7 23 10 thread folder is growing fat...I do not post all links but is easy to search at his point...The NYT had a great discussion this AM that finally transcends Facebook and looks at the era when Privacy became a concern broadly...The Web Means the End of Forgetting NYT 7 10
5 17 10 trend is reported in all manner of mainstream media. This flash graphic link is proof of the trend and how this discussion was late, not early. See this annual progression of privacy details on FB
5 13 10: Wired Magazine link re Open Alternatives to Facebook Grow 5 12 10 FT link added re European privacy concerns (9 links total to-date added on this thread) The subject is almost a mainstream discussion now whereas it was only a few months ago when digital execs were still opining on how "it's different this time" in the digital environment. And while that is true in many regards, this trend is happening because how we value things is changing as it always does with social mood.
This post was first published in early March. Until further significant developments the thread will be suspended. Privacy is a closely held shared value among people in a free society that waxes and wanes with social mood. Social networking is here to stay but changes in dailyt practices is clearly ocurring now. The original post follows:
As social mood changes what we pay attention to changes.
The very same can be said, broadly, for people (Americans) in the digital environment right now. How so?
The broad issue of Privacy was growing large several years ago (2001-2003). Think Patriot Act, the NSA's warrantless spying, and the internet in general. Then it began shrinking away from the headlines in 2004 as social mood redirected our collective attention for the golden age of the granite counter top. This could easily be a longer detailed discussion but my intention now is to simply lay out one aspect of the landscape of social trends we are witnessing now as they relate to privacy (as a shared social value).
Privacy is looked upon as an issue of relevance to all people and every business in the US (and the world too but I focus on the specific social mood as it relates the the US right now)
The birth of the new universe of social media tools is about sharing through user generated content. It tells us a lot about how we view content and its relevance in our lives. Social media has shown us clearly how 1) it is not a fad, 2) it is about specialization of focus, and 3) The era of Choice must be served by enterprises (as it relates to content dissemination). In order to see how our collective shared values related to privacy issues (on many levels) are expressed requires only a little bit more discernment.
When we (large groups of people, on average) view the uncertain events of the future in a more optimistic manner, we are more inclined to share broadly with expectations that lead to more inclusiveness connecting us to ever wider groups of people. When we, (in our social aggregations seen as a moving average) view the future with a more pessimistic sense, we share less freely, or more selectively. This is a patterned social behavior and from a this larger perspective we can always be seen to be in a period of social expansion or social correction that expresses one of these two states. The values expressed today by most social networking enterprises (related to privacy issues) are positioned as if we are in a period of social expansion. When looking at the longer term time frames we are clearly in a period of social correction and eventually changes (related to privacy concerns) will be demanded by customers, and corrected for by these companies.
CNET published a discussion about privacy yesterday where Mark Zuckerberg (Face Book founder)was quoted as saying privacy is a generational issue and therefore seen differently by Y's and Xer's compared to most Boomers. His position is that 'it is different this time' for today's younger digital networkers. I disagree with his basic assumption and by doing so I am generally predicting that the shared values in the US towards privacy will re-emerge and come to dominate issues faced by digital enterprises across the US in the years directly ahead. Attitudes towards Privacy are about trust in a sense and I have written about how to see trust related social trending issues in a previous post. It all boils down to social mood and where it is headed in general. For example: During the past two years we've witnessed dramatic changes to the financial landscape. An important part of these events occurred because risk aversion became an important new shared value in our society. You don't need to think too hard to see how important risk aversion has been as an underlying causative issue in our economy.
As our shared values evolve in the groups that we attach ourselves to we can reduce these changes to some form of optimism or pessimism toward the uncertainty of the future.This is the essence of social mood.
At some point in the not too distant future, this shared pessimism will manifest as a greater need for privacy, both personally and for enterprises too. These are not separate issues but, in fact, directly connected.
As this need for privacy reasserts itself, it will likely be incremental. Many businesses that began by willingly sharing our information about ourselves will retreat from this posture to a less all-inclusive format. Membership in many platforms was often free to everyone and that seemed to serve both the business and the customers as the platforms grew. At some point "we" will require incremental "costs"(requirements) for inclusion in our networks as groups of people begin to recognize the importance of prudence related to this changing shared value.
Instead of viewing this as a prediction, consider it a behavioral pattern to watch for as it expresses itself. I believe Mark Zuckerberg is making a mistake when he cites a generational factor in the willingness to share personal information more freely. Every generation is indeed different in some ways. However, the variable attached to shared values related to privacy matters are affected by the always changing social mood. Business enterprises will eventually respect this fact and are sure to change going forward. Right now, it may seem like it is not that way at all. Allow for change because it is coming.
The underlying issue (inclusion vs. exclusion) discussed in this post is given more thorough discussion in a few areas in this book pgs 230-235. It's worth buying if this subject is relevant to your business.
(or you can start with this DVD)
I still see Face Book as a somewhat faddish enterprise (even if they have 350 million users)but the larger digital networking trend is a permanent part of our social infrastructure. This era of Choice, as it relates to media, is about putting the consumer of content in control. Your customers should not trip over your business model because it is convenient for you not to find innovative solutions. On the other hand, the intellectual property concerns of many media companies may benefit from this same changing set of shared values. The important thing to remember is that these circumstances change over time and how issues related to values toward privacy oscillate between extremes. For now, it is fair to say we are nearer one extreme and likely to head smartly in the next direction for a few years+. How can an enterprise use this? The most obvious answer is to use the new two-way nature of marketing communications to stay in tune with your key constituencies. And while this last suggestion is obvious to anyone doing it now, using social mood to anticipate trending issues is still ahead of its time. Go for it.
This post belongs on my media blog but for now it is worth taking this deeper look through the Root Trend. Dave
further reading on issues surrounding this collective set of values:
posted: 3 17 10 How Privacy Vanishes online NYT
posted 3 24 10 European Privacy Battle Looms for Facebook and Google AP
posted 3 29 10 Sharpen The Pitchforks. It’s Almost Time For Facebook’s Privacy Wake-Up Call Tech Crunch
Facebook Seeps onto other Web Sites NYT 4 18 10
Facebook's Gone Rogue; It's time for an Open Alternative Wired 5 07 10
posted 5 07 10 Face book Glitch Brings New Privacy Worries NYT 5 07 10
Tell All Generation Learns to Keep Things Offline NYT 5 08 10
Facebook faces Fresh Privacy Concerns FT 5 12 10 (European focus)
Here's the Privacy Line that Facebook Just Crossed Business Insider 5 09 10
Open Facebook Alternatives Gain Momentum, $115k Wired 5 13 10
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