The article in the url below demonstrates further how evolving communications technology in an online world raises the profile for CSR for firms (Issues: Internet, p237; Media, p249):
“Qik's attraction is that it takes a feed from the viewfinder of a camera phone and streams the images live over the internet to a web page. Viewers can type comments and questions on to the screen, which the phone user can then see and answer.”
The Qik software enables anyone with a cell phone to upload live video and distribute it globally in real time. The article discusses the implications of this for media outlets (news, in particular), but I think the real danger lies for the entities who are the potential news stories. While this has broader political and social implications, therefore, Qik also further jeopardizes firms’ reputations, which can be quickly damaged by anyone with a cell phone and internet connection:
“"What if there had been Qik-enabled cell phones during the Burma protests a few months ago? Snap your fingers and it's there on whatever channel," says [Carla Thompson, an analyst with the Guidewire Group].”
Have a good weekend.
Dave
Bill Werther & David Chandler
Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility
© Sage Publications, 2006
Qik broadcasts shine light on workings of the world: A small piece of mobile software is proving useful for capturing live images in every corner of life
By Chris Nuttall in San Francisco
912 words
1 August 2008
Financial Times
London Ed1
12
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/58e9f0ae-5f62-11dd-91c0-000077b07658.html
or without registration at:
http://www.ftchinese.com/story.php?lang=en&storyid=001021144
