very relevant to business and non-profit sectors alike, I will write tomorrow in more depth on his seven points for businesses/instiutions/candidates. Trippi argues that the companies that "...make the turn[to embracing the bottom-up internet culture] will be those that figure out how to empower their customers to have a say in the products they buy and use." That as a result customers will become part of the process, naturally forming a community around the product or service. And that your company will improve for it. Customers will offer better and more appropriate ideas than your organistion alone can produce.
The idea that so many businesses and charities seem to be missing is that we the users and customers can be part of so much and can be far more engaged than at any time previously by what the internet makes possible. Where feedback can be instant. Where ideas can be discussed and improved upon without the need for formed and polished presentation beforehand. In which customers are valued and given ownership and sense of belonging. Do you agree? Are you engaging on the Internet?
As they are very relevant to business and non-profit sectors alike, I will write tomorrow in more depth on his seven points for businesses/instiutions/candidates. Trippi argues that the companies that "...make the turn[to embracing the bottom-up internet culture] will be those that figure out how to empower their customers to have a say in the products they buy and use." That as a result customers will become part of the process, naturally forming a community around the product or service. And that your company will improve for it. Customers will offer better and more appropriate ideas than your organistion alone can produce.
The idea that so many businesses and charities seem to be missing is that we the users and customers can be part of so much and can be far more engaged than at any time previously by what the internet makes possible. Where feedback can be instant. Where ideas can be discussed and improved upon without the need for formed and polished presentation beforehand. In which customers are valued and given ownership and sense of belonging. Do you agree? Are you engaging on the Internet?
Wednesday 21 April 2010
Real Engagement?
Of the top fifteen political influencers on twitter seven are Labour, with only three Lib-dem and one Conservative according to Edelman's public affairs team. Fascinating as Labour appear to be so far behind on support on Facebook now: Conservative 54,000, Lib Dem 52,000, Labour 27,000 ('likes' rather than 'fans' now as Facebook have just changed their system).
Matthew Eltringham's blog post on CoJo has been asking questions of just how much people are really engaging: "Beyond the activities of the major parties, there's a mixed picture of just how much people are themselves engaging with the online election." A good point and one which sorts the politicians from the public; politicians are engaging on these sites but are the voters being engaged by their involvement?
I think to some extent yes, but it is not the 'groundswell' that I've been reading about behind the Dean campaign's use of the internet where they provided a space for "...these young people who wanted to do something [but] were not being mobilized and didn't feel empowered"(Trippi, 2004).
I'm not saying that the American system is right, there are many better ways for British people to engage than the American large scale and Presidentially focussed elections but there is not a grassroots movement happening here. So far TV is having a far larger effect on the election than the internet, demonstrably by the effects of the first election debate.
Matthew Eltringham's blog post on CoJo has been asking questions of just how much people are really engaging: "Beyond the activities of the major parties, there's a mixed picture of just how much people are themselves engaging with the online election." A good point and one which sorts the politicians from the public; politicians are engaging on these sites but are the voters being engaged by their involvement?
I think to some extent yes, but it is not the 'groundswell' that I've been reading about behind the Dean campaign's use of the internet where they provided a space for "...these young people who wanted to do something [but] were not being mobilized and didn't feel empowered"(Trippi, 2004).
I'm not saying that the American system is right, there are many better ways for British people to engage than the American large scale and Presidentially focussed elections but there is not a grassroots movement happening here. So far TV is having a far larger effect on the election than the internet, demonstrably by the effects of the first election debate.
Tuesday 20 April 2010
DoGooder
These films are the winners of the DoGooder Non Profit Video Awards, supported by See3 and NTEN. These films show just what can be done using film for non-profits. I find this one particularly affecting from the Canadian Cancer Society:
TRWNBT
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is an engaging and thought-provoking book for anyone interested in Politics, the Internet or anything in between(technology, post-modern culture etc) written by Joe Trippi who "unwittingly found [him]self in the right spot at the beginning of the twenty-first century, maybe the one guy who might have a chance at pulling together this grassroots, nuts-and-bolts, knock-on-doors, send-e-mails, use-the-Internet bulletin board-website political movement thing." (TRWNBT, 2004)
From Howard Dean's campaign manager in the 2004 US presidential election, this book could be seen as a campaign memoire of sorts but is far wider in its scope than that. I'm half way through but thoroughly recommend it. Do you 'get it'? Do you get the internet's power? Do you get the potential of the internet as a social space and tool for change and good in our twenty first century society? Is your organisation 'of' the internet or just 'on' it? What's the difference? Do I 'get it', even though I'm studying it, do I understand that potential and how 'real' an experience online interaction is for so many people?
From Howard Dean's campaign manager in the 2004 US presidential election, this book could be seen as a campaign memoire of sorts but is far wider in its scope than that. I'm half way through but thoroughly recommend it. Do you 'get it'? Do you get the internet's power? Do you get the potential of the internet as a social space and tool for change and good in our twenty first century society? Is your organisation 'of' the internet or just 'on' it? What's the difference? Do I 'get it', even though I'm studying it, do I understand that potential and how 'real' an experience online interaction is for so many people?
Thursday 15 April 2010
More Elections
In a week full of talk about the election, where every news programme runs 15mins on what happened on the campaign that day and there is soon to be the first live debate between the leaders of the main three parties, what has happened online? Something I've been watching is the fan sites on facebook. Since the end of last week the conservatives fan site has increased by roughly 3000 fans, the lib dems by 5000 and labour by a few thousand too. As I write the numbers stand at LD 19,456, C 42,830 and L 20,259. These numbers might seem big, but consider that even now Obama has over 8 million fans.
Those numbers and particularly their increase seem rather small considering this is the most important time for support of the parties in 5 years. Is politics compatible with the goal of many marketing campaigns these days: to make their comsumers into 'fans'? To see that brand as more than just the product but something that captures imagination and creates the fan-factor. Fans go to concerts, follow you, want to see you, want your autograph, have an emotional connection - think beatles fans, politics at the moment certainly seems unlikely to attract this kind of attention.
Those numbers and particularly their increase seem rather small considering this is the most important time for support of the parties in 5 years. Is politics compatible with the goal of many marketing campaigns these days: to make their comsumers into 'fans'? To see that brand as more than just the product but something that captures imagination and creates the fan-factor. Fans go to concerts, follow you, want to see you, want your autograph, have an emotional connection - think beatles fans, politics at the moment certainly seems unlikely to attract this kind of attention.
Friday 9 April 2010
On the Internet
What effect does using the web have on us? Why is the disembodiment of the web attractive and is it a good thing? Is it more than just a tool?
Reading Hubert L. Dreyfus' book On the Internet is forming an important introduction to some of these big questions on the use and effect of the internet. So far I have been surprised how much of his text rings true. Mainly as a warning against a hedonistic view of the internet as the be all and end all of current society. There is a limit and there are reasons some things need reality.
Some of these questions were also raised as part of Aleks Krotoski and the BBC's Virtual Revolution. In the final episode of the series 'Homo Interneticus', Dr Krotoski dicusses the effect of social networking on our relationships. Do we really have 500+ friends and what do we mean by friends in the context of facebook and other social networks?
The effect of the internet for good as a tool is undoubted, but like anything open and freely usable it is open to abuse and misuse. Do the bonds created online act as stongly as 'real' relationships. I say no, but being only on the verge of being a digital native (as opposed to an immigrant) myself, can I really judge? I think in fact this is a really important point and fundamentally divides many organisations' attitudes to the internet and use of social networks. If an organisation doesn't value the internet's potential for relationships then they tend to undervalue and underinvest in their online presence and often ignore social networks entirely.
Reading Hubert L. Dreyfus' book On the Internet is forming an important introduction to some of these big questions on the use and effect of the internet. So far I have been surprised how much of his text rings true. Mainly as a warning against a hedonistic view of the internet as the be all and end all of current society. There is a limit and there are reasons some things need reality.
Some of these questions were also raised as part of Aleks Krotoski and the BBC's Virtual Revolution. In the final episode of the series 'Homo Interneticus', Dr Krotoski dicusses the effect of social networking on our relationships. Do we really have 500+ friends and what do we mean by friends in the context of facebook and other social networks?
The effect of the internet for good as a tool is undoubted, but like anything open and freely usable it is open to abuse and misuse. Do the bonds created online act as stongly as 'real' relationships. I say no, but being only on the verge of being a digital native (as opposed to an immigrant) myself, can I really judge? I think in fact this is a really important point and fundamentally divides many organisations' attitudes to the internet and use of social networks. If an organisation doesn't value the internet's potential for relationships then they tend to undervalue and underinvest in their online presence and often ignore social networks entirely.
Thursday 8 April 2010
Social Media Election 2010?
The British general election has been called this week and the use of digital media is striking. Striking, not for any massive innovation, but for the fact they are actually using digital media tools, trying to engage the public where they are. Many articles have appeared this week, not least from the bbc who are keen to promote their election site which is actually informative and interesting.
Many are commenting that the 'new' is still subserviant to the 'old' media when campaigning, including presenter of radio four's media show Steve Hewlett's blog. So far I agree; there is no innovation like what was seen in both the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections in the US.
The websites of the three main parties are barely discernable one from another apart from their colours. Are they really engaging, being 'of' the internet rather than just 'on' it or have they all taken a class in 'what the public want to see'?
Many are commenting that the 'new' is still subserviant to the 'old' media when campaigning, including presenter of radio four's media show Steve Hewlett's blog. So far I agree; there is no innovation like what was seen in both the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections in the US.
The websites of the three main parties are barely discernable one from another apart from their colours. Are they really engaging, being 'of' the internet rather than just 'on' it or have they all taken a class in 'what the public want to see'?
What is this?
Answer: This is a space to show you and others the research that I am conducting into the use of Digital Media. I hope it will be an informative and occasionally interesting(!) mashup of formed and unformed thoughts, ideas, links and resources which come out of my research degree. For reference, the following is the working thesis title for my MSc by research:
Digital Media in a Social Networking Age: How can organisations better harness the power of an array of digital media tools, including social networks, to communicate their purpose/vision and unique message?
Digital Media in a Social Networking Age: How can organisations better harness the power of an array of digital media tools, including social networks, to communicate their purpose/vision and unique message?
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