BECAUSE WE HAVE A third level academic module called "Social Media" in Tipperary Institute, I got my feet wet in Dublin and met up with a dozen other members of the Irish Internet Association who are also interested in the growth of social media in Ireland. After a round of introductions, I formed the conclusion that many in the meeting were social media plumbers. They understand the flow of conversations and how surges of information gurgle and sometimes spit in vitriolic ways. Several in the group know the tubes and the pipes because they have built Facebook applications, crafted viral videos or managed brand identities in the gaggle of MySpace, Bebo and Facebook.
Like most plumbers, they don't have familiar faces or witty strings of tweets that mark them out as familiar veterans. Because of that and because of the big companies some represent, their street credibility might be called into question by the Irish Twitter Posse. Sniping at this social media working group before it publishes its findings would be a waste of time. Looking at its handiwork in a few month's time would be worthwhile because like all things in a see-through loo, you should look before you flush it away.
Personally, I think an informative series of workshops will flow from the IIA's Social Media Working Group. And who knows? There might be one offered in your region. You can expect news and event alerts in a social network running inside your web browser.
Sent mail-to-blog using O2-Ireland 3G Typepad service with my Nokia E90 while aboard Aircoach after a working group meeting involving Krishna De, Niall Devine, Fred Herrera, Brendan Hughes, Gordon Jenkinson, Mike Kelly, Fintan Lonergan, Philip MacCartney, John McGuinness, Aisling McMahon, Kieran Murphy, Bartley O'Connor, Kieran O'Hea, Joy Redmond, Keith Shirley, and Roseanne Smith.
