McKinney Execublog

Business communications was simple when all that we used aside from the telephone was the telex. One telex received in the morning with brief encrypted questions was answered by the end of the day. A yes, or a no, was a sufficient answer. Life was simple, communication was brief. That was then, social media is now.

In 2011 we have some notable pioneers of this social media industry which have already left us. In this first article from Forbes we learn about who they are and what they have created. In the second article from CNN we discover some of the challenges that the social media has placed on the Korean society.

The 6 Great Social Media Losses of 2011

Forbes

By Todd Wilms, SAP

December 6, 2011

We all know what we lost on October 5th of this year when Steve Jobs passed away.  But in reflecting back on the year 2011 and as we draw to a close, there are 5 additional stories to tell on what greatly impacted the world of social media today.   These leaders, visionaries, and – in once case – curmudgeon, helped shape our current social landscape.

Ilya Zhitomirskiy – Co-Founder of Diaspora*, a social media site and Facebook alternative.  Ilya was described as “talented” and “idealistic,” which helps explain his passion for his alternative view for the world of social media and his views on make it “free” for everyone.  At 22 most of us where trying to figure out where the best Happy Hour was on Thursday nights or how many friends from college could live in one apartment; Ilya was out there trying to make a difference.

Norio Ohga – Former Chairman of Sony Corporation. In his vast and storied career, Norio worked his way through the ranks of Sony and achieved unparalleled success at a young age.  He is credited for founding the Compact Disk and with several audio advances for the industry.  During his career, Norio helped lead Sony into innovations and expansion in the movie and music industries, saw improvements in Sony’s reach around the globe and led many of the advances we now take for granted in everything from music to portable video technology.

Sidney Harman – founder of Harman/Kardon, former U.S.  Under Secretary of Commerce, publisher of Newsweek.  Harman reminds me of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle quote “I never remember feeling tired by work, though idleness exhausts me completely.”  Harman studied everything and pursued his interests with vigor.  Having brought heavy-metal bands to new ear-splitting clarity to dorm rooms across the globe, Harman moved on to social causes.  He was chairman of the Program Committee for the Aspen Institute, an organization dedicated to “fostering enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues,” which helped bring thousands of thought leaders together to help make the world a smaller, more manageable place.  Tireless in his pursuits, he purchased Newsweek last year for $1, assuming its millions in liabilities, with the hope of turning the magazine around.

Omar Ahmad – former CTO of Napster and an Internet entrepreneur.  Ahmad was instrumental in early dot-com and Internet start-up, from @Home Network to Netscape, from Napster to TrustedID.  Not only did he have official roles in those organizations, but was an influential in dozens of start-ups and social sites.  A speaker at the TED conferences, he also fostered several philanthropic causes, including the National Youth Science Foundation. Not to be pigeon holed, he was elected to the city council of San Carlos, CA, where he was later chosen to be the Mayor until his untimely death.

Andy Rooney – American television and “60 Minutes” personality.  In an era before Twitter, Rooney was the epitome of “ concise storytelling.”  His segments at the end of “60 Minutes” were his musings on the week.  The format he chose was to tell a story in a direct, quick and articulate manner, allowing his personality to shine through.  He became the Monday morning water-cooler conversation for most Americans in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.  While most of his contemporaries where looking for additional air time, Rooney told his stories in a couple of minutes (often being more memorable than the reportage on the show.)  Rooney reminds us that as we have more noise and clutter in our lives than ever before, being able to tell a really great story – quickly – is the way to go.

Following his guidance, I will end.  You will all be missed.

South Korea boosts review of social media

December 02, 2011|By Jiyeon Lee, CNN

South Korea plans to intensify the review of its social networking sites and smart phone applications to combat a surge in "illegal and harmful" information, government officials said.

The Korea Communications Standards Commission said it will reshuffle departments to make way for a review team that will oversee new media content.

Review of Internet content has been in place since 2008, but the commission said the move will boost effectiveness and meet growing demands.

Social media users and civic groups decried the Thursday announcement, saying it clamps down on freedom of expression.

"This is an authoritarian and anachronistic abuse of power that strips people of their freedom of expression and political freedom by blocking their eyes and ears," one of South Korea's largest civic organizations, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said in a news release.

Critics say the government is using the new measure to clamp down on opposition voices with the upcoming general and presidential elections next year.

"It's to block out any voices calling on people to participate in the presidential elections next year," Twitter user bbohea929 wrote.

Another user, csoaea, said "it feels like we've gone back 30 years."

The number of illegal and harmful postings on social networking sites has increased rapidly since 2008 and is expected to grow, according to the government's standards commission.

Cases deemed illegal for obscenity last year and this year were 41 and 45 respectively, while those violating national security jumped from 28 to 159, according to the commission.

The commission vowed to limit its scope to obscene content deemed inappropriate for minors and that which violates the law.

However, the legal boundaries are ambiguous and include defamation, national security and inciting fear, a major concern for critics.

The standards commission called the concerns "groundless" and said the new process will not influence the formation of public sentiment in the cyber world.