How Young is Too Young for Social Networking?

An article in the National Post today brought my attention to a new social networking Website for school-aged children. Based in England, the site (http://www.schooltogethernow.com/) brings together both parents and kids from various surrounding schools to chat, get to know one another, share photos, and, well, network. While kids these days certainly are growing up in a "web 2.0" world, is early elementary school too young for online chatting?

The site was started by the mother of a young child, who obviously believes that social networking is an inevitable beast, so you might as well get kids started young. Building relationships with working moms and dads at the school gates when you drop off the kids, she says, is often difficult, so the site helps to facilitate these relations. For the kids, the site claims to provide "fun with their friends in a safe and secure environment". It comes as no surprise that some would frown upon the activity, arguing that it could impede a child's natural development, not to mention encourage him to be stuck to the PC 24/7.

But there's also the issue of safety. While parents can link to their children's profiles and ensure that only suitable information is exchanged, I'd still be weary. I visited the site and, within 2 minutes, had created a "fake" profile for someone named "Bob" from Angus. Even though there were fields asking what school my child attended, and even what specific town I was from, I just left them blank. In defining myself, I simply chose "Other" instead of Teacher, Parent, or Child. Why is that category even an option? As icing on the cake, I even used a fake e-mail address! So it's clearly not that difficult for pretty much anyone to sign up and start chatting with your child.

On the flip side, however, if you're monitoring conversations, you can ensure that the child is only chatting with people you know, or that you can confirm are indeed in his class at school. Which leads me to the question: what's the point? If kids can only safely chat with people they know, why wouldn't they just wait until they get to school or during a live play date? I can understand the 'net taking the place of 3-hour phone conversations for early teens (I recall chatting away on the phone to friends for hours on end when I was in grade school!), and for helping adults connect with colleagues or old friends. But when we're talking about kids in grade 2 and 3, the idea seems a bit strange.

For parents, however, the concept of schooltogethernow is a great one. It's true: the last thing a parent probably wants to do when he's dropping off a child at school is get held up up in conversation with another parent and consequently made late for work. Not only can the all-hours Website help parents get to know one another (and even the teachers as well!), it can also serve as a nice way to arrange future live, in-person meet and greets.

Nevertheless, perhaps this particular cyber mom (sidenote: will this term replace the "soccer mom" 10 years from now?) is way ahead of us, and it'll be commonplace decades from now for kids to be typing away as soon as they're able to write.

First Cyber Bullying Trial Could Set Precedent

Should people be held accountable for "cyber" bullying?

Two years ago, an unfortunate "cyber-bullying" incident led to the suicide of a 13-year-old girl. In a weird turn of events, it turns out it was the mother of another child that set up a fake MySpace social networking account and proceeded to verbally attack the girl, ultimately resulting in her taking her own life. The case is finally going to trial, and the mom now faces one count of conspiracy and three counts of illegally accessing computers.

As the first cyber-bullying trial to hit North America, the case could very well set a precedent for other similar instances that deal with virtual rather than physical bullying. Should someone be held accountable for indrectly causing harm, self-inflicted or otherwise, on another person? I'm torn on this one: while I don't believe they should be blamed entirely, I do believe that people needs to be accountable for their actions, whether they're in person or behind a computer screen.

In this case, the child was obviously in mental anguish prior to the last-straw indicent, when reportedly the mom in question, who was posing as a young boy that wanted to be her friend, said to the 13-year-old that "the world would be better off without her". According to the Associated Press, the girl had already been taking medication for ADD and depression, and her mother admitted to having even removed her bedroom door locks because she feared her daughter might injure herself. If you ask me, this is a clear sign that if the horrible message didn't push the girl over the edge, something else would have. She obviously needed serious, ongoing treatment for an obvious mental illness.

This doesn't, however, clear the vulger-typing mom of any guilt. In my opinion, bullying online is just as bad, if not worse, then doing so in person. People are liable to say much worse things behind the veil of a computer screen than they would in person, but the comments hurt just as much. The fact that the culprit was a mom - an adult who has a young girl of her own that's the same age as the victim - is absolutely appaling. But she can't be blamed for the girl's death nor prior issues. She can, however, and should suffer repercussions for something. But what?

The way I see it, we can liken virtual conversations to snail mail or crank phone calls. If someone sends you hurtful or threatening mail or constantly calls and pesters you, wouldn't this be considered harassment and warrant legal action? A restraining order of some sort? OK, so a restraining order can't really be invoked online (you could always block a person, but the damage has likely already been done by that time). But you can issue some form of punishment. It becomes even stickier, of course, when you can't really prove who was behind a computer screen and actually typing angry, hurtful, or threatening messages.

Ultimately, the punishment should be the same as if this identical incident happened except the mom was putting similarly nasty messages in the kid's mailbox (or even stuffing them in her bag at school), or speaking them via telephone. What's the difference? All we're doing today is replacing the phone or the pen and paper with the computer and keyboard. Granted these new, tech-savvy toys make bullying all the more easier to both conduct and later track.

As for prevention, another big cyber issue, online sexual predators, is already been heavily cracked down on. So maybe it's time to do the same with the issue of cyber-bullying.

Nonetheless, it'll be interesting to see how to trial pans out, and what sort of punishment is handed out in this tragic case.

Using Social Networking to Better Your Business

Ask any self-proclaimed Web 2.0 guru, and he'll advise you to use social networking to better your business. How? In whatever way you can! While social networking carries the reputation of allowing you to reach the youth audience, it has quickly grown to become much more than that, attracting members of every age group. So while reaching the up and coming young 'ens is definitely an advantage, don't rule out being able to reach others that way as well.

Take Barack Obama, for example, the President-elect of the United States of America. A major part of his campaign strategy involved utilizing Websites like Facebook.com to reach potential voters. I don't think anyone will argue that his influence with the youth crowd was and is stronger than with any other recent U.S. President. Retailer Future Shop is using the same social networking Website to promote upcoming events, show off photos and videos, and engage shoppers. Plenty of musical artists use social networking site MySpace to expose their music and gain feedback that becomes helpful in starting their careers. Even video-centric sites play a significant role. Major issues have arisen, or even been discussed, through widely popular video sharing Website YouTube. If you think your business doesn't apply, think again. Even book seller Chapters Indigo has an enticing online community where readers can share book reviews, make suggestions on new titles, and even join virtual book clubs. Come on! If a company who's primary focus is selling you printed, paperback books can join the "web revolution", so can you!

Given all of this, I find it odd when people shrug off social networking as just being a fun thing for kids or people with too much time on their hands. The Web and online social communities have the potential to foster relationships, promote brands, and keep you connected with what's going on in a specific area of interest or interests. You might even find that a fan has beaten you to the punch: type any popular company name into a social networking site, and you're bound to find that a happy (or perhaps even unhappy) person has already created a group centred around your products.

Remember: there is no age requirement for social networking. You don't need to be a teeny-bopper, or even just in your 20s or 30s. I know people in their 40s, 50s, and yes, even 60s that are members of social networking Websites. Some people use them for business, on sites like LinkedIn or Facebook, to connect with colleagues and business groups. Others use them for personal reasons, to stay in touch with out of town family members. Many use the sites for both purposes.

The bottom line: if the next President of the United States of America realizes, and in many ways, has proven, the powerful influence that the Web and social networking can have on important decisions that people make, you shouldn't be afraid to do so as well.

What Will They Think of Next?: Facebook Photos go Straight to Digital Frame

eStarling's WiFi digital photo frame now works with the Facebook.com social networking Website: enter your Facebook log-in information into the eStarling frame management Website just once. Then any time thereafter, photos you post to your Facebook account will automatically appear on your photo frame, as long as it's connected to the 'net. Photos that you friends upload can also be set to appear on the frame.

While this is a great way to keep families and friends up-to-date on your going's on (especially if they aren't techie enough to take and display their own images), this is also a great way to play jokes on people. Imagine setting a frame back home to display embarassing photos of your spouse while you know he/she has friends over. The possibilities are endless!

In addition to Facebook, the eStarling photo frame is also compatible with Photobucket; RSS feeds from sites like Flickr, Picasa, and AOL; and text messages from compatible mobile phones. Another neat feature is that the frame has its own e-mail address, so images can be sent to it directly from PCs or mobile phones (a filter is said to "protect against unwanted photos").

IM For Facebook?

It's 5 p.m. on a Friday night, and I logged into Facebook from the office to post some details on our new photo contest (you could win a great Nikon digicam!) I noticed a tiny, icon on the bottom, right of my screen that said "online friends" but didn't think much of it. Perhaps it's a quick, one-button method of seeing who's currently online? Whatever. That was until a box magically popped up with a message from one of my colleagues.

"Working hard, I see," he said. What? Huh? How did THAT happen? For all you Facebook members, apparently instant messaging capabilities have now been added to the service, whether you've asked for them or not. I clicked on the link to discover a list of all my contacts that were currently online. Interesting.

So, as I entered our contest information, my colleague and I got to chatting. When I was done, he asked: "Did you just post that in here?" Post what in here? Without my asking it to, he received an IM letting him know what I had just posted in the Marketnews & here's how Magazines - About Tech group. Geez. Is it going to let him know when I take a sip of my coffee and get up for a bathroom break as well?

It seems a bit too invasive, if you ask me. Mind you, my posting in the All About Tech group would have eventually appeared in everyone's News Feeds anyway. Shortly after, I received an IM that told me he just posted two notes himself. Gotcha! It's sort of like Big Brother is watching. Scary stuff.

Netflix, Facebook Get a Little Dose of Irony

Isn't it ironic when you use the Internet to make your business processes more efficient, and then it ends up breaking down and causing the exact opposite effect? This is exactly what happened with U.S. movie rental provider Netflix.

If you're not familiar with Netflix, it's a modern-day DVD rental service that lets customers rent DVDs online, and have them mailed directly to their homes. But yesterday, the site experienced a major outage that left customers all over the U.S. literally in the dark...or at least with dark TV screens. According to the Associated Press, DVDs that were to be delivered on Monday were likely delayed until today. Ahh, there's nothing like sitting down with a bowl of popcorn and sodas to watch a movie that isn't there!

Sure, glitches happen, and customers will always have to be aware of that when dealing with any form of technology. But I can see old-school supporters all over pumping their fists in the air yelling: "and you laughed at me when I said I'd walk to the video store to rent my movie!"

But Netflix isn't alone. Over in the Web world, there's another company facing some technical nightmares: Facebook.com, which just can't seem to stay out of the news these days! A security issue yesterday led to hundreds of photos being exposed for anyone to see, including private photos from Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton; and even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg! (Hey, if there's ever an argument for sympathy, it's to say "look, I was affected by this glitch as well!") To put the ironic icing on the cake, the loophole to gain access was discovered as a result of the company's attempt to ramp up privacy controls!

Supposedly the issue was fixed within the hour. The Associated Press noted that "Some members of social networks like Facebook post photos of themselves or others in potentially embarrassing or compromising situations that include illegal drug use or underage drinking that can cause trouble at school or work." Sorry, but if you're posting images like that, Facebook isn't the problem.

As for "normal" members, you can rest easy that computer hackers (likely the only people that would have figured out how to bypass security) were probably more interested in seeing Paris Hilton's photos than pix of you with your little puppy, or your little kid's b-day party!

Are Facebook's 15-Minutes Up?

A U.K. study claims that social networking Website Facebook's 15-minutes of fame might be up because there has been a decline in user numbers there. Fortunately for Facebook, there are plenty of users in other areas (especially Canada, and, according to a recent study, mainly Toronto!) Also fortunate for the site, it appears that what was formerly known as 15-minutes of fame seems to be extending far beyond that today: so-called reality TV "stars" are a perfect indication of that.

As a member of the Facebook online community, I can admit that the site's appeal has somewhat run dry. As with anything, the initial excitement has faded into the "regular"; and the site has become just another part of the daily or weekly routine. However, this doesn't mean that Facebook has lost its purpose; nor its appeal. It's still a great way to send mass messages to people; upload and share photos (as I've said before, it's one of the easiest photo sharing sites I've seen); share similar interests, like movies and books; buy/sell items locally; keep in touch with old and out-of-town friends; and collaborate in special "groups". In fact, our magazines have a dedicated Facebook group called Marketnews & here's how! magazines - All About Tech where we include headlines from this very blog, along with other information, like monthly contests, new videos, and so forth (any member can join!)

So although it appears that the honeymoon is over, it still remains to be seen whether Facebook can live happily ever after, or will end up in divorce as the "next big thing" takes over. I believe that as long as the site maintains its easy usability and interface, and doesn't fall victim to overdoing it with useless applications and annoying new "features", it'll be around for a long time to come.

Facebook Takes the Cake in T.O.

According to a recent study conducted by ZINC Research, Canadians are flocking to social networking Website Facebook.com in droves. Not only are half of all online Canadians now members of the Facebook community, but Toronto has been awarded the honour of the first North American city to achieve over one-million subscribers to the service! Facebook currently has about seven-million Canadian subscribers in total, which means that Torontonians account for almost 15% of the total number of Canadian members

"2007 is the year that Facebook took Canada by storm," said Brian F. Singh, Managing Director at ZINC Research. "Canadians love the Facebook book platform for its simplicity and ability to connect with and stay in contact with friends and family."

Anecdotal reasons I've heard from fellow Canadians for jumping on the Facebook bandwagon are, indeed, to keep in touch with family and friends in different provinces (or even countries); and to stay in touch with long-lost friends whom they can't often visit in person. However, the site also serves as one of the easiest, and most attractive, photo sharing Websites I've ever used; not to mention the creation and distribution of event invitations. It is also successful at helping "friends" share interests in everything from the latest novels to movie ratings.

But for its recent Beacon advertising platform debacle, Facebook is likely on its way to becoming a very profitable venture; especially with financial backing from large corporations like Microsoft, and an increased focus on online advertising of a more favourable ilk.

"Facebook appears to be bridging the gap with our online and real lives," Singh added.

I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say that, but Facebook certainly adds a new flavour to the way we communicate and interact with one another on a day-to-day basis.

Facebook Gets Big Slap on the Wrist for New Ad Program

Popular social networking Website Facebook.com (for which Microsoft now owns a $240M equity stake) has been in the news lately, but not for good reason. It was recently revealed that, when a member purchased an item from one of Facebook's new advertising partner Websites, the information was automatically posted in the "news feeds" section of the site without the person's permission...sort of.

Here's how it supposedly worked: I buy something from a Website that's part of Facebook's new Beacon ad program (there are 44). A pop-up appears asking if I'd like the information to appear in my news feed on Facebook, a page that summarizes the most recent activity on of the site. If I click "no thanks" the information doesn't appear. However, if I quickly close that pop-up (which, let's face it, many of us do) then it's automatically assumed that I want everyone to know what I just bought online.

This, as you can imagine, is extremely intrusive, not to mention that it could have detrimental effects. The biggest example of such an effect is of one Facebook member who bought his wife a diamond ring from overstock.com (a Beacon partner Website), only to find out that the purchase appeared in the news feed for all his Facebook "friends" to see...including his wife.

Facebook has reportedly fixed the issue, requiring that a member now opt-in if he wants the informaiton published, rather than opt-out if they don't. Too little, too late for the aforementioned guy; and likely many others.

This brings us to an even bigger issue, which is how best to handle advertising in the social networking arena. The concept of Beacon is indeed a good one: if I just got a fantastic deal on a pair of designer shoes from some Website, of course I'd love for all my friends to know about it; and that partner Website would certainly love for me to tell them. It's like virtual word-of-mouth, so to speak. But it goes without saying that I, and no one else but me, should be in control of what gets published and what doesn't.

The situation can, in a way, be likened to spam mail, telemarketers, and even text messaged ads from cellular phone providers (yes, I've received a few of those!) In most cases, the companies obtained your information through legitimate means, but are using it to serve a purpose that benefits them, whether it be sending you targeted flyers in the mail, calling you about products for which they know you use, or sending you information about deals from stores you like. Facebook added a new variable: using your interests to generate interest from those who are like you (i.e. your "friends").

I'm not sure what Facebook was thinking: the company couldn't possibily have assumed that the 44 Beacon member companies would actually appreciate pissing off its customers for the sake of forced advertising. Nevertheless, the site appears to be cleaning up the situation, and making the appropriate adjustments to the Beacon system. In fact, eBay is reportedly set to sign up with the Beacon program in 2008: however, it will only publish information from sellers of products, not buyers. Smart move on eBay's part.

On another note, the bad press obviously hasn't hurt Facebook too much: according to the Associated Press, a billionaire in Hong Kong, Li Ka-shing, just paid $60 million for a 0.4% stake in the company. Ka-shing? Sounds more like Ka-ching for Facebook to me.

[Photo: Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.]

The Social Networking Stigma

Social networking has a sort of stigma attached to it, especially with the baby boomer and older generations. But I think if one can get past the idea of partication being "kid's play" that consumes too much time, the real benefits will eventually be realized by web surfers of all ages.

Much of the stigma, I believe, relates to people taking the "social" aspect a bit too seriously. They envision Websites like MySpace and Facebook as places where the younger generation can share way too much information about each other with way too many people. I've had this discussion with several anti-social networking co-workers and friends, who feel the entire idea of putting yourself out there for everyone to see is invasive, voyeuristic, and self-involved. I do agree that some people get carried away, offering up private details like home addresses, mobile phone numbers, and even dates they'll be going on vacation! If this information was shared with a few close and personal friends, that's a different story. But with 500+ so-called "friends" (which, judging from some lists, many kids claim to have), are you just asking for trouble? More so, what's the point?

That said, if you move past the juvenile attraction to these Websites, you'll surprisingly find a surplus of benefits for adults and even business professionals.

First, no one has the time to connect socially with each and every person in their life that they'd like to. Why not share things like recent photos, movie choices, and stories online quickly and easily, with people with whom you simply don't often get the chance to call or see? Old co-workers, friends with which everyday life has just made it impossible to remain in constant contact with? It's a great way to "catch up" while not having to spread your in-person time so thin that it's almost invisible!

Furthermore, what about friends and family that live in other countries, or even provinces? E-mail is great, but why go through the trouble of resizing and attaching hundreds of pics in an e-mail when you can reach everyone you want through one Website? This is the same justificatoin that dedicated photo sharing Websites have made for years; and it applies just as much to social networking sites with photo sharing capabilities.

From a business perspective, what other cost-effective method can you think of to reach hundreds of members in your industry all at once? Sure, there are plenty of e-blast programs, servers, and the like that can aid in maintaining a large database of names. But these cost big bucks, and require constant maintenance. With many social networking sites, you can send a note, a story, anything you wish to whomever you like with one click of a mouse, and no money out of your pocket.

When it comes to creating content that one wishes to promote, like a struggling music artists new demo recording, or an amatuer videographer's latest creation, what better way to spread the word and gain exposure for your product?

Recently, I discovered an application on Facebook that would allow me to share my book choices with friends. I can see what they're currently reading, read their book reviews, and browse through a list of recommendations. I'm always asking around for book recommendations, so having all of this information at my fingertips, from people who I know I share similar interests, is absolutely wonderful.

As for the online networking-haters, I have tried and tried to refute their arguments until I've been blue in the face. There are people who will never wish to participate, and that's perfectly fine. But for those who have been on the fence, I encourage you to try it out. As long as you're mindful about what information you share, and who you share it with, it's a neat way to both stay in touch with technology, while also, in a strange way, going back in time.

Strike While the Social Networking Iron is Hot!

It's no secret that sites like MySpace and Facebook lead the online social networking world, the latter of which finds much of its appeal in the level of control each member has over how much of his information is made public, and to whom. The latest service to enter the foray is from Yahoo!: a site called Mash that will supposedly allow friends to alter each other's profiles.

Yahoo! is certainly making a concerted effort to differentiate itself from the pack, but I can't imagine why on earth I'd ever want to give someone free reign to update my information. In Yahoo!'s defense, the site is reportedly geared at the younger generation (so is Facebook and MySpace, although both appear to have picked up steam by the 25+ crowd). I would argue this target audience is actually worse for such a feature. Here's why:

Kids today change BFFs ("best friends forever", for those who aren't hip to the lingo) like they do socks. Imagine permitting your "BFF Sally" to update your profile. A fight ensues one day, and by the next, all your dirty laundry, embarassing pics, and nicknames are aired on your Mash profile. Thanks, but no thanks.

I don't blame companies for wanting to strike an iron that's hot: if they didn't do so, we wouldn't see half as many iPod accessories as we do today. But sometimes the ideas seem a little "out there". Mind you, consumers have been known to take to strangest ideas and concepts, so I might be out in left field on this one. I guess we'll just wait and see.

The Majority of Online Leisure Time is Being Spent Playing Games

With all of the media attention as of late, one would think that things like online video and social networking take the cake when it comes to leisure time spent online. But this isn’t the case. According to research firm Parks Associates, casual gaming actually leads the online leisure activity race, with 34% of U.S. adults admitting to playing games on the 'net weekly. Video clip watching is right on gaming’s heels at 29%, followed by social networking, which was surprisingly only cited as a weekly occurence by 19% of those surveyed.

This could be attributed to the age range of the survey sample: I’d guess the majority of the participants were above 30, while the average age of a social networker is undoubtedly much younger. Had they conducted this same survey among 16-30-year-olds, I’ll bet the numbers would have been skewed much differently.

Nevertheless, the study discovered that online gaming has grown 79% year-over-year, compared to 46% growth in social networking. However, video streaming sites blew gaming out of the water when it comes to growth, with an impressive 123% year-over-year rate. Interestingly, although a recent study by Parks’ claimed that consumers weren’t interested in downloading videos online, the results of this new survey imply that they have no problem watching them there!

This survey sheds some light on the often overlooked ‘net activity of “casual” gaming. I’m a victim of this growing trend myself, having engaged in a quick game of MSN Bejeweled 2 every now and then when I’m unwinding at home. It just goes to show that, even in a world with complex, first-person shooter, car chasing, gremlin massacring games, there’s still a thriving market that simply wants to match three shapes together repeatedly until a game board is cleared.

[Photo: MSN's Bejeweled 2, which is accessible via the MSN Games page.]

Consumers Consume More Online, Communicate Less

An interesting four-year analysis conducted by the Online Publishers Association (OPA) reveals that consumers are no longer using the ‘net predominantly for communications: the shift is now in favour of consuming content. This is no surprise, given that more and more content has become available online over the past few years.

The study revealed that time spent on content has increased 37% over the past four years. Time spent on search has also gone up (35%), although this represents just 5% of a user’s overall online activity.

What type of content are people viewing online? It ranges from news, to entertainment information, videos, and even checking the weather. Of course we can’t forget social networking Websites, which I’d argue (and OPA President Pam Horan acknowledges) represent not only the consumption of content, but also a new means of communication. Meanwhile, other burgeoning online communication methods, like instant messaging, have hampered the popularity of e-mail; although e-mail arguably still remains an extremely popular method of staying in touch (Blackberry, anyone?)

Marshall McLuhan is famous for having said that “the medium is the message”. In this case, the message is rapidly advancing technology. And that's always a good thing for the CE/IT industry!

The OPA’s index is derived from Web properties that account for approx. 90% of active Web users and approximately 55% of total usage time (excluding .gov, .edu, and domains of a pornographic nature).

For more information on the study, visit http://www.online-publishers.org/iai/.

Students File Suit Claiming Facebook Founder Stole Their Idea

I’ve covered the topic of social networking several times over the course of the past few months, but it’s such a popular topic lately that I can't seem to go one day without seeing a hot new story all over the media about it. Recently, it's all about popular Website Facebook. And this week’s hot news follows the standard path that most successful new start-ups end up walking down: the lawsuit. Three college students have filed a lawsuit against 23-year old Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, claiming that he stole their idea. When one reaches the top, rest assured that people will try to cash in on your fame. It’s a classic "kick 'em when he's up" scenario.

The lawsuit alleges that the three men in question concocted the idea for a site, and had originally called it ConnectU, with the idea that it would help connect Harvard students. Zuckerberg was brought on for the technical aspects: these guys were athletes, not tech geeks. The three allege that Zuckerberg eventually stopped working on the site while he went ahead with his own site that followed the same premise.

If Zuckerberg was the one who was able to take the idea and run, he deserves the credit. But in all fairness, if he stole someone else's idea, well, that's just wrong.

The students filed a suit against Zuckerberg and Facebook in 2004 that was quickly dismissed. As Facebook grew in popularity (it currently claims over 30 million active members!), the three men became more red-faced, and finally filed again in March 2007. A hearing today will determine whether this suit will proceed, or be dismissed yet again. Stay tuned!

As a sidenote, it's funny (but increasingly common) that a small, college project has evolved into a company that could soon file for an IPO, and might just be worth millions. It just goes to show that no matter how small an idea you think you have, and no matter how young or old the “inventor” is, protect your properties. What seems like nothing could very well be the "next big thing" in new business.

[Photo: Mark Zuckerberg].

Future Shop Jumps on Social Networking Bandwagon

Online social networking is a growing trend: more and more people are using the Web to communicate, share, and get information. In recognition of this, Future Shop has jumped on board with its own, online community forum. I doubt Facebook or MySpace is shaking in its Web-networking boots, but from a retail perspective, it’s great to see a Canadian company take a bold step in fostering open, customer communication.

An industry conference I recently attended in NYC alluded to the importance of such open communication. “Invite conversation instead of demanding attention,” recommended John Batelle, founder of Federated Media. He aptly calls the current state of affairs the “Conversation Economy.”

Customers can visit the Future Shop forum (accessible via http://www.futureshop.ca/), and chat with others about products, ask questions, share stories, and throw in their own two cents. Available in both English- and French (there’s a separate forum for each), the conversations are monitored by an Avatar (i.e. a virtual “host” and product expert).

Several topic categories are available, ranging from gaming, to home theatre, and car audio. There’s even a spot for general, “off-topic” feedback. For example, one visitor posted “product suggestions”: stuff she’d like to see stocked on Future Shop shelves. Following the initial post, 10 others chimed in with their own “wish lists”. Sure, it isn’t realistic to think that Future Shop buyers are agonizing over these requests, taking notes, or getting on the phone right away to add SKUs to store shelves. But to allow such an open discussion helps consumers feel like they have a voice.

I took a quick look at the site. Currently, the top question is whether one should choose the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360. So far, 23 responses have been posted, each with a clear opinion. The "featured" question is a debate between Blu-ray, HD-DVD, and “standard” DVD. Sure, not all of the opinions are fully educated ones: some are based on fact (via references to legitimate publications like Twice or Marketnews!), some on opinion, and others on sheer misinformation. Many even originate from Future Shop sales associates across the country, who clearly identify themselves. Each comment can also be rated on a scale of 1-5. But every opinion is valuable, whether it prompts someone to pipe in and clarify with facts; or allow someone to play devil's advocate.

The point is: people are talking about technology. And that’s always a good thing for the industry.

Social Networking Continues to Grow

I’m revisiting the social networking topic, since it has been the subject of a lot of media buzz these days (with what room remains after extensive coverage of Paris Hilton’s latest order-to-and-subsequent-release-from-jail debacle). Last month, you might recall that I was debating whether or not to join a social networking Website. Despite my reluctance to do so, I eventually surrendered to the power of the ‘net. I subsequently received a lot of flak from many who thought it juvenile, “stupid”, and unnecessarily time consuming. But I persevered, nonetheless.

A month has passed, and about 90 per cent of my critics have now joined, albeit not without a push. When confronted, each grudgingly admitted to having caved in for various reasons: some claimed friends/family members were on their cases to join; while others simply said that eventually, their curiosity got the best of them.

Interestingly enough, these “converts” have become the best spokespeople in favour of social networking. Many have admitted that, although they have no interest in communicating with 98% of the people who attempt to contact them, the 2% of people they are glad they found make it all worth it. Interesting…

Even more interesting is the results of a recent poll by TNS Canadian Facts. The survey found that, although teens and young adults dominate the social networking world, the doors are slowly opening up for the 30+ crowd: and even those 50 and above. Six in 10 of those in their 30s have visited a social networking site; 45 per cent of those in their 40s, and one-third 50 and older.

And why not? From a personal perspective, social networking sites have become the easiest way to locate a long-lost friend or colleague. These sites are also a great way to enjoy a relationship with business contacts that goes beyond the suit and tie. And relationships are always a good thing, no matter how you build them.

Click Here for more results from the TNS survey: http://www.marketnews.ca/news_detail.asp?nid=2862

FaceBook - Should I, or Shouldn't I?

It started with AOL. Then MySpace. Now all the rage in social networking is through a Website called Facebook (www.facebook.com). I can't count on both hands how many requests to join I've received over the last few months. Each one, I quickly passed over, thinking I spend waaay too much time online as it is. I don't have time for this now. . Every time I caught up with friends, and even family, I was asked if I'm "on facebook", and told how highly addictive it is. Old friends enthuse to me that they've located an old elementary school classmate, and he's living in China now! My best friend calls one night excited: you'll never guess who I found on facebook!. What on earth is so fascinating about this Website?

So last night, I decided to bite the bullet and join. Within minutes, I had notes on what they call my "wall" (looks sort of like an open forum) welcoming me to this highly addictive social community. I quickly added some of my friends (those dozens who had sent the requests over the months), and looked through THEIR friends, many of which I also knew. I got excited as I scrolled through the lists and recognized faces: Oh my gosh! I remember him from grade school! Wow, that is what so and so looks like now? She got married? Moved to BC. Is engaged. I was flooded with all of these faces from my past. Is this a good thing?

Some tend to think not. One person described the site to me as a place for "losers who can't let go of their past." Another said he started receiving requests to be "friends" with old schoolmates that he had "spent years trying to get away from in the first place!"

Why are these sites so popular? Is it a need for affirmation that one has friends? It's certainly a good feeling to have someone "confirm" their "friend" status with you. Is it a need to know you're remembered by those you've crossed paths with in your life? Or is there a voyeuristic tendency to learn whatever came of that guy that you hated in high school, or the girl you had a crush on in kindergarden?

Whatever the reason, it seems like everyone I know, or have ever known, is "on" facebook. I haven't figured out the inner workings of the site yet, but I'll definitely be visiting again to see what new faces pop up. Whether it's curiousity, or simply the fact that I'm sicking of being asked if I'm on the site, it looks like I've jumped on the bandwagon. Until the next "hot" site comes along....