Privacy? What’s that?

The largest shift I’ve seen over the course of the last year in the digital space has been regarding the concept of privacy.

As always, I like to start with a definition:

“Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively. The boundaries and content of what is considered private differ among cultures and individuals, but share basic common themes. Privacy is sometimes related to anonymity, the wish to remain unnoticed or unidentified in the public realm. When something is private to a person, it usually means there is something within them that is considered inherently special or personally sensitive. The degree to which private information is exposed therefore depends on how the public will receive this information, which differs between places and over time. Privacy is broader than security and includes the concepts of appropriate use and protection of information.” -Wikipedia

Malcolm Gladwell misses the point

I’ve finally had a chance to read the recent Malcolm Gladwell article in The New Yorker, entitled “Small Change – Why the revolution will not be tweeted”. While I respect Malcolm Gladwell quite a bit, I do often disagree with his views on certain subjects, usually those involving social media. The last great debate he sparked occurred when he called out Chris Anderson (author of the Long Tail), essentially dismissing Anderson’s “free” economy theory and views on the future role of journalism. The ensuing discussion and ripple effect this created throughout the social Internet is what I found most interesting. I’m hoping a similar “long-tail” discussion will evolve out of his latest piece.

Kuala Lumpur & Singapore Social Media Workshop & Trip Debrief

Now that I’ve finally begun to adjust back to Ottawa time from the 13hr difference, I thought I’d share a few highlights from my recent trip to the other side of the planet. First of all, I’d like to start off by giving a big thanks to everyone at FIK International for inviting me down and being such gracious hosts. The venue, transportation, logistics, and of course the food, were all flawless.