danah boyd: Q&A Session

The following is a blog-best-effort transcript of danah boyd in Brisbane on the 6th August 2007. This is not a verbatim transcript.

This blog post, and Flickr images by Nick Hodge are licensed under the Creative Commons License:

1. Where are geeks/freaks/queers now?

  • gay men still on friendster
  • tribe.net / myspace for “freaks”
  • geeks whatever is the coolest newest thing. twitter etc.
  • segmentation: US split based on class lines; danah mentioned media taking the wrong perspective of her recent postings
  • world where the culture is of celebrity to get out of current “class”
  • in AU, split more on age

2. where are those who are not online?

  • 93% US teenagers have internet access (of various speeds/feeds/modes)
  • 7% know what it is, but are restricted (eg: evangelicals in US)
  • the digital divide is method of access (school/library only)
    • hyperconnected, basic, (and a few others)
    • evidence that with connectivity, digital society has reduced young gay suicide
    • (danah noted: doing ethnographic studies, worried about kids with no friends, online or offline)
    • hanging around with friends is important; SNS is US/English based vs. mobile culture (nb: mobile phones now advertised with myspace logo in AU on the weekend)

3. Virtual Worlds

  • immersive virtual worlds such as WoW, gamer sites: another place to hang out with friends (more WoW than SL)
  • Second Life: educators watching educators watching educators…
  • SNS when kids use it for fun
  • “is this technology something general users use?”

4. Libraries in myspace, OK?

  • most teens know that you exist
  • when non-profits/politicians/etc are there, but they need to converse, not just be there. need to digitally shake hands
  • some people in the SNS will use the link as a marker

 

    5. Addicted to MSN/WoW (what to do with kids “addicted”)

  • online is a place to interact with friends, and avoid schoolwork. this has been common for many generations where homework existed
  • WoW/MSN is hanging out with their friends
  • more worrying are those who have no friends
  • problem deeper than “the technology” if there is no communication and understanding
  • question on how society acts in the “digital street” to look out for kids who need help.

6/7. SNS, use within schools?

  •  works when teachers respond online, not just “appear”
  • remember, SNS is for fun/friends. not school work
  • engage in the conversation, don’t be judgemental.
  • worst thing is forcing “deception” where kids create shadow indentities – are we forcing kids to do this?

 

8. Generation “Y” in the workplace

  • lifestages; online vs offline; and use of SNS changes when life interferes
  • mobile; out and about greater importance with professionals who are not at their desks
  • email is NOT social; its work. it’s hell. spam, parents, corporate emails etc
  • IM is the new email. more important than email. Phone is a jarring interruption

 

9. Property/ IP holding back?

  • remix generation; kids mixing pointers (URLs) rather than base content
  • ownership is interesting in a world where copying is easy

 

10. education: in schools, cyberbullying etc == ban on access to SNS

  • kids route around censorship; proxies, etc. ask them how they do it
  • mobiles change the ground rules
  • teachers must push back

 

11. future of SNS?

  • mobile
  • 10 years all this will be natural and therefore calmed down
  • embrace the new digital publics.