Have a question for my Finnish friends. First some quick context for others. Finland really confused me at first. Social distancing seemed to be part of the culture. Walking on the street, no one even made eye contact with me, let alone smile. If I smiled I would just get a blank stare. If IContinue reading “I am curious how social distancing is working out in Finland”
Tag Archives: Social
This is going to take longer than we think, and that’s ok
[Skip this if you don’t like bad news. I don’t enjoy saying this one bit. And I don’t want this to be true. I’d like things to go back to normal next month. But they are not.] I believe things will not get back to normal until we have a vaccine. The various treatments undergoingContinue reading “This is going to take longer than we think, and that’s ok”
Impact of Design: Link previews in Facebook feed and how it changed the world
An example of the impact of design choices and the evolution of habits around them. When we post a link on Facebook, it shows us a preview of that link right here in the feed before we even click on it. Can we imagine what the world would be like today if Facebook had neverContinue reading “Impact of Design: Link previews in Facebook feed and how it changed the world”
The intense scrutiny Facebook added on people posting political ads
Facebook, in principle, has a very solid premise. An online social graph where every individual is a real person and has the same social norms and consequences as in the real world is a social graph that is good at regulating itself. But they added in non-people into this graph to generate revenue and endedContinue reading “The intense scrutiny Facebook added on people posting political ads”
A news based social network funded by donations
Social media is becoming a public good. And it needs alternative funding models as a for-profit approach doesn’t always work. I just found out about WikiTribune, an alternative social network focused around news, built by the co-founder of Wikipedia. Check it out!
Broadcast vs Filter Bubbles
Broadcast brought the world closer. Technology and social media were meant to reduce the barrier to broadcasting. Which it did. But it also enabled filter bubbles. Filter bubbles have silenced broadcast. And the world is again moving apart.
Facebook investing in people feeling inspired and positive
Facebook is investing in features that are bound to reduce “engagement” as it was measured the old way. The old metric was “time spent”. Now the new metric is time spent “with intention, being inspired and feeling positive.” Short-term investors saw this and decided that it’s a bad thing – as engagement goes down, soContinue reading “Facebook investing in people feeling inspired and positive”
Social Trust Based Transactions in Tanzania
These are keys to my Lexus 4WD and my 3 bedroom apartment with a view of Mt Meru. I haven’t signed any papers so far. And hardly fronted any money. CAR 8am – I text a guy that rents out cars. 10am – he shows up at my door, hands me the keys andContinue reading “Social Trust Based Transactions in Tanzania”
Spin is an awesome touch video chat
Just tried Spin and was pretty blown away by the experience and the polish. Video chat with 10 people, no sign up needed. Watch videos together, annotate over live video, throw tomatoes, watch pictures and albums together etc. Quite the complete package.
Thoughts on the Trayvon Martin case
Please listen to this audio clip before you continue. This is a picture of a glacier on Mt. Kilimanjaro which I took when I was there last year. It clearly shows that the glaciers have shrunk in the past years. I believe climate change is real. I believe at a minimum some amount of it causedContinue reading “Thoughts on the Trayvon Martin case”
