Jack of All Blogs » SocialMedia

Why Don’t Black People Use Chatroulette?

Andrew G.R. — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:54:25 +0000

By now you’re probably tired of reading about Chatroulette.com, the video chat Website created by a Russian 17-year-old that randomly pairs strangers for a conversation via computer-to-computer connection. When you are set up with someone you do not wish to talk to, you simply hit “next” to get matched with another person.

The novel concept has been embraced by millions of users a month. On the site you will find men, women, children, men and more men. And for whatever bizarre reason, a rather large group of men have hijacked the site as their very own masturbation catalyst. They set the Web cam up to shoot below the waste and start stroking. These gross dudes are under the impression that users want to see their penises. Do they expect a hot girl or guy to be passing by and fall in love? These guys need a clue and a life. The voyeuristic world would be better place without all of these dicks.

I recently tested Chatroulette by clicking through 500 people to get an idea of the site’s demographics. While far from scientific, the results make the creeps look even creepier.

Several dozen of the people I was paired with were minors. A handful were couples. I came across maybe one or two attractive women of “legal” age. Those who wished to remain anonymous were shooting the cam to stream other media. Many people were alone and bored. And without a doubt, the majority of users on this Saturday morning were men. Pervert men. But there was one group completely absent: Blacks.

During my 500 “nexts,” I counted ONE African American. And to his credit, he kept it in his pants.

Late last year Facebook stated that approximately 11% of users are African American. Black Twitter users account for over 26% of all tweets. So why on earth is Chatroulette so lily white?

Any ideas?

When Umpires Fail, Fans Should Take Over

Andrew G.R. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:32:25 +0000

It is no secret that the umpires have been absolutely atrocious during the baseball playoffs this year. And don’t tell me that it’s the volume of HDTV sets and advancements in video technology that have brought the imperfections to light.

Being an umpire is not difficult work. It requires concentration, a certain level of equanimity, and a willingness to spend much of your life traveling. Beyond that, there are very few responsibilities.

Out or safe?
Foul or fair?
Ball or strike?

There is much less gray area than people realize.

You have probably heard by now, but during the Yankees/Angels game the other day, the homeplate umpire actually asked the catcher to crouch lower so he could get a better view of the strike zone. What a joke!

Then it occurred to me: sporting events are for FANS – so what not have the very people who support the industry help make decisions?

You’re probably thinking that fans are too biased and will only side with their team. I’m not convinced that is true, but I’m sure we could insert a control to neutralize the playing field.

Here’s what I propose for the baseball playoffs next year…

Whichever network is carrying the game should have a group created on Facebook and Twitter comprised of former baseball players and umpires. When there is a controversial call that requires a review, this pro group acts as the deciding vote. Heck, even if it’s not an official ruling, wouldn’t it be neat to get a mass perspective from people who actually played the game?

This is where social media and sports should converge, and I’m confident it will. I’d be more than happy to run the operation. I have more faith in the fans than the boys in blue.

Sorry, You Can’t Learn Social Media

Andrew G.R. — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:58:07 +0000

I’ve sat in on dozens of Webinars, conference calls, and meetings on how to leverage the power of social media. And every time I am tempted to tell the fat cat corporate as*hole who set the whole thing up that they are wasting their money and my time. One day I might just do it.

The reality is, people are making serious money pedaling their so-called expertise on this “exciting new medium.” Meanwhile, as they waste our time, some kid is sitting in a basement in Converse County, Wyoming making up his own rules – and enjoying Web success.

Talk is cheap. Social media success stories are created because someone was willing to break the mold, go against the grain, think out of the box and beat to their own drum! Once you follow a template, it’s already too late. There are no rules.

Companies that move too slowly and are tied up in red tape, will already be light years behind by the time they roll out their well-planned campaign.

I am starting to think that many old school companies don’t really want to be part of this Web generation. What they do is hire a bunch of kids, create a “Digital Marketing” department and send their people on an endless Webinar tour. They read e-books. Subscribe to Wired. And in some cases, have some really good ideas. But when push comes to shove, nothing happens. The CEO gets to tell his golf buddies that his team is “exploring options” with Twitter, and thus looks very 21st century modern.

The second you talk about social media, you’re no longer truly interested in social media.

Now stop reading this and GO CREATE SOMETHING.

Social Media Is Thin Skinned

Andrew G.R. — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:37:48 +0000

Rejection. For some people it can feel like the world is caving in. No matter how you handle it, it’s fair to say that no one thrives on hearing ‘no.’

I recently made a Facebook boo-boo. When it was announced that vanity URLs would be made available, I registered for an account (if you haven’t put the pieces together, I am NOT a Facebook user). Since my full name is quite common, I often try to secure URLs and screen names that give me greater control over my online persona. After signing up, I discovered the small print that stated I was unable to claim a custom URL since I did not have the account for a specific amount of time. Discouraged, I closed the window and went about my business.

Several days later friend requests started to appear in my inbox. First it was a few former co-workers, then some current ones. They were joined by friends past and present. Unsure how these people were tracking me down, i asked a friend if I could login to their Facebook account. The answer to my mystery appeared immediately. There was my name, hanging out in the corner as a “recommended friend.” Anyone who had emailed me via the address I signed up with for Facebook had the option to add me to their parade of empty communication.

Even though I now had my answer, I did nothing about it. I assumed that people would see that I was not linked to anyone and take the hint that I was not a user. But as I happened to speak to each person offline, a clear theme emerged: feelings were hurt over these ignored friend requests.

Despite my attempts to explain how I was not interested in being on Facebook – even though I opened an account – my instinct tells me these people think I am lying and that I am avoiding them.

That is not the case. And the next time I ignore a friend request, I will just email them a link to this blog post.

Oh Noes, Trent Reznor quits social media. Now what? Oh, back to Scoble and Winer

waldorf — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:54:25 +0000

Social Media and Social Marketing Guru par excellence Trent Reznor, from NIN fame and more even of free music fame, has had enough of it and quits Twitter and co for a while.

The reason: the haters online. Never mind that Ashton Kutcher much more boring and annoying is online and no respect at all deserves for his tweeting efforts. Respect which Reznor has earned over the years. That much even that Jack of All Blogs never had a go at him. How have we been that silly. One celebrity decides to have a break from the intarwebz even though we never bashed him. I feel as if we just failed.

Here at JOAB we have to wonder what else we will have to do now. How can we improve again and make sure we will not be not guilty when the next star quits. I think we should put Scobleizer back on the agenda. On top of our agenda, because don’t you think that it has gone quiet around our formerly most beloved online ‘guru’/'pundit’?