MEGO: My Eyes Glaze Over

The Semantic Web = Information Overload

May 10, 2010 Internet General

Via Mashable. Mine eyes glaze over. But this is good, despite brain being fried due information overload.  I must sleep…

Watch some great thinkers discuss the notion of categorizing the web, including Clay Shirky and David Weinberger. Then rest your brain and watch Glee or maybe Yo Gabba Gabba.

Web 3.0 from Kate Ray on Vimeo.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tags: clay shirky, david weinberger, glee, information overload, mashable, ontology, semantic web, tags, video, web, yo gabba gabba

How scr%$ed are we?

Mar 21, 2009 A Good Laugh, Internet General, Politics, Short and Sweet

While Obama is pushing net neutrality and reversing Bush’s stem cell research restrictions in Canada the CRTC is spending months analyzing the New Media and net neutrality issues and it turns out our Science Minister might not believe in evolution.

Are we soon going to want to move South?

Also check out what Strombo says in this video, around 2:50.

Popularity: 94% [?]

Tags: canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Network neutrality, Politics, Science and Technology, Stem cell

Social Networks and the Net Generation at Work

Mar 15, 2009 Blogs, Books, Customer Service, Digital Marketing & Metrics, Internet General, Marketing & Communication, Microblogging, Social Bookmarking, Social Media

When I joined the workforce e-mail was pretty standard as a method for communication and the Internet was commonly used for research purposes. But, in the early days of email many business owners and managers did not allow e-mail in the offices for fear that their employees would not get any work done, they were concerned over how to manage, store and capture e-mailed information, and of course they grappled with security issues surrounding e-mail. Today, business owners and managers have realized that e-mail has increased the speed of business communication, and concerns over data capture and management as well as security have largely been overcome.

Social Networks Stats and Facts

There is a new tool that has caused much consternation and hand-wringing for IT Managers and business owners – social networks and social media.  A new report by Nielson puts social networks ahead of e-mail in online activities according to a recent article in the Globe and Mail.  Neilson found that 1 in 11 minutes online is spent on a social network or blog site, bringing social networks and blogs to the fourth most popular activity following search, general interest portals and software manufacturers. More telling is the growth seen by social networks during the period of the study (Dec 2007-Dec 2008) which saw between 1.4 and 1.9% growth for the top three activities versus an incredible 5.4% for social networking.

There are 150 Million active Facebook users and a recent research study from Pew Inernet shows that 11% of online adults say they have used the social network Twitter. A Netpop report shows that 7 Million people in the U.S. are contributing to content online and that social networking sites have grown a whopping 93% since 2006!

Despite the growth in the use of social media and social networks specifically, many corporations have decided to bury their head in the sand and hope it goes away, much like they did when e-mail came on the scene. Instead of facing the issues these companies have decided to simply block employees access.

Blocking Access

The concerns for social media are similar to those in the 1990s when e-mail entered the workplace: productivity, data capture, privacy and security. The approach the same – block, refuse access, refer employees to old technology (oddly in the case of social media it is often e-mail!). But this is short-sighted, unrealistic and a passive approach that will eventually (if not already!) be seen as anti-productive.

Let’s look at the concerns companies have regarding social media:

Productivity: This has to be the most ridiculous of the reasons. 1) If employees want to be slack off all they need to do is go stand by someone else’s desk, go for a smoke break, chat at the water cooler, close their eyes and have a snooze. Let’s face it if you can’t trust your employees are doing their job…then you didn’t hire the right people or they are bored, unchallenged or unempowered. 2) If employees are allowed to use social media they can actually become more productive! (More on this in next post)

Data Capture/Management: Many social networks are easily followed, stored and saved. People have clearly moved beyond this issue with e-mail – and this can be accomplished with Social Networks. Ownership can be overcome by businesses as well by contracting space on sites for block of space that would be under control of the company as suggested by Salesforce.com precedent. Another alternative is to set up internal IM systems, social networks and Wikis for use with Internal Communication. While this does not help customer and vendor communication it can allow employees some use of tools that will help productivity while maintaining data security and capture.

Privacy and Security: This is a biggie, and closely related to data capture and management. Panic has ensued amongst business owners with regards to data privacy and corporate secrets. And, of course it can be an issue as more and more employees spend time on social networks discussing their lives (which includes work) with Facebook status changes, LinkedIn profiles, and of course the tweets on Twitter. Companies obviously want to limit and retain close control over sensitive company information, at the same time they also must find ways to engage and communicate directly with their customers (or risk losing them). As social media becomes increasingly interconnected and more customers EXPECT companies to be active on social networks it will become inadequate to simply block social media sites and use URL filtering. Instead companies can help alleviate the privacy and security (and avoid potential lawsuits) issues by creating policies and educating employees on safe data handling. (Note: There are also IT tools available on the market to help monitor, examine historic patterns of leaks and discover and eliminate malware that have in the past been issues with some Web 2.0 sites). Privacy and security is an issue whether your employees are using social media or not – but a easy to understand policy, and a central contact for questions related to privacy and security can help companies avoid future issues.

Net Generation at Work

Companies that decide to limit or block use of social media are not only unnecessarily limiting their communication with their customers through online methods, they are also forfeiting the chance to discover new tools for collaboration within the organization. By closing the company off from social media they are also driving away younger employees who are looking to work for companies whose culture fits their life and ideals.  Don Tapscott in his book Grown Up Digital says the “Net gener [age 18-32] arrives at work, eager to use his social networking tools to collaborate and create and contribute to the company. For starters he’s shocked to find that the company’s technological tools are more primitive than the ones he used in high school…And they are surprised, perhaps naively, to learn that corporations have antiquated ways of working.” These same Net Generation workers can, if given a chance, show companies how to collaborate in new ways more effectively and efficiently. But, these workers don’t stick around long according to Tapscott – they usually only last two years before moving on. Which is too bad since Tapscott’s research shows that those companies that embrace the Net Gen norms perform better than those that don’t..

This generation, of which I am a part of (well I missed it by a month…), view life and work different from other generations according to Tapscott – and that view is defined by 8 characteristics or norms: Freedom, Customization, Scrutiny, Openness, Fun/Entertainment in life and work, Collaboration, Speed, Innovation.

Tapscott definies these characteristics as they relate to work (summary):

Freedom: Net Geners expect to mix work and their personal lives, and this includes choosing when and where they work. They want flexible hours, the ability to telecommute, and other services that make their lives easier.

Customization: They want employers to treat them as individuals and this means giving them learning and development opportunities that are right for them. They want an adaptable work environment, job descriptions that are project based and customized, flexible benefits,  and more frequent discussions on their contribution to the organization.

Scrutiny: How we search for jobs has changed and how we research the company before we make a change has as well.  According to Grown Up Digital 60% of Net Geners check out a company before accepting a job offer. They want to work for companies that are transparent, share information, and have integrity. Tapscott says: “Young people respond well to management integrity…there is greater loyalty and lower turnover, and employees are more likely to do the right thing.” (For example more likely to get their job done even if they take a break to check Facebook, and more likely to hold company secrets sacred and follow company privacy policy).

Collaboration: Net Geners want to work with other people and collaboration is how they get stuff done. To them the workplace should be less about hierarchies and departmental silos and more about connecting with others to solve a problem. Using social networks, social bookmarking, Wikis, aps like LinkedIn Huddle Workpaces or Virtual worlds (Second Life) to meet, collaborate, plan, and execute.

Fun/Entertainment: Fun and work go hand in hand for this generation – they don’t need to be separate. Cultures that allow employees to have a little fun at work end up with more productive staff. We all need a break before diving back into another round of work – and if surfing on a social network is that little bit of fun – why block it?

Speed: This generation is used to speed and instant responses. Why not? We no longer have to wait for dial-up or snail mail! For Net Geners red tape is frustrating, feedback should be in real-time and bureaucracy can mean doom in the market. They use social media tools such as Wikis and IM to speed up communication within the workplace.

Innovation: This is a fascinating point Tapscott makes: “If video games taught this Net Generation anything, it’s that every problem has seemingly endless solutions” and so this generation is looking for new ways to their jobs, to be innovative in their workplace, to challenge status quo. Many of these young workers bring their knowledge of social media to the work place creating new communication channels, building collaborative work systems, and finding new ways to solve a business problem.

In the End

Social media such as instant messaging, blogging and social networks have gained ground as communication tools outside the workplace by leaps and bounds, and it is only a matter of time before they, like e-mail before them, become necessary and an acceptable part of the work place.  The concerns for productivity,  data management, and security and privacy are valid – however they can be overcome by education, corporate policy and new IT tools. Ultimately, if a company hires good people they will need less process and bureaucracy to police the space – as the employees in an open and empowered culture will be more likely to use social media tools wisely. Through using social media in the workplace employees will find new ways to harness collective knowledge, collaborate, and create ways to communication effectively internally and externally.

As always  – connect on Twitter and Google Friend Connet (right hand side). And, if you enjoyed this content – subscribe!

Images from Stocl.xchng (bigevil600, brokenarts, glennpeb)

Popularity: 100% [?]

Tags: facebook, Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World HC, linkedin, socia, Social Bookmarking, social media, social network, twitter, Work

Looking for Options: Avoiding Telemarketers and Net Throttlers

Feb 28, 2009 Consumer Brands, Customer Service, Internet General, Marketing & Communication

Prepare yourself for a rant.

For some time now we have been searching for a new Internet Service Provider (ISP), one that doesn’t throttle P2P sites (file sharing sites). Sadly, in Canada it seems this is difficult since while we aren’t forced to purchase our access from the operator (in Canada: Bell, Rogers and Shaw are the most dominant players)- the truth is most flow through their network anyhow.

Frustrated with this service and the fact that every month our bill seems to sneak up a few cents, we had also started to look into alternatives to our phone service.  We spend nearly $170 every month for Phone, Internet, and Television service from one provider. Despite calling to take advantage of new bundle packages (note: they didn’t automatically give me the bundle discount- I had to CALL!) our bill is still ridiculously expensive if you consider the fact that they throttle P2P sites on our Internet, the majority of our phone calls are from 000-0000 and 123-4567, and I can get what good TV shows exist, elsewhere – it really makes me question the money being spent!

Today, after dealing with more telemarketers calling (and, yes I signed the useless “Do Not Call list! Reminds me,  check out this hilarious video from This Hour has 22 Minutes) I decided to call and de-list our phone number, hoping that this might help. I really don’t need to have my phone number listed – any one who wants to get a hold of me can e-mail me if they don’t know my phone number! Guess what privacy costs at the phone company – $2 A MONTH. Are you *&^% me? Why should I pay an additional $2 a month to keep my phone number private? Don’t I already pay over $40 to have a land line? Interestingly, someone on Twitter told me that if I wanted to list my cell phone number I would HAVE TO PAY! I began thinking do I need an expensive land line? If I scan my Caller ID, there are only a handful of calls I actually want to take. My family talks to us on Skype, my friends talk to me on e-mail or Blackberry Messenger, or Gmail, Facebook, or Twitter.  So… to solve phone issue – I am going to get VOIP phone service – apparently some actually have a filter for telemarketers!

Finding an alternative for Internet is more difficult. Currently I have been unable to find any ISPs that don’t use the networks provided by the three big guys who currently are throttling certain sites, or throttling during peak hours. In fact, the CRTC will be reviewing this very issue in July.  So far CRTC has taken a “let’s do nothing” attitude. Go figure, they are the same brainiacs that created the Do Not Call Registry which was oh-so successful! The hearing in July will examine the principle of  “network neutrality” in Canada and whether ISPs will be able to continue to “manage” traffic as they have been for the past year. “Network neutrality” is a principle that obligates the companies that own the infrastructure to “refrain from blocking, degrading, or prioritizing certain content, services, or applications based on their source, ownership or destination” (SaveOurNet.ca).  SaveOurNet.ca has an interesting PDF that outlines the issue, the current laws, the facts vs. fiction.

A couple interesting bits and pieces on the issue from SaveOurNet.ca:

• Tiered, non-neutral networks limits customer choice, and determine which Internet businesses succeed by prioritizing or degrading specific content based on who is willing to pay for it. Large ISPs would use traffic management to charge content providers for speedy access for their web users – therefore smaller companies, start-ups (or blogs!) that couldn’t afford to pay would suffer. Interestingly, ISPs could slow down their own competitors. Bell for example throttles P2P sites, yet it is unlikely that they are slowing down downloads to their new Bell Video Store.
• The major ISPs insist that throttling is necessary in order to offer equal service during peak time to consumers. Yet, when asked to produce numbers it turns out that bandwidth us is actually down! So, if we aren’t short on bandwidth – then the only reason to throttle seems to be to make money, and turn web consumers into a commodity.
• A free and equal platform fosters innovation in Canada:  The Internet provides start-ups, and innovators with an incredible platform to reach their customers at a low price. But, if ISPs are allowed to pick and choose “which content gets to ride in the fast lane, future innovators will have to impress (or pay off) the ‘gate-keeper’ before gaining access to consumers” (SaveOurNet.ca). Which begs the question why you would choose to do business from Canadian soil…
• Many consumers are not aware that their ISPs are slowing their speed of access, and incorrectly assume that it is the content provider instead. Imagine you are watching a live-stream video of your favourite author reading and the picture and sound is splotchy and fragmented, how do you rate your experience? Isn’t your enjoyment of the Internet based on the speed at which you can find and do what you set out to do. Do you visit that site again?
• The ISPs built the infrastructure so it is their belief that they deserve to compensated for their investment. However, as SaveOurNet.ca points out – it would be ridiculous to imagine a hydro company charging a premium to particular customers for “enhanced service” – essentially double-dipping by charging us for access and then the content providers to give customers reliable access to content.
• The Internet is ours. I think this is an important distinction to make – the networks provide the access, but they “contribute very little to the resource” (SaveOurNet.ca) The value of the Internet, the information, the content, the social networks, the communication vehicles available -  those are not due to the work of the ISPs they are authored by other companies, supported by volunteers, or created as a collaborative effort of many.
• If net neutrality is not upheld by public policy we can be sure that the ISPs will manage traffic in a way that best satisfies their bottom line…not ours.

Until Monday the CRTC was accepting public input on the issue to review for the public hearing in July. SaveOurNet.ca sent over 5000 letters from web users as of midnight on the 23rd of February. However, we will have to wait until July to see what happens when the CRTC deliberates the issue. In the mean time, I guess I am stuck paying out money for less than adequate service.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Tags: bell, Bell Video Store, canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, crtc, internet law, Internet service provider, law, net neutrality, rogers, shaw, web