Given that there’s already a world-class wi-fi
infrastructure already installed around every venue, how will our compulsive
social network sharing shape the London 2012 Olympic Games?
By: Ringo Bones
Unlike the 2008 Beijing Olympics where the internet
infrastructure of the People’s Republic of China had a robust government run
censorship system already installed, the way more inclusive and egalitarian
London 2012 Olympics had already become – with the uncensored warts and all –
the most talked about Olympic Games on the planet if you look at the existing
social network sites. And the games haven’t even started yet.
With an extensive wi-fi infrastructure already up and
running at every venue, companies are already busy purchasing the broadcasting
rights of their adverts on every social network platform that would be used
during the 10 or so days of the Olympic Games. But will these companies
eventually profit from their advertising investments that will be directed to a
largely “passive” audience?
Too soon to tell yet whether companies will benefit from
their social network adverts uploaded during the duration of the London 2012
Olympics, but the UK government is far more enthusiastic about social network
coverage and the on-going impact of social media by installing a massive light
art sculpture in the London Eye that translate positive and negative Twitter
feeds into some psychedelic light display - on the famed giant Ferris wheel. Even Boris Becker – veteran Olympian
of the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games – already has a sizeable Facebook and
Twitter following.
If social networks have their upsides – there are downsides
too. A choice number of spectators lucky enough to be picked and invited to
witness the dress rehearsal of the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics
on July 23, 2012 who are supposedly sworn to secrecy not to talk about any
“spoilers” of what they’ve seen – though only some of them – can’t control
themselves and blabbed about what they’ve seen on the social network of their choice.
2 comments:
The Samsung Galaxy S III advert extols that the London 2012 Olympics is "Everyone's Olympics" from the social networks point of view. Even Olympic athletes who have disgraced themselves by posting racist Tweets - like Greece's Voula Papachristou - are still a part of "everyone's Olympics".
Racism in the London 2012 Olympics? What is this the 1936 Berlin - or is it the Nazi - Olympics? At least social media like Facebook and Twitter are there to warn us who's guilty of racism or not. but are these ignorant people still a part of "everyone's Olympics"?
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