Socco

the internet is an egalitarian sandbox where young and old, rich and poor can all develop novel forms of commerce, communication and collaboration in months rather than years. but when the financial barrier to develop technology dropped to the cost of a laptop and a few lattes, those with the most time and creativity (the young) began to develop, devour and discard online trends and technologies faster than their frappuccinos. while a lot of baby boomers and some from genx are perfectly comfortable emailing, playing games or buying items on ebay or amazon, they lack the understanding (or confidence) to engage online, particularly with social networks. these ‘digital immigrants’ want to participate, but are unsure of the risks and rules. expecting digital immigrants to learn new technology online is like teaching someone to fly by giving them a plane. the fear paralyzes them. social networks empower action (see the pickens plan) but can also make you feel like you’re standing naked in t