Get ready for another buzzword-filled SXSWi folks.
And the darling of this year’s digital pageant?
Ambient Social Networking
It’s all about broadcasting your status in real time without having to manually input information. So it’s social networking for the lazy. There are some big implications – good and bad – for consumers and the brands trying desperately to engage. Facebook’s recent foray into ambient social networking has been met with limited enthusiasm by users, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
So what does it look like?
Want to know when your friends are close by? An ambient social networking platform will notify you when a buddy is within shouting distance. Lonely? Turn on a specialized mobile app and get notified when individuals matching your interest preferences are in the area.
The key here is users flip the on switch and then exit the platform, only returning to adjust settings or perform other app-centric tasks. And of course, online privacy advocates are already voicing their collective dismay. I won’t link to any of those posts here, you’ll be seeing plenty of them as SXSWi kicks off.
Want to try ambient social networking? Check out:
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So what do you think? Ambient social networking: Good, bad or indifferent?
