Global Voices.
blogs == good (control your vision, branding)
forums == ?? (echo chamber, what’s going on?)
Problems with blogs: too much to read, lunch photos, invisible breaking news, technorati is “just OK” (sorry!)
If you’re Kenyan and looking for Kenyan content, it’s problematic. (Safari photos.)
Network of bloggers from Africa, Asia, Europe… You get to hear stories which do not make it to the mainstream media. For example, Egyptian bloggers sued by chemical company for taking pollution photos. Madagascar cyclone.
*steph-note: this is making me want to dig deeper into Global Voices.*
English is not a global language. Lingua GlobalVoices translation project. Getting more content and context for what is happening around the world.
Africa: lots of text messaging. google Mobile SMS. Call and hang up before the person picks up = “I’ve run out of credit” — understood that if you Flash somebody, they’ll call you back. Then, text messages: “please call me, thank you”. Companies interested in using the space after that message to advertise.
Opera Mini (usage going up). 80% of BBC mobile site’s comes from Africa (the future is already in Africa!)
Mapping and Crowd-sourcing
Mapping election conditions in Zimbabwe. Ushahidi mashup, SMS gateway.
3 billion people with mobiles != 3 billion of citizen journalists.