Twitter Flu

Since I slag off Twitter regularly, I’ll let others do the talking today:

• Swine flu: Twitter’s power to misinform from foreignpolicy.com
   
• How False Rumors Can Cost Lives from canonical.org

And, because I can’t resist, a few (actual) recent Twitter updates. Names are unchanged, to expose the idiots. Is there really any difference from the cartoon above?

Realtime results for swine flu

2135 more results since you started searching. Refresh to see them.

• 
  NYKitten3483: i am so not taking my baby anywhere. this freaking swine flu! so not cool. a baby died from it. i am so not happy.
  less than 20 seconds ago from mobile web · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  GinBlossoms_Guy: Packing a bowl at the job-site with my new friend Miguel. How do I bring up swine flu without sounding too racial?
  3 minutes ago from Twittelator · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  Trevor_Latulas: I was really sick this morning. Hope I don’t have Swine flu. That would sux
  3 minutes ago from TwitterBerry · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  stphmli: swine flu is a conspiracy.
  6 minutes ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  nickicortese: Someone in the US died of swine flu! Holy Shit!!!!
  6 minutes ago from TwitterBerry · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  isnotanarab: Bin laden homies made swine flu…check the facts
  6 minutes ago from AndTweet · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  TTownTommy: Hmm the new movies coming in May may play 2 empty seats with the swine flu outbreak
  8 minutes ago from Tweetie · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  theimaginarykid: is not shaking anybodys hand and I’m about to start rockin mask and gloves like Mike Jackson. just heard swine flu hit the chi.
  10 minutes ago from UberTwitter · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  butterrs: so my roommate is sick, hope its not swine flu.
  15 minutes ago from TinyTwitter · Reply · View Tweet
• 
  brittanylovato: an entire family in Cibolo with swine flu. I am officially terrified. IT’S GONNA GET ME!!!
  17 minutes ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

The Explosive Growth of Twitter

Upon the 8000th time hearing that phrase, I think it’s time to put that into perspective:

That’s still a lot of people, no doubt. But it’s still a baby learning to crawl when compared to facebook, or even myspace. Hell, it’s not even as popular as friendster, which is apparently only still used by a few people in the Phillipines.

But wait, you say – Twitter has 14 million members! Well then why is daily traffic only about a million? Well, for a start: 1) lots of those “members” aren’t real people, and 2) the proliferation of bots, spam, fake “marketing” tweets and just plain boring “what I had for lunch” updates are driving away real people in droves.

Am I going to predict Twitter’s death? No, not just yet. It’s too early in the disease cycle. But this is one very sick baby. And ugly, too.

Pirate Bay Judge: Conflict of Interest

Possible good news for the Swedish Pirates - according to a Swedish radio new program (link in Swedish, sorry), the judge in the case, Tomas Norström, has been a member of several of the same copyright protection organizations as some of the main entertainment industry representatives. These include:

Swedish Association of Copyright (SFU) - This discussion forum that holds seminars, debates and releases the Nordic Intellectual Property Law Review. Other members of this outfit: Henrik Pontén (Swedish Anti-Piracy Bureau), Monique Wadsted (movie industry lawyer) and Peter Danowsky (IFPI).

Swedish Association for the Protection of Industrial Property (SFIR) - The judge sits on the board of this association that works for stronger copyright laws.

.SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation) - Tomas Norström works for the foundation that oversees the .se name domain and advises on domain name disputes. His colleague at the foundation? Monique Wadsted. Wadsted says she’s never met Norström although they have worked together.

Ironically, during the trial it was the judge, Tomas Norström, who was responsible for ensuring that the trial was fair and that the lay judges did not have conflicts of interest. In fact, one of the original lay judges in the case had to step down due to his involvement with a music rights group.

“Three lay judges were appointed,” said Judge Norström one week before the trial. “On a question from me to the lay judges on whether they had any involvement in copyright associations or similar, or if they are or have been artists one of them answered Yes.”

That lay judge was removed. Now many are asking why the judge didn’t think the same should apply to him.

Following this news, there have been loud calls for a re-trial. Considering that this judge was responsible for throwing out all technical evidence and focusing only on intent, making the case considerably easier for prosecutors, it is absolutely necessary. And this time, how about a judge without copyright group connections?