Clay Shirky studies the effects of the Internet on Society. He has written two recent books on the subject: Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations(2008) and Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age (2010). He blogs occasionally here.
Social Media
7 Must-Read Books on the Future of the Internet Mentioned on this page: Ushahidi crisis mapping
Marketing and Advertising on Facebook: Metrics (Join/Leave) for Groups, by day and week
Facebook as a tool for small businesses.
New Social Media Tools for Small Businesses, State and Local Governments, Non-profit Organizations
Are Social Networking Sites Useful for Business?
Why Corporations Should Use Social Media and Online Networking
Facebook Becomes Dominant Social Networking Portal
- Facebook's 7 stages of development (by Robert Scoble). From (1) Harvard only; (2) Harvard + Colleges only (3) Harvard, colleges and geeks (4) All people in the social graph; (5) All of the above plus businesses in the social graph; (6) All of the above plus well-known objects in the social graph; (7) All people, businesses, objects in the social graph. Phase 5 is known as when Facebook is really going to find its business model.
- Facebook Changed My Life (BBC interviews with three Brits).
- What are the best and worst Facebook applications? http://tinyurl.com/ahv5fm
- About Face: Parents All Over Facebook, by Bella English, Boston Globe.
- How to Friend Mom, Dad and the Boss Without Losing Your Privacy
- Facebook's Downsides: Friend Envy, Dilemma of Unfriending, Divorce and Social Networking
- Inside Facebook blog for developers and marketers.
- 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
- Facebook's Blog
- New Interactive Advertising Turns Consumers into Partners
- 700 Facebook Friends, Yet Only One Shows Up
- Facebook for Geezers (Old Folks). And What If Facebook Existed During the Civil War?
- Addicted to Facebook?
- Teens Rarely Use Email (Only With 'Old People'): They IM, Twitter, Text, Use MySpace and Facebook
- Youth Pastor Says He Learns About Kids From Their Facebook Activities
- 'Older Generation' on Facebook
- Facebook: Biggest Tech Phenomenon of 2007 and 2008? (written in 2007)
- Egads, Mom and Dad Are On Facebook! Clicking and Not Clicking With the Facebook Crowd
Social Networks
It's NOT Information Overload; It's Filter Failure
- social network analysis: books and articles to read
- understanding social networks might lead to all sorts of societal benefits
- books on social networks and their hidden power
- Group Action Just Got Easier, says Clay Shirky.
- Shirky, "Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations," (video) speaks of the small number of people who have friends UNLIKE themselves. Most people seek out friends who are like themselves. This raises issues of social inclusion vs. exclusion. Invest in connectors, Shirky says. "Social density, the social clustering that gives you access to social capital - by which you can get loans or help - has much to do with like-with-like clustering.
If you want to increase social capital and tackle exclusion you need to support people who make connections." He also discusses Institutions Vs. Collaborators:
Online Neighborhoods
- NC Citizens Flex Political Muscle With Hyper-local Websites
- Thriving Online Community in Chatham County. How About in Your County?
- Cary, Chapel Hill, Greensboro Neighborhood Yahoo Groups
- Raleigh Neighborhood Yahoo Groups
- Durham Neighborhood Yahoo Groups
- Online Neighborhoods Now in the Thousands
- Newspapers Must Embrace Not Just Blogging, But Neighborhood Networking
- Online Neighborhoods Recreate Village Atmosphere
- Wondering About SmallWander.com
Electronic Democracy
For daily updates, see http://www.personaldemocracy.com and http://www.techpresident.com/
ObamaCTO.org is now taking your ideas. Here's the feedback page. Here's what I voted for the Obama movement to do:
Start a membership organization. To combat unemployment, create something like WPA and CCC. Partner with Second Harvest to deliver food items to the needy.
I'd like to see a site like these (for Colorado) in NC: http://www.progressnow.org and http://www.progressnowaction.org/
These sites represent an online hub for Colorado activists -- from environmentalists to abortion rights advocates to those concerned about the direction of their school boards. Progressives use the site to find each other, organize and meet people working on other issues. Here's the strategy: " The best news coverage, the most clever ads aren’t enough to change public opinion. Change has to be made one person at a time, community by community, all across the state and the country. ProgressNow Action gives you the tools you need make this change happen:
- Get connected with others in your area by starting a group and organizing locally around the issues important to you.
- Get current by choosing the news you want, delivered the way you want it.
- Get active by reaching out and influencing your local media, your elected officials, and voters near you."
Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. Penguin Press, 2008. See also Shirky.com
How Obama Did It
Obama would never have become president without the Internet. He raised half a billion online!
| Triple O, Obama's online operation | OPOs -- the online political operatives
Online Campaign 2008
Internet: Key to Obama's Primary...and General Election Victories?
How Will New Online Organizers Help Obama Govern and Help the Country?
The Internet As Civic and Political Organizing Tool
Using the Net for Local Community Organizing (Ed Cone)
Internet: Key to Obama's Primary...and General Election Victories?
PDAs in the hands of door-to-door canvassers, connected to online databases that can be updated in real time. The Voter Activation Network is one example.
Thriving Online Community in Chatham County. How About in Your County?
Is This The Fated 'Internet Election'? YouTube As Campaign and Advocacy Tool
A New Way to Create, Judge Political Ads
How Does Social Change Happen?
Obama Campaign Builds Unprecedented Grassroots Internet-Based Movement
On Building Online Communities for Real-World Action
Online Innovations in the 2008 Presidential Campaign
Can the Internet Help Reduce World Poverty?
Disasters Put Power of Internet on Display
Innovations in Online Fundraising Inspire New Givers
Online Fundraising Successes Highlighted at Personal Democracy Forum
"The low cost of Internet communications has drastically changed the way large and small organizations reach out to their constituents. Armed with an email database of 250,000 supporters, organizations are able to deliver a highly targeted direct response message to an audience larger than some national news networks get in any 30 minute increment. This is a tremendously powerful tool for organizations to leverage for both activism and fundraising." -- Juan Proano, president of Plus Three, speaking to the Personal Democracy Forum. Podcasts and video from the conference are available from the web site.
Optimists Vs. Pessimists On How Internet is Changing Society
Early 'Vision for a New Democracy' Has Come True -- Internet Has Revitalized Both Political Parties
In 2004, Internet Worked Better for Republicans than Democrats, Barone Says
2004: A New Front Opens in Political Wars: Candidates Battle for Hearts and Minds of Internet Users
2004: How Bush Beat Kerry in Key Battleground: Internet Organizing
2004: Internet Now Plays Central Role in Elections
10 Lessons From Internet Use in Early Stages of a Political Campaign: Case Study of 2004 Democratic Presidential Nomination Contest
2001: Republicans More Likely to be Online Political Activists
Internet Innovations in 2000 Presidential Campaign
Bush-Gore Webmasters Claim Internet Was Crucial
Internet Made A Difference In Close Congressional Races of 2000
A Supernova of Online Advocacy in the Post-Election Struggle
Right-to-Life Activists Use Internet to Get Feeding Tube Reinserted In Comotose Patient
Bloggers Had A Hand in Forcing Resignation of New York Times editors
Did Internet Blogs Do In Trent Lott?
Asians-Americans Use Internet to Build Powerful Political Organization
How the Internet is Changing Advocacy
Internet is Integral Tool in Legislative Battles
Using New Technologies to Battle Extremism, Terrrorism, and to Inspire Civic Activism
Internet Publishers Challenge 'Mainstream' Media, Harken Back to 19th Century Democracy
A Truer, Unfiltered Marketplace of Political Ideas
Internet Is A Freer, More Honest, More Responsive, Less Responsible Media
Internet Takes Us Back to the Future
New Era of Participatory Democracy?
Internet & Political Passion: A Discussion
Skeptics Take On Internet Hype: Will Politics Change, or Not?
1996: Electronic Democracy Is Born
