Like: like me, love my data

Event Info

Mon 24 May, 2010 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm
British Computer Society
5 Southampton Street, First Floor, The Davidson Building
London, WC2E 7HA, UK (Map)
Cost: £25+VAT

Description

This special mashup* event will be less structured than most mashup* events with more emphasis on discussion and debate. We are aiming to have a few 'speakers' but the emphasis will be on a collaborative discussion around this very important topic. This is reflected in the non-standard reduced price of £25+VAT (which will include drinks).

Summary:

Google with Buzz, Facebook with Beacon and Microsoft with Hailstorm all passed a hidden and undefined personal boundary when they launched their respective services and in doing so upset a lot of users. However, web businesses depend on a symbiotic relationship with their users, users bartering their privacy in exchange for free services. It should be a simple, open and fair trade, however, executives are being very skilled in the ability to bounce along the privacy boundary, eroding it but not crossing it. The implication of this erosion is that this balance is becoming one-sided; you give up more but gain no incremental value.

Facebook have announced OpenGraph and Like as two new services that  test the boundaries and they are the focus of this mashup* event.  Facebook claims that the Like button is really innocent but if it catch’s on it will create a seismic shift the balance of power and control of the web from Google to Facebook.

We'll be discussing and debating Like, OpenLike with a view to understanding what the implications are and where the technology and the debate is likely to go. If you work in media or any form of publishing understanding what Facebook are doing with their OpenGraph and social plugins is key and is a strategic must for anyone considering implementing or recommending to their clients the implementation of them.


Map

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