facebook

Both The Social Network, the movie, and its subject, Facebook, join the ranks of iconic films that document events epitomizing a decade’s cultural changes.

Similar films in this rare genre, dramatizations based on seminal events, include:

However, the most interesting aspect of The Social Network is that it not only profiles a social force shaping the millennial generation, but also expertly documents the universal strains faced by many startups.

Leaders, followers, pretenders, traitors, muses and investors – they are all players that frequently march in the startup parade – particularly organizations that stick around long enough to survive the process.

So this poll question is simple – if you had been involved in chaos of starting up Facebook, what role would you have played? There is an excellent chance that there is a character in the mix that aligns well with your sensibilities and motivations.

The Social Network Poll Notes:

  1. Erica Albright is a fictionalized name, but if you click on her name, you will link to the famed Mark Zuckerberg document that calls Jessica Alona a bitch
  2. Christy Ling is also a fictionalized character – clicking on her name will link to an unanswered Quora query wheter she represents Jenny Wu – feel free to reply and solve the mystery
  3. Marilyn Delpy completes the trio of fictionalized women – the character was not mentioned in The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal, the book by Ben Mezrich that served as the basis for the movie
  4. In the photo of Chris Hughes, actor Patrick Mapel is on the far right
  5. The photo of Peter Thiel is the real Peter Thiel. No publicity photos have been released of the scene featuring actor Wallace Langham

While people may be capable of playing many roles, only one answer is permitted, so what role would fit you best or most closely suit your personality?

Answer honestly – it will be interesting to see how many people perceive themselves a Zuckerberg, Saverin, Winklevoss or Ling.

Be the first to comment

Are Your Facebook Friends Revealing Secrets?

by RobertKCole on September 17, 2010

NOTE: This post has been updated in consideration of Matt McKeon’s desire to have only a single image posted from his infographic.

A lot has been made about Facebook’s flirting relationship with member privacy. Controls are much improved, but now the greatest challenge is users understanding of all those settings.

Social Megaphone
Creative Commons License photo credit: theparadigmshifter

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” - Benjamin Franklin

This issue came to my attention while drafting an e-mail to an individual who I have never met that works on a different continent. I use Outlook 2010 for an e-mail client with the Outlook Social Connector plugin. Much to my surprise, the Outlook Social Connector status panel displayed all of this individual’s Facebook status updates, plus, as an added bonus, wall postings authored by others.

Could this person, holding a technical position with a large global travel technology company, be a complete moron when it comes to social network privacy practices?”

After a little research, I came to the stark realization that my own Facebook privacy settings were configured to provide this same degree of insecurity for my friends’ wall posts. Considering myself an enlightened, social media-aware, privacy-conscious geek, I had paid considerable attention to the security settings impacting my wall posts, but apparently paid considerably less attention to the privacy of wall posts made by others. continue reading →

Be the first to comment

Facebook’s Social Graph is a unique and powerful resource – and companies want to leverage it. A Like on Facebook provides an endorsement that can evangelize a product to new groups of followers and opens new channels of communication if they follow suit and like the product as well.

Angel or Devil?
Creative Commons License photo credit: Stephen Poff

Please say you like me, then you'll find out why... No need to hesitate... Why don't you trust me? Just click that Like button.

Born on sleepy Vashon Island, Washington 45 years ago, K2 Ski Company has always been at the forefront of brand marketing innovation and engagement with its customers. Even 40 years ago, they were painting barns, issuing collectible employee trading cards and sponsoring Dick Barrymore directed films at the dawn of freestyle.

Much more recently, in a bold effort to engage its website users with Facebook, which some may prefer to call “Like-bait”, K2 temporarily shut down its website and provided one navigation option – to its Facebook page. The main attraction is an exclusive preview of K2′s new 2010 ski line on Facebook.

But here’s the catch, to access the preview, one must click the Facebook Like button and become a fan first.

So here is the question, is it ethical to make the “Like” button part of the site navigation? Or, is pretty much anything OK as the user can opt-out of clicking Like and skip the content, or click Like, view the content, and then click Unlike to return to the status quo?

Try this link if you do not see the poll embedded above. continue reading →

Be the first to comment

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas… and on Twitter, and on Facebook Fan pages… forever.

This week’s poll attempts to identify the Las Vegas casino hotel that does the best job with social media. Las Vegas is always on the cutting edge of new trends in hospitality and entertainment, and it is no different in social media. A number of properties are constantly experimenting with a wide variety of strategies and promotions to engage, remain relevant and deepen relationships with their players and hotel guests.

Counting the number of Twitter Followers or Facebook Fans is not a valid measure of quality, or even true popularity, as neither metric accurately tracks the degree of engagement with the community. The results of this poll will reflect the “Socularity” of the casino hotel that respondents feel are most effective in engaging their communities through social media.

Below is a list of Las Vegas casino hotels (plus a small number of non-gaming properties and one brand with dedicated Twitter accounts) that are engaged in social media. If you are interested in following these properties, I have created a Twitter list: lvcasinos for the 48 properties with Twitter accounts.

Remember, as you only have one vote, only one property may be selected, so which casino hotel does the best job with social media overall?

Try this link if you do not see the poll embedded above. continue reading →

Be the first to comment