#140conf thoughts
Although we did not attend the #140conf in NYC, we here at socialmediaonline.biz have been following the blogs and the tweets about the conference, scanning for the nuggets among the tremendous flow of information.
There were over 60 presenters, each presenting their points of view about the role of Twitter and social media.
The conference was held at a especially relevant time due to the Iranian elections and the twitterstorm on #iranelection.
Twitter has played a role in many societal events, but probably none as publicized as the Iranian elections. Twitter has played a central role in the ability of Iranian dissedents to be able to have “free speech” and get the word out. Unfortunately as in most dictatorial countries, dissent is punished by arrest by the basij, or the Revolutionary Guard.
This turn of events prove @jeffpulver’s remarks in his opening remarks that Twitter has democratized information where anyone and everyone’s voice can be heard.
Twitter has started to affect people globally and to change their thinking globally instead of just locally. As @scoblezier said, “People are starting to care as much about global now, as they once did about local – real-time analysis will continue to improve and only help make it better”
Not surprisingly, Twitter has changed the paradigm in which people interact with each other. As @mkokc stated “People are looking for one another in the most basic human way – Twitter has become our little Town Hall, our ‘Mayberry’, like a good back fence neighbor”
For an example of that, just follow the tweets on the hashtag #iranelection. You will see concern from people for people that lives thousands of miles away, tweeting advice to help those people.
The paradigm with which we are communicating with each is continuously changing. As the paradigm shifts, the platform developers (i.e. Twitter) will have to change to align with that paradigm shift or risk becoming irrelvant. As people think up new uses for social media and those uses start to become mainstream, the way people interact will contine to change.
Global activism will also continue to increase in use, especially as people start to see how effective that the use of social media was in the Iranian elections debacle and social media will continue to play a part in the activism.
If you weren’t able to make it to NYC for the #140conf, #140conf in Los Angeles and #140conf in London are scheduled for this Fall 2009, follow #140conf for more info.