Saturday 19 May 2012

Who owns my wall? Social media: Personal or public space?

There is a growing problem with bullying on social networks and as the father of an almost 7 year old son I am aware that in the next 5 or so years (or less I suppose) this matter may raise it's head in my world.

It is important for me to help my son understand that tolerance and respect for other opinions is healthy and vital but when it comes to people trolling / sledging / bullying him etc on his facebook wall, personal blog, tweetstream and so on, presumably we'd accept he has control to remove such material from his own personal spaces without fear of being accused of censorship.

So the question for discussion and exploration is as follows:

Do I 'own/control' my social media instance (facebook wall, tweetstream, personal blog etc) or are they public space and so subject to the normal rules of public space?

Please do share this and help fuel the debate. Curious to hear thoughts on this. I suspect it's an issue that's going to get bigger and more of an issue over the next few years, for all of us. Parents and otherwise.

Thursday 19 April 2012

Never forget

There is rarely a day that goes by that I do not remember, how could I ever forget? It is part of our family fabric. But today I make an extra special effort to tell people (and remind those who already know) about my Dad and what happened to him. 

My dad was snatched away from his family aged 13 and imprisoned and enslaved for 6 years. Sadly his family, along with many others, we're murdered :(

Think about that. 13. Take a minute to imagine its you aged 13. Taken. Never to see your family again. Imprisoned. Alone.

'Never forget!' to me means don't sit idly by whilst evil exists.

'Never forget' means choose to be kind to people every day.

As Ghandi said: we must be the change we wish to see in the world, we must light our little corner and together if we all light our own corners we will bring light to the entire world.

'Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph.' Hailie Selassie I

'First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me'

Pastor Martin Niemoller

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Thanks for reading and helping me remember...

Love you dad :)

Thursday 16 February 2012

A message to Arsenal fans

Dear Gooners, despite the years of abuse from some of you, I shall not mock any of you. I too have felt the sting of the pain you felt tonight, the knowledge of the cold winter ahead, the knowledge that blood must be let to cleanse what is rotten. I know the despair you feel to see something you love turn old and withered, disrespected and belittled. I know that only with death can there be new life. For now it is our turn to enjoy the sun and whilst you shiver out in the cold I know that these things come and go, that one day it will again be our turn to be cold. So I offer you only the warmth of a fellow footie fan in the knowledge that it's the football I love, not your suffering. You will be great again I;m sure. I only hope you will reciprocate when the seasons shift once again and I find myself outside shivering. Perhaps then we can move beyond this immature bullshit and can all just enjoy the skill of the game we love without the tribal need to conquer each other. Al

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Tweeting with Rupert: impact on sentiment?

Rupert Murdoch's recent arrival on twitter has sparked off a thought in my head regarding sentiment. You can read it here on Google+ and please do comment there as well to maintain a singular flow of conversation.

Enjoy :)

Tweeting with Rupert: impact on sentiment?