Sad flip-side of user-generated content: Happy slapping gone mad

Our good friend Russell Buckley over at MobHappy has a brilliant posting about the new trend of youth posting happy slapping videos now to video sharing sites like YouTube. The BBC's Panorama TV show apparently had a special on it - entitled Childen's Fight Club or something like that - the kids who have been beaten up (and videorecorded on cameraphones) get even more teased by this new phenomenon, its not enough they are beaten up once, they now get the added insults to the injury of the videos shared by other kids.

The worst aspect of it is specialist violence sites like Live Leak (and like Russell, we won't post a link, we don't want to drive traffic there or in any way endorse or support them).

I am torn by this. On the one hand I believe very passionately about free speech. But I deplore specialist websites who offer videos of ultraviolence, especially if it - the violence - is real and targeted at kids. I wish there was a way to control this, to limit it, to get rid of it. Obviously today as the web is mostly a wild west, there is no way to control this.

The one thing that can be done, is to bring the power of the purse into play. These sites make money through advertising. Perhaps soon there will emerge an ethical standard among advertisers, that certain sites are not worth advertising on (for any bad publicity to the brand). For that to happen, though, will probably take still considerable development in this digital community space we all engage in.

But as a note from my first day of my summer vacation, it is a sad flip-side to digital communities and user-generated content. But honestly, it is human nature and human behaviour, for any new innovation there will be upsides and downsides. Just like cameraphones introduced intrusions such as the Japanese man taking pictures under womens' dresses and Korean baths and swimming pools forbidding cameraphones etc, we do see abuses that come from human nature.

We'll, I won't dwell more on it. I'm going to go enjoy the sunshine    :-)

Comments

[Zbigniew Lukasiak]

Aren't those videos evidence of a crime?

[rose mortilla]

YES Partners is an International Executive Search firm and one of our clients is looking for the following.

I was wondering if you might know someone who would be suitable for such a position:

Manager, Worldwide Strategy & Planning

(Seoul, Korea)

Company Description:

Our client is a company operating a video sharing website that hosts user-generated content. Founded in October 2004, it is the fist video sharing website in the world to attach advertising to user-submitted video clips and to provide unlimited storage space for users to upload. As of March 2007, the site was visited by 15 million monthly unique visitors and 1.5 billion video streams watched per month. It has over 1 million video inventory and 2 billion monthly pageviews.

Job Description:

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Strategy & Planning Manager will assume responsibility for the company's long-range strategic planning efforts. He/She will lead the implementation of a new companywide strategic planning process and will be responsible for select business development activities. He/She will also be responsible for leading the company's product strategy and development efforts including partnerships and alliances as well as the development of future technology roadmaps, capabilities and customer offerings.

Responsibilities:

1. Providing direct support to Senior Management

2. Coordinating the activities, schedules, and agendas for strategic planning

3. Working directly on the Strategic Plan to include drafting, monitoring and reporting on goals, scheduling and facilitating annual and monthly planning meetings

4. Working directly with Senior Management to coordinate special projects related to current and future strategy

5. Driving new business and service development

6. Identifying opportunities for market expansion

Skills and Experience

1. Strong strategic planning skills

2. minimum 3 years experience developing and implementing strategic planning methodology

3. Strong business acumen, management / organizational skills and professional style/presence

4. Experience in global consulting with a focus on MEDIA is required. Ideally having worked for one of the top consulting companies.

5. Excellent / professional communication (oral and written), interpersonal, and organizational skills

6. Conversational Korean is required

7. In-depth knowledge and understanding of every phase within Strategic Planning life cycle.

Rose Mortilla
YES Partners
rose@yespartners.com