Social media

Social media at cross roads

Posted on January 27, 2013 // 5 Comments

Social media seems to be coming of age in Pakistan. I say this because not only is it now spoken of in the mainstream and often with not so kind tones but it has caused a few upheavals of its own ala the fight for judiciary and in recent times maya khan, Shahzaib and the like. Leaks of a startling nature are often now seen first on social media before the mainstream picks up on them in Pakistan as well. Stories which are quashed by corporate concerns or political ones also make their presence felt on this alternative platform. Perhaps that is why media people be it print or broadcast are now trying to make the “online” facet of them as active as possible.

There are however two main issues with social media in Pakistan. The first one has to do with ethics which social media seems to have a severe lack off and the verification of its sources of info. The released list on an infamous realtors letterhead in recent times is a stark reminder of what damage can be caused when information is not verifiable or is released on an agenda. However the same free and uncontrollable manner in which the same information was released is also what the beauty of this medium lies in. The issue here is whether the people using it are educated and informed enough to make out the difference between static noise and content of real value. This is exactly what you can see occurring now. A recent example of this would be the “malala sign on maddonas back” photo shopped image, which came out and was debunked in a matter of hours. Same is the case with other altered images which at first could sensationalize but now flounder as they cannot get past basic common sense filters of social media users.

The second issue which needs immediate addressing is the gathering of sharks around social media. Whom I refer to as sharks are often known in the mainstream world as PR companies who are quick to assimilate any new medium of information into their grasp and then tote it to their corporate clients as the new method to spread their messages (read propaganda) on. Any medium off course needs to eventually turn into a stream of revenue for those that actually know how to harness it to sustain over a period of time but if the growth is indigenous and not imposed, it is much more beneficial to the community. In short it would be better if those within could benefit than those trying to hijack it from the outside. The mentality that bloggers are freeloaders who will show up to any corporate event for goody bags is something which is beneficial for those that arrange those events for oodles of money and not the social media attending.

This is exactly what happened to a fledgling broadcast media in Pakistan when big business interests took over it and reduced it to what it is today. A ratings race which will stop at nothing or no one in order to maintain an advertising income which is the only thing that finances it. Hilariously most of the advertising revenue is provided by corporates and other interests, which will not allow a single word against them. This has led to a media which is pretty swift to take the skin off a politicians back with their wordy whips but are unable to shed any light on the other dregs of our “purely muslim and pak” society.

So I think it is time for those who are positive about social media in Pakistan within it, to unite rather than be part of little groups as one big body which is anti conformation, anti regulation and want to remain the check and balance of mainstream sources which they started out to be. In order to achieve this we would have to go away as a community from the “talking conferences” mode of events that we have all year around to the “teaching workshops” one that any organized media body engages in to provide their upcoming members with the necessary tools of the trade.

Once we have training, certification and skills sorted out we could move towards being an actual and established digital community of people rather than a rag tag bunch who are pissed off every time someone disagrees with them or go to events just to be part of something, when they don’t have a clue as to what that something is.

Filed Under: Social media // Tagged: Karachi, Pakistan, social media

Non perving 101

Posted on December 19, 2012 // Leave a Comment

The world is shrinking is often a phrase we hear from users and experts of social media as more and more social networks keep springing up daily to enable us all to “connect” in different ways. There is however very little talk of the ethics of all this connecting business and what is a no no in it.

Most of us seem to treat conversation and interaction online as a casual extension of ourselves and that is where the stupidity starts. The issue online is that when a person meets you for the first time they have a whole slew of facts about you ( yes! from your maniacal filling of your profile) to judge you with before you even utter a word. In real life the judgment upon you is usually from an experience which doesn’t reveal all about you in the first meeting. Which from a man’s angle is probably why women bother to talk to most of us anyways upon first encounter in real life.

So here are some pointers to appearing “normal” online, whatever that may be in your connotation. Obviously this will not enable you to pick up women online because that ultimately depends on the woman concerned but you get the idea by now.

A) When you meet a woman with a fabulous DP (display pic for the social media challenged) and lets be truthful here most of them have one as they clean up much better than us lot. The idea is not to go ga ga in your expression of interest and say things like OMG YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFULL and the like which instantly signal “loser, desperate, troll” in a womans mind. It should be more subtle and along the lines of “nice DP” or something vaguely interested but offhand so as to make the point without seeming like you just creamed your pants.

B) Women online are generally more empowered as they have a voice, an ability to use technology and are mostly if not always career oriented. Thus their opinion counts a great deal more to them then your cousin rukhsana who sits at home and awaits the arrival of her fair knight. Hence its always better to listen more than talk. You may add to the conversation if you have something intelligent to say but if you don’t, non committal move along’s like “yes that’s true” work perfectly as well. Lets face it they are a lot better than what you “really want to say” aren’t they?

C) This is the new age, this is not irc where cheesy things like ASL (age sex location) as a question worked for you. Thus the women of this age and medium are a lot more used to far more intelligent creatures and thus require a bit more pizaaz so kindly don’t drool on your keys and try to jump into every conversation they have. Kindly also “don’t” remember facts they casually drop like where they live and age by mistake sometimes so as not to appear like a raspy voiced stalker. Buttering up doesn’t work either unless you know how to do it subtly and that’s hardly an artform you have under control if you are reading this keenly.

D) Unless you have the gumption to, don’t say things you cannot back up or which are unverifiable as related to you online. So if you commit to phrases from rumi and don’t know who that is or think that women online do not have the ability to google just when you went to school and what all you have achieved till now you are in a big pile of doo doo. I say this because people often tend to take online as a separation from reality and start to develop this whole other persona on it…which usually fails when you meet her in real life pretty bad.

E) Do not DM or inbox like a coked out teenager, unless you are a coked out teenager. People often tend to forget that there are different levels of intimacy online as well, so when someone speaks or replies or comments on your status once it does not mean that is an invitation to dm or inbox them your whole life story.

F) Just like there are different levels of intimacy involved in a social network, there are also different etiquettes one must adher to as “per” social network. So while it is quite ok to follow anyone you wish to on twitter it is NOT OK to send friendship requests to who ever you meet for five seconds in real life through facebook. Even if you think that their casually or politely smiling at you is an open doorway to their heart.

If you have understood the above pointers and are practicing them you should now be halfway to being no more a perv. The other half off course will have to be filled with your personality which I may humbly suggest is not a feat which can be achieved in the space of 800 words.

Filed Under: Humor, Social media // Tagged: FaceBook, social ettiquette, stop stalking, trolling, twitter

Mainstream vs social media media in Pakistan

Posted on June 26, 2012 // Leave a Comment

In recent times after the leak of behind the scenes footage of a special on dunya tv and the creation of a fake list of 19 journalists who had allegedly taken some form of bribe from Malik riaz, a vast chasm of insecurity seems to have opened up in peoples minds about social media in Pakistan.

Not a day goes by now when some barb is not thrown at social media here on our broadcast mediums. We have been called a gutter, invisible and non ethical as well as a form of media which has no credentials and no integrity.

Let me first point out that both the behind the screens footage and the list was created by mainstream media and not the social media of this country. Various proofs have been given to this effect in several blogs and I do not want to dwell on them, but the fact remains that because you have an accident you dont stop driving Hence being the super hyper distribution medium that social media in pakistan is becoming these days with 6 million on face book 3 million on twitter and so on it is pretty silly to blame the medium for good or bad content. That is just like any of us, the viewing public of the broadcast media were to tell them, we dont like so and so show because it goes against what we think so the whole medium is of no use.

Secondly let me now come to the various arguments made against social media and its effective use in this nation one by one.

1) They are not journalists or reporters and thus have no clue of what is going on other than what they glean from our coverage.

In today’s day and age if reporters still think that their press card entitles them to have some kind of monopoly over opinion and how it should be projected then I am afraid they are already left behind. These days a kid with a twitter enabled mobile phone standing across the street can report on who goes in and comes out of your house for instance. They dont need “training or permission” for that. As for bloggers not having first hand information about what goes in this world, wikileaks has proved that they can break channels and cables which the mainstream media cannot even dream off, so much for that claim.

2) There is too much anonymity is social media and thus anyone can say anything.

First of all who has made our mainstream media tekhaydars of our opinion and why should we listen to them as to what is right or wrong? What and how much actual analytical skill do they posses that they can tell for instance a person like me that x is corrupt and y is..well y we cannot really talk about? The anonymity in social media is for a reason, it is because we can actually reveal things without the burden that putting a face on the screen results in in this country. Also if they speak of responsibility then they should try to create a few fake accounts and say what they want, no one will listen to them. Social media like any other form of media operates on the principle of credibility. Those who are credible in this media and have a following have a voice which resonates and those who are not do not have a voice. Plus when one talks about responsibility they should first look at what goes on in their own shows as Talat who I consider the voice of reason among “political talk shows” points out below…

Let me also remind the esteemed “reporters” in mainstream media that not many of them “reported” on the incident at AAJ tv in their talk shows for one reason or another..wither responsibility?

3) Social media will never take off in this country and at best can run in parallel with our print media.

WRONG! Social media ala blogs and twitter has already left our print media far far behind in circulation. Its not some bolt from heaven that has inspired all the media houses to open up their own blogs its a doctrine of necessity. When mainstream media journos are themselves on twitter all day long how can they even claim that social media is some alien different system. The truth is that social media has actually absorbed mainstream media in pakistan in its midst and is now “indispensable” As when you use any social media tool you become part of this giant mesh, in effect those making fun of social media are actually social media users..pretty ironical if you ask me.

The fact is that the only thing standing between social media and a digital explosion which would bring the roof down on our bumbling media houses is the “language barrier” We need effective translation tools in place for the masses to be able to “Access” this media..once that happens..there will be no mainstream media or social media..it will all just become “media”

P.S – I also condemn most vehemently the vicious comments made on social media against Nusrat Javed. There is no cause or reason that can justify what was said regarding the attack on aajtv on the sm medium by some people.

Filed Under: Day To Day, Karachi, Social media // Tagged: mainstream media, social media, what is social media

PTA’s alleged persistent pursuit of a URL filtration and blocking system is not acceptable

Posted on June 21, 2012 // Leave a Comment

Please note that this is an unconfirmed report but from a reliable source, we are following the situation and will be publishing confirmed reports immediately.

Karachi 20^th June 2012: We received information from a reliable source that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued a notification to other government departments announcing the installation of a filtering system. This has in turn been sent to some IT companies. As citizens concerned about internet freedom and free flow of information, this unconfirmed news is of grave concern to us.

With great caution, we would like to share an update on this situation: The exact words in the email are pasted below.

“Please note that PTA has deployed an automatic filtering system and is directly blocking sites deemed as disseminating objectionable content. Our upstream providers are no longer managing this process. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you.”

The content in the email suggests that the ISPs will no longer be responsible for blocking websites and that the PTA will now be able to block sites at will.

The content in the email suggests that the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will no longer be responsible for blocking websites and that the PTA will now be able to block sites at will.

We are currently working in to verifying this news from various other sources. We are in communication with government officials who have committed to update us on the issue. We issue this statement with caution.

As a reminder:

On the 17th of April 2012, seven individuals* through their advocates Haider Waheed and Basil Nabi Malik, petitioned the High Court of Sindh at Karachi challenging the arbitrary and random acts of the PTA in blocking/censoring and restricting access to various websites in violation of the fundamental rights of the owners of the websites/online forums as well as the public at large, and without affording the aggrieved persons an opportunity of being heard or due notice.

The Honorable High Court of Sindh issued notice to the Federation of Pakistan, through the Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, through its Chairman, and furthermore ordered the PTA said not to block any website other than in accordance with the provisions of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organization) Act, 1996.

A letter to the PTA has already been issued demanding a clarification on the issue and we would like to reassert that any steps by the PTA to pursue ad hoc blocking will be a violation of the court stay order.

If true, this is a set-back to the free-flow of information and internet freedom in Pakistan. Despite the Ministry of IT making a commitment to Bushra Gohar, Member of National Assembly,the PTA’s persistent pursuit of a URL filtration and blocking system is extremely disappointing and shows disregard for democratic values.

Filed Under: Current Affairs, Social media // Tagged: advocacy, PTA, url filtration and blocking

How much klout do you have?

Posted on May 16, 2012 // Leave a Comment

The world of social media has always had its problems with translating into numbers a person from the outside or say an advertiser could easily comprehend. People have forever been confused on what is more important? Traffic or engagement? Uiqs or interaction via comments and linkbacks? What is the actual standard for success in this medium?

A small California based start up with 40 employees established in Sept 2009 however says they have the answer to all of this. They are called Klout and essentially claim to be the standard bearers for how much influence a person has in the world of social media by aggregating their facebook, twitter, linked in and other footprints to come up with a score of influence. Yes there are tons of social media analytics services out there but klout has gone on fire in the western world at least, because it is not just based on how many followers you have but has an algorithm which determines your score based on the “engagement” you have with them. Which basically means that someone who has 400 followers and is more interactive with them can have a better klout score than someone else with say 4000 followers.

Klout has caught on to such a degree in the west that people with higher klout scores are getting auto upgrades at hotels, airline counters and even free test drives at car dealerships. Increasingly IT firms are also considering Klout scores in their job interviews than just to focus on degree and personality. Some examples are even available where people were hired based on their klout score rather than others who had no presence online.

There are off course many critics to this klout fever as well who vilify it by pointing out that this methodology is creating different social strata or classes in the online world and encouraging the further debasement of human interaction. These critics also point out that like Facebook encourages narcissism, klout encourages a feeling of anxiety stemming from the need to have “respectable” scores and lobbying to get these scores for perks which is leading to even more materialism in the online world.

Here in Pakistan companies which wish to interact with social media are getting more and more with each passing week. For them at least, a service like Klout is heaven sent as it can act as a basis of merit to deduce who influences which category in onlinePakistan. All they have to do is decide on a focus term type it in and people who are influential in it will come up in a neat little list. Off course a detailed study of analytic’s is anytime more fair but then how many companies in this country have any clue as to what these analytics mean? Or for that matter hire a single individual who can take care of their social media for them other than people who manage their twitter and Facebook accounts.

There is off course the general perception still present in our country that social media is not of enough value. However 20 million social media users with 6 million on facebook more than three million on twitter and 1.7 million registered bloggers on blogspot says otherwise. Any company which assumes that this segment of the population (who by the way are all mostly educated people with money to spend) are not important or do not hold enough value are living n a fools paradise.

Still as important as services like klout may be they are but windows into the real power of social media, and those who are holding the influence to perhaps guide our collective conscience. What these people do with this power is something which only time will tell.

Filed Under: Social media // Tagged: advertising, klout, real value in digisphere, social media numbers

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