<nettime> Report on Facebook desk democracy

[Ana Peraica <ana.peraica@st.htnet.hr>]

Hi Andres,

many of these people are just avatars : ) another thing which is 
interesting is how it happens that the message account is blocked (it 
happened to some people)

I would like to add another use - aspect, which comes from popularity 
and easy to use networking which I reported on a week ago and I will use 
my chance to promote (again) and praise students; consolidating for 
demonstrations, which is the second time it happens in Croatia. As I 
said for the first time they really pushed the State Graduation out and 
Bologna convention transparency, as well as some other demands... There 
were demonstrations in all cities.

Now they appear more aware, working for general social purposes, in two 
groups, one which is satirical Kako je Ivo ukrao Božic' 
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35433193875 (How Ivo has stolen 
the Christmas) and the other Stegnite vi svoj remen bando lopovska 
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=48786829344 (It is you 
to fasten your belt a thief band!) which is organizing.

Currently it is - 55 thousand (55 000) people (supporters) on one list 
and about 60 on the other. Organizing board of the first is really huge 
and it covers even high schools and small cities. They have opened giro 
account (very transparent - it uses pseudonyms) and among this 55 
thousands there were designers, translators, economists, so you can find 
- perfect print-yourself poster designs (couple of versions), english 
translation, more than great and simple list of demands, organizations 
in all of cities, people's videos, photo-montages, essays.... which was 
organized in sub-groups
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=48786829344&ref=ts

And it is not politically filtered, but many of parties do support them, 
as if they would support any of parties they would loose numbers of 
supporters, consequently.

What is really good is a "desk democracy": I was following it for days 
how they resolve delicate practical challenges on which everyone was 
falling before, for example; how to divide the finances regarding 
centralization, transparency of the account (on this issues all politics 
is falling), resisting the absorption to any political party, but also 
supporting all calls for help especially for children.

They appear DAILY in all press and on TV, and headlines are "Facebook 
democracy" "Facebook threats" Google says 18 000 pages for one list (two 
of them is a list all others are reports) for Facebook "stegnite vi svoj 
remen" and 21 600 for Facebook "kako je Ivo ukrao" - most of them are 
internet portals and press, but as well TV.
Now you have their banners on all politically important pages.

Most of political leaders have already given their views... They have 
pushed even the Prime Minister twice to confront and publicly say in the 
first addressing; he is "not Grinch" he has "not stolen a Christmas" and 
in the second - he never said to "fasten the belt."

But also they have pushed another events - one group of high school 
pupils has also revolted and called upon demonstrations on TV they have 
also reported to all Facebook high school users they would not be 
tolerated missing from schools in that case.

The funny event was when the Prime minister followers have opened own 
group and it turned out "weak" as it stabilised on 1800 followers most 
of which were provoking so the message board was shot down for days. 
Immediately it was found out it was opened by a person working in 
Government. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=53578821656
Apparently ghost to both big groups (groups with same title but much 
lower numbers of members) were of the same source. They were misleading.

So - number can serve better purposes than showing up friends and 
demolishing. It is just a platform that turned out to be the most popular.

But as things like this aren't daily occasion... So, here is another way:

Supporting an event - list that you promote by clicking (this is mine 
for today):

     * Today, 27 November at 13:30
       Elektrosfera
     * 29 November at 06:00
       Cimatics / Audiovisual Festival // Brussels
     * Today, 27 November at 23:00
       BACACI SJENKI I ALU: OTVORENJE ZIDNIH NOVINA
     * Continuing until Tomorrow, 28 November
       Opening WAKING AROUND by Prem Sarjo in SUPERESPACIO Contemporary Art
     * 29 November at 00:00
       Steal this film + Peter Capusotto y sus videos
     * Continuing until 04 December
       "Interface", forum on discussing exhibition methods about 
Internet-art.
     * Continuing until 10 December
       The space of post autonomy
     * Continuing until 12 December
       WHEN YOU DON’T GIVE A SHIT ON ART MARKET VALUES, THEN SHOW IN A 
RESTAURANT
     * Continuing until 13 December
       Zaneta Vangeli ARCHIVE 1
     * Continuing until 20 December
       Tales of love, great and small
     * Continuing until 24 December
       David Hammons Six Sites in Alexandria - Interventions/Works in 
Public Spac

Do you know any mailing list that has so many events a day and at so 
diverse territory? Here you have Argentina, Mexico, Belgium, Germany, 
Italy, Columbia, Croatia...

That is the decentralization of the art world you actually promote by 
adding yourself to the event as the event continues to be reported to 
all of your friends and "friends".

This would sound as I am a Facebook fun, but actually - it is all about 
how it is used.

Just adding friends and demolishing does not sound really like creative 
use.

best,

Ana

> So I was looking at my list of Facebook contacts and it is Thierry
> Geoffroy who impresses me the most because he is almost halfway to
> being eliminated by the facebook robot (apparently your account is
> erased at 5000). I am also growing very impatient with those who
> hyperventilate about choosing who deserves to be their "friend".
 <...>


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