Clay Shirky: How cellphones, Twitter, Facebook can make history

[Lynda Kelly]

This is worth a look: "While news from Iran streams to the world, Clay Shirky shows how Facebook, Twitter and TXTs help citizens in repressive regimes to report on real news, bypassing censors (however briefly). The end of top-down control of news is changing the nature of politics."

Go here to view the video (thanks to Mal for the link).

[Jessica LoMonaco]

I've been completely in awe about what is happening. Awe for the fact that so many people have to fight and suffer for what they believe, and awe at the outpouring of help from others. I've mostly seen small steps being taken on twitter that make a huge impact. There is a network of bloggers and twitterers (Still learning the jargon so please excuse me if I've given the wrong type of tweet!) helping other bloggers and twitterers to break down the firewalls the government put up. Its very encouraging and something that touches me. I love seeing people who may not have anything in common helping one another in such an important time. From tweeting about alternative IP addresses to making blog posts about how one can help (and not harm) those in Iran who want to share what is happening, it seems like the world is gathering around their social media and using it for good.

[Amelia]

If authorities can't do anything about the fact that around 90% of all email sent is spam they don't have much hope censoring mass real-time reporting by every person with a mobile or internet access. Viva la revolucion!

removes tinfoil hat

[Lynda Kelly]

Here's a good post by Ross Dawson as a follow up to the Shirky piece: How Twitter impacts media and journalism: Five Fundamental Factors. There's some interesting parallels between where mainstream media fits in his model and the role of museums as authoritative voices. What does the end of "top-down control" of information mean for us I wonder?

[Amelia]

Based on my experiences it means the public have a direct, personal, and informal line of 2 way communication with museums and other institutions.

For example, I was going over some research last week for an essay and I noticed that the Science Museum in London had an object in their online catalogue that was the same as one I had been researching. Their website stated they didn't know details about a key part of the object, details which my research had uncovered. Because I follow the museum on Twitter I sent them a quick message asking if they would be interested in me sending the primary evidence. They responded straight away and gave me a direct email address to send it to. They then followed it up and delivered it to the right department. They even said they had already asked the curator to credit me, and asked my permission to allow them to credit me!

If I didn't have the personal Twitter contact it is unlikely I would have felt confident contacting them as I would have sent it to a general enquiries email address on their website. It would probably take weeks to answer and get passed on to the right person if I was lucky. (No fault of the museum per se, just a reflection of the high work load/low resources that characterise museums in general).

I was so stoked with their prompt and enthusiastic response, and it has certainly raised my opinion of the institution.

[Angelina Russo]

Wow! If only this had been the case when I was doing my PhD!!! Life would have been so much easier! Great to see someone who doesn't take this sort of immediate response for granted!

[Jessica LoMonaco]

I think that is really wonderful! In the long term, our museum (Museum of Jewish Heritage) would love to have that kind of conversation with people. All of our exhibits are based on personal experience and we want to truly make sure that the next generations feel they have a place to share and enhance the museum's mission of education and never forgetting the tragedy of genocide.

I am curious, have any other people here tried to begin that kind of discussion/sharing on Twitter or other social network sites? I keep trying to push the idea of opening a forum but there doesn't seem enough time in the day to run it properly to make sure the content is appropriate... How can someone who wants to encourage sharing with all of our audiences (Jewish or not, young, old) facilitate this discussion while our communications department has such a tight leash on content?

[Lynda Kelly]

Hi Jessica. We have had quite a discussion about museums on Twitter here: Twitter as a business tool - it has been our most popular topic to date! There are many examples there on how musuems are using Twitter and other Web 2.0 tools. Also check out the Engaging Social Media in Museums group to see other examples.

As to a forum and not having enough time in the day, my view is that if it is a key way to interact with your audience (and the web is) then you need to reorganise something else to do it. It shouldn't be a matter of fitting it in - it's applying our doing 20% different not 20% more mantra. Your communications department may need to be dragged into the 21st century :-) If Mosman City Council can use Twitter as a communication tool then why not you?

[Gillian Savage]

Here's a cool t-shirt... I came across it on a blog under the heading "Is Twittering a behavioural disorder?"

http://www.despair.com/somevedi.html

Gillian

[Gillian Savage]

"Recently while speaking at a conference I noted a larger than usual number of people looking earnestly at their mobile devices.... "

SMH article about Twitter, 30 June 2009, gives a neat overview of some of the useful ways Twitter is used by businesses. It also touches on issues of copyright, parody and name squatting.

"Registering your name or your business name is completely free and it may save you from being the easy target of someone else's mischief."