One of my zany ideas…
As you glance out in the Web 2.0 space, many of the dominant social networking players such as Facebook, Friendster, and Myspace are ego-centric networks primarily focused around an individual; who the individual is, to whom they are connected, and so on.
Maslow would be so proud.
After all, the market is preying on our intrinsic need for social acceptance and belonging. How can anyone blame the media moguls for such tactics? They see the real power of a social network isn’t from the communication and data flow between each connection, but how one can harness and leverage that information. Combined with self-expression, these social networks have become the primary media distribution channels of the 21st century.
Yet, I’d like to see the power of a social network be leveraged not to bankroll some large corporation but for the benefit of society. As a society, we have to ask ourselves, how many of these sites proactively contribute back to the community? Where are the social networking sites to help track and find lost children, to anonymously post tips about escaped felons, and to facilitate forming community-focused volunteer groups?
I know there’s a few small ones out there, but there could be a lot more.
So, I propose this idea. I propose a network for people to anonymously provide tips about criminals who have escaped jail, have outstanding warrants, or have skipped bail. The community that has contributed to the capture of such said criminals will receive a percentage of the reward. Not only are the members financially rewarded, but the community has also reaped the benefits of their streets being safer for their children.
Sorry, Dog, my bet is on the power of the people.
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