Comments on: Trust me I’m an avatar http://www.feedingedge.co.uk/blog/2009/07/10/trust-me-im-an-avatar/ Taking a bite on new technology so you don't have to Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:53:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Gray Beam http://www.feedingedge.co.uk/blog/2009/07/10/trust-me-im-an-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-3184 Gray Beam Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:34:51 +0000 http://www.feedingedge.co.uk/blog/?p=240#comment-3184 Whether in a virtual world, or the real world, people develop trust in an identity (could be a person, avatar, brand name, whatever). Any entity has to earn that trust - build their reputation. And Reputations spread - sometime very quickly - whether they are good or bad. As Gray Beam, I have a reputation - it means something to a number of people. They can tell others their assessment of me, and if they are trusted, my reputation (trustworthiness) is transmitted by association. My real life persona also has a reputation. But someone who does not know my real life identity will not accord that identity the same trust as they would Gray Beam, even though we are (essentially) the same person. If I were to say to that person, "Oh, you know me as Gray Beam.", my real identity reputation would modify, ironically, because I vouch for myself using an identity they do know and trust. Not to say don't people lie or deceive, but a pattern of behavior that leads to trust of an entity is, for most people, the more preferred way to get what they accept as accurate (or trusted) information. And the entity they trust does not always have to have to exist as such in the real world. Reputations, I believe, are important, and will become more so as we move to settings where our sources of information are more and more virtual. (hmm reading over this - not sure this will make sense to anyone but me - but I'll give it a try.....) Whether in a virtual world, or the real world, people develop trust in an identity (could be a person, avatar, brand name, whatever). Any entity has to earn that trust – build their reputation. And Reputations spread – sometime very quickly – whether they are good or bad. As Gray Beam, I have a reputation – it means something to a number of people. They can tell others their assessment of me, and if they are trusted, my reputation (trustworthiness) is transmitted by association. My real life persona also has a reputation. But someone who does not know my real life identity will not accord that identity the same trust as they would Gray Beam, even though we are (essentially) the same person. If I were to say to that person, “Oh, you know me as Gray Beam.”, my real identity reputation would modify, ironically, because I vouch for myself using an identity they do know and trust.

Not to say don’t people lie or deceive, but a pattern of behavior that leads to trust of an entity is, for most people, the more preferred way to get what they accept as accurate (or trusted) information. And the entity they trust does not always have to have to exist as such in the real world.

Reputations, I believe, are important, and will become more so as we move to settings where our sources of information are more and more virtual.

(hmm reading over this – not sure this will make sense to anyone but me – but I’ll give it a try…..)

]]> By: Farhan Rehman http://www.feedingedge.co.uk/blog/2009/07/10/trust-me-im-an-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-3182 Farhan Rehman Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:49:00 +0000 http://www.feedingedge.co.uk/blog/?p=240#comment-3182 Completely ;) I predict that within 5 years, Social Media Spend shall consume the majority of traditional advertising/media spend, and end up being a fraction of the cost for that very reason. People buy people, not empty promises, made by claims in ads.. Completely ;)
I predict that within 5 years, Social Media Spend shall consume the majority of traditional advertising/media spend, and end up being a fraction of the cost for that very reason. People buy people, not empty promises, made by claims in ads..

]]>