The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) and the Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) jointly organized Social Media Forum on 20th October 2010 in Kuala Lumpur. The forum brought together social media entrepreneurs with expertise in online PR strategies, Internet solution development, and information design to discuss opportunities and challenges within the online community.
Social media has changed the world and revolutionized communications on a global scale. It has transformed internet-based applications by fusing technology and social interaction for the co-creation of value. The creation and exchange of user-generated content is based on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, where information sharing, interoperability, and user-centered design are facilitated through web applications.
Given the wealth in participation within the virtual community where the global citizenry has become a global network, social media is a powerful and cost-effective marketing tool. It provides the opportunity for interpersonal communication with existing and new followers through its foundations of trust and approachability.
The forum aimed to share experiences of the panel experts in using social media to kick-start or to enhance existing values. Personal testimonials were shared on how social media and online support has amplified their specific cause and helped to attain their target market. Strategies in building and maintaining the liaison with online community were also discussed. Discussions centered on the relevance of social media.
Kla Tangsuwan
Kla Tangsuwan, Digital Marketing Director at Thoth Media and co-founder of duocore.tv (TV internet broadcasted on mass media), is a social entrepreneur who capitalizes on social media. Thoth Media is a social enterprise with expertise in social media and online PR strategy while Duocore.tv is a video portal that provides IT news to communities in Thailand.
Kla said that social media can be used as a tool to deliver important message or to popularize ideas. Content is important and social media is just a tool to deliver those messages. He also shared his success stories. For example, Acer campaign on facebook, google Devfest, and Ideas for Thailand to improve the country through calls for proposal. Thai PM Weekly address on internet TV has created social impact; it has contributed to positive changes in Thailand. He concluded that for social media to work, people in the community must interact and share experiences.
Arthit Suriyawongkul
Arthit Suriyawongkul, a consultant on the Internet and New Media for various organizations, argued that selection of identity is political; each internet user can have multiple identities. Social media should contribute to democratic values.
Arthit said internet came to Thailand during 1990s but during that period mainstream media was very much controlled by the state. Until in 2005, with the Yellow Shirts movement, social media was used to mobilize support. It is important to note that one of Yellow Shirt’s leaders owned internet TV and online newspaper. This was the major starting point for social media to play an important role in Thai politics. Blog was popular until 2007. Facebook and twitter became popular only when former Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra used it to communicate with his supporters in Thailand.
Today, people tend to go for collective identity by using the same avatar or profile photo. Interaction between online and offline activities creates greater impact.
