Human emotions are wide and varied. However, two of the emotions - one to express and second to probe into others lives stand out. And exactly these two emotions are used successfully by Facebook to built a game changing social network company.
Business is all about selling some goods or services and making money out of it, otherwise there is no free lunch. Any business model on free lunches cannot survive too long.
So, what exactly Facebook is selling? How it is making money?
Answer to the first question is emotions. In the name of friendships and even sophisticated word called "networking" - individuals register at Facebook. First they tell about themselves. Their name, age, location, like, dislikes, heroes, zeroes and so on. This is basically about identifying an individual self - voluntarily. Then the individual links with friends, families and then new acquaintances (aka Networking). This stage is all about profiling. As a old saying "one can understand an individual by his friends circle". At this point, pride instills into the individual. I am on the Facebook. I can publish my photos. In the pre-Facebook world, collecting this kind of data was tedious and time consuming. Also, the collection and distribution mechanisms in most of the countries are restricted by data protection acts. In case of Facebook, people world over (to be precise 800m as of now) have willingly identified and profiled themselves on Facebook, consenting Facebook to use their data.
While basic consumer data in itself was seen very valuable, knowing Customer (User) habits are key in this Internet model of business. Otherwise, it is as good as sending marketing emails which are directly pushed into the spam box. Or sending leaflets into the home mailboxes that are sent to bin.
Facebook true success come from allowing people to express their emotions. In turn, curiosity of their network to see and respond makes the engagement more lively. This process of user segmentation by understanding their habits would help to tell (by data mining processes) what that Facebook user likes, does, wants. Each post or comment on Facebook tells what I like (food, gadgets), what I do (profession) and what I want (looking for solar panels, holiday).
Once if I can tell explicitly what I am looking for, Facebook makes sure that such services or goods from the sellers or vendors are displayed. State of these emotions are cashed in - instantly - for example if am
looking for a Camera, decision is most likely taken by target adds on
Facebook and in turn online reviews or recommendations with in the
network. Old business models are now on the way to graveyards.
But here is the key difference. Human memory is weak. We forget the things. But Facebook remembers everything. It remembers my birthday, my friend anniversary or a colleague when he went on holidays and where. Facebook keep capturing your emotions, your illicit relationships, sarcasm, humor - what not, as long as you are willing to strip naked yourself, sky is the limit.
Is this a win-win proposition? At the outset, for most of the 800m Facebook users, it looks like a win-win proposition. Facebook winning phase shall continue as long as each Facebook user get in for the morning prayers and evening grief. It wants all the users to comeback and tell about their emotions on and on. As long as users emotions do not stop short of probing into others lives, the proposition is good.
I remember #1 Security lesson for Internet users "no one knows if it is
dog on Internet!" Facebook success is turning those unknown Internet
dogs into well identified, profiled human beings. In the end stripping out naked on Internet is no different from standing naked in front of your main door.
In the end, can any company that is built on cashing on emotions survived? We have seen nation built by citizens, companies built by workers - but in case of Facebook, Netizens are building the success of Facebook. But it is not free lunch!
Showing posts with label World Politics and Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Politics and Economy. Show all posts
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Difference between Congress and BJP
BJP the Center-Right "Hindu Nationalist" Party and the Congress Center-Left "Secular Nationalist" Party constantly try and prove to Indians that they are parallel tracks that would never converge at any point. For Congress, BJP is a RSS sponsored Religious party with roots into Upper Caste Hindu's. BJP rarely speaks of Congress party genesis. However, Congress considers itself sole protector of the Secular India.
Half way between the Left and Right, we see the Center. Here is the common ground for both the parties.
Every party while in the opposition benches talks for Poor, downtrodden, vulnerable, farmers, minority religions and then minorities with in the Religions. In a nutshell, to get back the political power, this class of the citizens are their core vote banks. Politicians far exceed Mathematicians and Physicists to invent n-dimensional world where in they can group vote banks en-mass into various dimensions. BJP in New Delhi and Congress in Gujarat apply the same principle - divide and attract the vote banks. And then cultivate them with the false promises.
Once in the power, Congress or BJP get into the hands of Power brokers and lobbyists. The right wing, Hindutva BJP despite being in the power for close to a decade could not build the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. If BJP wants, building the temple is not difficult. Yet, BJP knew very well that Ram Mandir and Lord Rama are their trump cards to come in handy while in opposition. Without these, for BJP leadership there are no Rathyatras.
On to the corruption, BJP leadership thinks that, there are no A.Raja's in their backyard and hence they are holy and a clean party. But, their own RSS child Yeddiyurappa in Bangalore and Reddy brothers are symbols and results of their power and brokerages respectively. Despite all the talk on Bofors and huge parliamentary debates, BJP could not unearth anything on the mother of all Indian scams. Naturally, while in power - both would drift to Center and mutual interests have to be protected. In essence, despite all the talk of corruption in the Government, once they swap their benches both Congress and BJP tactically protect each other.
Congress unlike BJP does not suffer from the symbolic leadership. Unless Rahul Gandhi remains bachelor, Gandhi tag is good enough to see Congress through for some decades to come. But, Utter Pradesh elections would confirm the best and worst of Rahul "the Prince" Gandhi. For BJP, the serious issue is - no one is fitting into the shoes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Narendra Modi, despite hugely successful, remains with in Gujarat for now. Advani at best is a failure to lead from the front and rest of the Delhi bridge are spin doctors.
Congress projects itself Secular. The unfortunate Babri Masjid issue is nothing to do with Congress (PV Narasimha Rao is the culprit though the commission investigated this demolition absolved him completely). But anti-Sikh riots of 1984 (Rajiv Gandhi), atrocities during emergency (Indira Gandhi) and partition of British India (Nehru) still goes into the Congress Party account. Yet, Narendrabhai Modi is the biggest sinner of all time for Godhra. BJP genesis with in the Upper Caste Hindu's took a beating in Utter Pradesh where Mayawati proved smarter and merged this vote bank into her dalit vote.
Despite all the opposition to the Economic liberalisation of 1990's by Congress, Vajpayee Government was miles ahead with FDI and opening up the economy than Manmohan Singh government of past 7 years. BJP track record in this space is lot better thanks to Mahajan's and Jaitley's. But interestingly though, these (including Vajpayee and Advani) are hard core nationalists born from grassroots of RSS
Looking at BJP and Congress since 1990, I think both are simply other side of the coin. Switching the roles while out of power and then, implementing the same policies once in power. Center-Right and Center-Left are simply notional and hypothetical stand to appeal to their core vote bank. In the end, both of them love America, happily work with lobbyists, criticise Pakistan in the similar tone, open up the economy and give a false image "India Shining".
Lokpal bill is neither on Left nor on Right. It is on the Center and hence, both BJP and Congress together ensured that Anna Hazare and in turn Citizens of India are defeated in the name of democracy.
Half way between the Left and Right, we see the Center. Here is the common ground for both the parties.
Every party while in the opposition benches talks for Poor, downtrodden, vulnerable, farmers, minority religions and then minorities with in the Religions. In a nutshell, to get back the political power, this class of the citizens are their core vote banks. Politicians far exceed Mathematicians and Physicists to invent n-dimensional world where in they can group vote banks en-mass into various dimensions. BJP in New Delhi and Congress in Gujarat apply the same principle - divide and attract the vote banks. And then cultivate them with the false promises.
Once in the power, Congress or BJP get into the hands of Power brokers and lobbyists. The right wing, Hindutva BJP despite being in the power for close to a decade could not build the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. If BJP wants, building the temple is not difficult. Yet, BJP knew very well that Ram Mandir and Lord Rama are their trump cards to come in handy while in opposition. Without these, for BJP leadership there are no Rathyatras.
On to the corruption, BJP leadership thinks that, there are no A.Raja's in their backyard and hence they are holy and a clean party. But, their own RSS child Yeddiyurappa in Bangalore and Reddy brothers are symbols and results of their power and brokerages respectively. Despite all the talk on Bofors and huge parliamentary debates, BJP could not unearth anything on the mother of all Indian scams. Naturally, while in power - both would drift to Center and mutual interests have to be protected. In essence, despite all the talk of corruption in the Government, once they swap their benches both Congress and BJP tactically protect each other.
Congress unlike BJP does not suffer from the symbolic leadership. Unless Rahul Gandhi remains bachelor, Gandhi tag is good enough to see Congress through for some decades to come. But, Utter Pradesh elections would confirm the best and worst of Rahul "the Prince" Gandhi. For BJP, the serious issue is - no one is fitting into the shoes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Narendra Modi, despite hugely successful, remains with in Gujarat for now. Advani at best is a failure to lead from the front and rest of the Delhi bridge are spin doctors.
Congress projects itself Secular. The unfortunate Babri Masjid issue is nothing to do with Congress (PV Narasimha Rao is the culprit though the commission investigated this demolition absolved him completely). But anti-Sikh riots of 1984 (Rajiv Gandhi), atrocities during emergency (Indira Gandhi) and partition of British India (Nehru) still goes into the Congress Party account. Yet, Narendrabhai Modi is the biggest sinner of all time for Godhra. BJP genesis with in the Upper Caste Hindu's took a beating in Utter Pradesh where Mayawati proved smarter and merged this vote bank into her dalit vote.
Despite all the opposition to the Economic liberalisation of 1990's by Congress, Vajpayee Government was miles ahead with FDI and opening up the economy than Manmohan Singh government of past 7 years. BJP track record in this space is lot better thanks to Mahajan's and Jaitley's. But interestingly though, these (including Vajpayee and Advani) are hard core nationalists born from grassroots of RSS
Looking at BJP and Congress since 1990, I think both are simply other side of the coin. Switching the roles while out of power and then, implementing the same policies once in power. Center-Right and Center-Left are simply notional and hypothetical stand to appeal to their core vote bank. In the end, both of them love America, happily work with lobbyists, criticise Pakistan in the similar tone, open up the economy and give a false image "India Shining".
Lokpal bill is neither on Left nor on Right. It is on the Center and hence, both BJP and Congress together ensured that Anna Hazare and in turn Citizens of India are defeated in the name of democracy.
Saturday, November 05, 2011
G-20 Cannes 2011: Political Drama Awards
The Annual G-20 Political Drama has been concluded on 4th Nov 2011. Awards and winners for 2011
- Palme d'Or – Golden Palm - GREECE STRIKES AGAIN - III
- Grand Prix – Grand Prize of the Festival - EURO - THE GLOOMY ROAD AHEAD
- Prix du Jury – Jury Prize - CHINA SURVIVES FOR NOW
- Palme d'Or du court métrage – Best Short Film - BRICS IN THEIR OWN WORLD
- Prix d'interprétation féminine – Best Actress - ANGELA MERKEL
- Prix d'interprétation masculine – Best Actor - NICOLAS SARKOZY
- Prix de la mise en scène – Best Director - George Papandreou
- Prix du scénario – Best Screenplay - GEORGE PAPANDREOU
- Other Sections
- Prix Un Certain Regard – Young talent, innovative and audacious works - DAVID CAMERON AND HIS LECTURES
- Cinéfondation prizes – Student films - THE WAY WE WERE BEFORE EURO
- Caméra d'Or – Best first feature film - SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND ART OF LIVING
Well done, folks for keeping up the Cannes Tradition! Cannes Film festival got real challengers now.
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