Now Only Three Degrees Of Separation?
This is unfortunately not a post about the breakup of a famous female Philadelphia soul and disco musical group, but rather the results of an O2 study into the power of social networking in the 21st century.
Apparently the famous experiment of social distance through a maximum of six people has become incredibly outdated given the profusion of modern technology, according to O2-sponsored research. Despite Microsoft’s 2006 study of 30 billion electronic messages showing the original study still rings true with an average of 6.6 steps between strangers, organisational specialist Jeff Rodrigues shows that within networks of people of shared interests, the average is only three degrees.
He stipulates that people are connected via one of the three avenues of friends, family and work. Beyond these lie the personal interest spheres, areas which have been nurtured and matured by those seeking like minded individuals via the internet and mobile phones. As these have developed much faster and further than traditional methods of knowing people, the links forged are much closer.
When test subjects were asked to find an unknown person, 98% chose the web or their mobile phone to start, across all age groups selected. New forms of technology bring people together in a way which has never been seen before. Mostly social sites like Facebook admittedly, although mobile phones are considered by many as integral to connectivity.
Obviously, O2’s Brand Strategist was happy to chime in on the value of bringing people together: “As a business, O2 is all about helping our customers connect to the people and things that matter to them, enabling them to be in touch wherever they are in the world.”
If the world is so small and we’re all so connected, how’s about reducing my international roaming charges then? Yeah, thought not.
Source : Cellular News
Tags: o2
