the social effect
Simon Tooley
Knowledge is responsibility
We usually hear that knowledge is power (Sir Francis Bacon). It is the idea that if you have knowledge, then you will have power; the acquisition of knowledge results in social power. The person who holds the knowledge, holds power over others. I would challenge you on that one.
I say: those with knowledge have a responsibility, a responsibility to share that knowledge to give all of us the power to do something with that knowledge.
Today I am heading off to the Activate Summit in London at the Guardian’s head office to hear leaders in their fields share their knowledge. I am one of hundreds who will be there who believe that through the use of technology and the Internet, we can make the world a better place. Sharing is what the Internet is all about, but it is becoming more and more important for us to do something with that knowledge besides just share it, we need to act on it.
The list of speakers at the conference is impressive. They are going to be there today to share what they know because they believe there knowledge only has power when it is shared. What happens with that information is going to be up to us who are attending, and then as we pass it on, what will each one of us do with it? Will we read the info in blogs, on Twitter and in Facebook posts and shake our heads with concern, or will we take action?
For any of you who want updates along the way, you may follow me on Twitter @thesocialeffect or if you join the social effect Facebook page I will be making updates there.
Here is the program for the day:
09.00 – 09.05
OPENING REMARKS AND WELCOME FROM THE GUARDIAN
Kate Bulkley, media and technology analyst and commentator
09.05 – 10.20
OPENING KEYNOTE PANEL DISCUSSION
How do we employ the power and the principles of the web to tackle the world’s biggest challenges?
Alec Ross, senior advisor for innovation, US State Department
Ricken Patel, co-founder and executive director, Avaaz
Aleem Walji, practice manager for innovation, The World Bank Institute
Jeremy Heimans, co-founder and CEO, Purpose
Ory Okolloh, manager, policy and government relations, Africa, Google
Keynotes followed by interactive question and answer session facilitated by Activate chair Kate Bulkley
10.20 – 11.00
INTERACTIVE ENTERPRISE PANEL DEBATE
For profit, for good?: How do we create sustainable and effective models for tech-led social innovation?
Moderator: Zaw Thet, founder and chairman, Palindrome Advisors
Chris Smart, partner, Acacia Partners
Michael Birch, founder, Jolitics and chief monkey, Monkey Inferno
Perry Chen, co-founder and CEO, Kickstarter
David Edelstein, director, The Grameen Technology Centre
11.00 – 11.30
MORNING BREAK
11.30 – 12.30
BREAK OUT SESSION – ACTIVATE LIGHTNING PRESENTATIONS
Eclectic sound bites and visionary insights from some of the brightest names working with the web
Stream one – HALL TWO
Tom Thirlwall, founder, Bigballs Film
Sarah Dyer, director of new media, Beatbullying
Rakesh Rajani, founder, Twaweza
Gregory Titeca, creative director and head of research and ideas development, Happiness Brussels
Jonathan Simmons, managing director, Public Zone and Jon Alexander, project manager, National Trust’s MyFarm project
Stream two – HALL ONE
Perry Chen, co-founder and CEO, Kickstarter
Christian Sarkar, co-founder, $300 House Project
Salem Avan, chief information systems officer, UN Peacekeeping
Dr Joel Selanikio, CEO and co-founder, DataDyne
David Edelstein, director, The Grameen Technology Centre
Zaw Thet, founder and chairman, Palindrome Advisors
12.30 – 13.40
KEYNOTE VIDEO INTERVIEW AND PANEL DEBATE
Global governance, statecraft and citizenship: The future of democracy in a networked world
Moderator: Stephen King, partner, Omidyar Network
Keynote video:
Pierre Omidyar, founder, eBay and Omidyar Network
Panel line up:
Alec Ross, senior advisor for innovation, US State Department
Michael Birch, founder, Jolitics and chief monkey, Monkey Inferno
Dr Vanessa Neumann, senior fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute
Kulveer Ranger, director for Environment and Digital, London
13.30 – 14.40
LUNCH
14.40 – 15.40
BREAK OUT SESSIONS
STREAM ONE: INTERACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSION – HALL ONE
Global development: Creating tech-led development solutions through collaborative innovation
Moderator: Jamie Drummond, executive director, One
Mariéme Jamme, president, Spot One Global Solutions
Salem Avan, chief information systems officer, UN Peacekeeping
Christian Sarkar, co-founder, $300 House Project
Andrew Lamb, chief executive, Engineers Without Boarders UK
David Edelstein, director, The Grameen Technology Centre
STREAM TWO: INTERACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSION – HALL TWO
Mobile first: How are innovations in mobile changing the world?
Moderator: Kate Bulkley, media and technology analyst and commentator
Dr Joel Selanikio, CEO and co-founder, DataDyne
Rakesh Rajani, founder, Twaweza
Herman Heunis, CEO and founder, MXit
Anna Kydd, director, SHM Foundation
15.40 – 16.00
AFTERNOON BREAK
16.00 – 16.50
INTERACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
Digital access: Why must we ensure everyone can use the Internet and how do we ensure equitable access?
Moderator: Caroline Dewing, group media relations, Vodafone Group
Eirini Zafeiratou, head of EU affairs group public policy, Vodafone
Adele Waugaman, senior director, technology partnership, United Nations Foundation
Martha Lane-Fox, digital champion, UK Government
Jonathan Simmons, managing director, Public Zone
Nadège Riche, policy officer, European Disability Forum
16.50 – 17.40
(H)ACTIVATE AWARD, WINNING DEVELOPER PRESENTATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION
Can data save the world? How do we capture data and combine it with innovation to build applications and responses that provide a positive social impact?
Moderator: Matt McAlister, director of digital strategy, Guardian Media Group
Aleem Walji, practice manager for innovation, The World Bank Institute
Sobia Hamid, co-founder, DataGiving
Daniela Torres, head of climate change office, Telefónica
Matt Biddulph, head of data strategy, Ovi Product Development, Nokia
17.40 – 17.45
CLOSING REMARKS
Matt McAlister, director of digital strategy, Guardian Media Group and Kate Bulkley, media and technology analyst and commentator
Are you with me?
As I sit here at the airport waiting for my flight I wonder where I am really going. My boarding pass says London Heathrow, but I am not sure that will be the end of this journey. I am heading to London to go to the Activate Summit put on by the Guardian Newspaper:
Activate is the Guardian newspaper’s platform for leaders working across all sectors who are proving that, through the use of technology and the internet, we can make the world a better place.
I am not sure that I fit into the category of leader in this sector but I am certainly a believer in the power of technology and the internet to affect change in our world, or take it smaller, in our communities, or even smaller to those we live and interact with on a day to day basis.
For those of you who know me, recently I disappeared from the social networks and the internet. Gone completely. Deleted everything. (Not that easy to do actually, but I will save that for another blog post.) I had a blog and was on every possible network that there was. At one point I realized that either all of this social media was taking over my life, or I was letting it. I am not sure which. Instead of slowing down I just stopped it all. Pulled the plug. Done. I do tend to be a little all or nothing.
In those few months off I slowed my life down. I took a break and stopped figuring out what I wanted to do, what I was going to be when I grew up and just watched the world go by. I wasn’t very happy doing it because I was disconnecting from everything and everyone. I have since realized that we must have a connection to each other of some kind. It is our human nature. Even though I was off all of the social networks, through friends I was sent a video or a blog now and then and then one day, someone sent me this video.
I watched the video and when it was over I sat there and stared at the screen and asked myself, “Who are you to play so small? Who are you to hide out from the world? Who are you to be anything less than you are or are supposed to be?”
Have you ever felt like that? I know I am not the only one.
And so I started getting reconnected. Slowly. As I did, an idea that I have been playing with came to me more strongly and I decided that I could no longer ignore it. From this idea I have started the social effect.
What is the social effect? I don’t know for sure yet. I know what I wrote on the about page on this blog, on the splash page and on the Facebook, Twitter page and my LinkedIn page. I would say I am connected again wouldn’t you?
And here it is again:
Born from an idea that we are all connected and we want to be connected, the social effect is a project to see how we may better share ideas from one person to another, one community to another, one country to another, and eventually make this world into a connected community that the Internet has made possible.
We want to help, through the Internet and Social Media platforms, to understand the ever-changing global community. We believe that through posting, tweeting, blogging, and sharing videos we will help connect to each other in a meaningful way in the ultimate hope of making change. We believe that by thinking outside the box we will create possibilities that this world has been waiting for.
Lofty intentions? Maybe. But I have learned too many times that it is much easier to give up and turn back, to give up on ideas and dreams and passions. Or is it?
I think it may in the end be much easier to take a chance and to go where our heart guides us.
I hope you will come along with me. That is how this whole thing will work. The only chance it has. The only chance we all have to make the change we all talk about. How do we do it? By telling two friends, who tell two friends who….That simple? I think it might be. I am going to find out, and as I do, I will learn and share what I learn with all of you. I hope to get a few of you to join the team. If you are interested, it’s easy to find me.
It only takes one person to affect the world, and that person is each one of us. Are you with me?
Here we go!
the social effect is an idea that we are all connected and more importantly, we want to be.
Through the different platforms of Social Media and the Internet we have the possibility to reach each other to affect change around us: in our communities, and in our world.
Here in this space you will learn what we learn as we explore the world, virtually and through travelling to conferences, summits, and events.
We will have our team writing here as well as guest bloggers. Everyone will share their experiences, suggest what we may do to affect change, and to give us hope that we make ultimately make a difference in our day to day lives to those around us.
We ask you to participate through following us on Twitter, Facebook, or here on our blog.
Make comments.
Ask questions.
Share what you know.
Challenge us along the way.
We will listen and we will learn.
We are excited to be starting this journey with you – the possibilities of where it will take us are endless!
the social effect team
the social effect 