NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Google Buzz Meets the New York City Mosque Controversy
Google Buzz Meets the New York City Mosque Controversy
http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000746.html
Greetings. A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I'm using Google
Buzz more and Twitter less ( http://bit.ly/b0S30Z [Lauren's Blog] ).
An ongoing thread in Buzz, on the topic of the controversial Muslim
community center and mosque to be built two blocks from the site of
the World Trade Center attacks, demonstrates the vast superiority of
Google Buzz for actually carrying on meaningful discussions that go
far beyond 140 character Twitter "headline" messages.
I initiated the discussion last Saturday by posting on Buzz three
somewhat provocative questions regarding the controversy surrounding
the NYC project ( http://bit.ly/cesZD4 [Google Buzz] ).
Various Buzz users who regularly "follow" my postings -- and other
users drawn to the specific posting through the social sharing
mechanisms of Buzz -- began commenting, and a rather long and lively
debate has resulted (which is continuing). Some of the comments are
logically oriented. Some are highly emotional. You may disagree with
a significant amount of material that you see on the thread (perhaps
including various of my own statements).
But the point is that trying to carry out a discussion like this on
Twitter would be essentially impossible in a practical sense. The 140
character Twitter message limit would reduce individual comments to
the status of quick shouts -- hardly a way to foster useful discussion
on important topics. And without the threading that Buzz provides,
following the sequence of comments in a reasonable way would be a mess
both for the participants and onlookers alike.
I don't expect our Buzz discussion to create full agreement among the
widely varied points of view associated with such a highly charged
issue, but three cheers to Google Buzz for providing the platform that
has made this discourse so seamlessly possible in the first place. I
am very impressed with Buzz's ability to host a multiuser dialogue in
a highly professional manner.
You are of course warmly invited to visit or join the discussion
( http://bit.ly/cesZD4 [Google Buzz] ). It's rather intense, but I
believe worthwhile. You can also directly access my Buzz account
if you wish ( http://bit.ly/lauren-buzz [Google Buzz] ).
Take care, all.
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com)
http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
Co-Founder, PFIR (People For Internet Responsibility): http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, NNSquad (Network Neutrality Squad): http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, GCTIP (Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance):
http://www.gctip.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Google Buzz: http://bit.ly/lauren-buzz