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.