Social Media and Social Innovation a Manifesto Christoph Kaletka | Karolin Eva Kappler | Bastian Pelka | Ricard Ruiz de Querol Vienna | 19th Sept 2011

What are „Social Media“? Social Media are no technology, but a specific form of using (old) technology. ‘Umbrella term’ rapidly growing core innovation: “user generated content” as a new social routine Social Media are no technology, but a specific form of using (old) technology. Social media can be considered an ‘umbrella term’ encompassing a variety of online platforms that are united by the fact that people can create, share, comment and distribute content. They are rapidly growing to become one of the most popular categories among the activities on the Internet The core innovation of social media is the possibility to easily produce and share “user generated content” as a new social routine 2

Social Media mark a paradigm shift in communication new communication pattern replacement of top-down, linear processes and “finished products” by “never finished products” created and evolved incrementally through bottom-up, collaborative, distributed processes. development in line with the change from an industrial to a knowledge society decentralisation of knowledge and content production processes We see a new communication pattern raised by social media with the potential to better empower individuals to participate in different processes in modern society. Social Media entail the replacement of top-down, linear processes and “finished products” by “never finished products” created and evolved incrementally through bottom-up, collaborative, distributed processes. This development is in line with the change from an industrial to a knowledge society as well as with the decentralisation of knowledge and content production processes taking place in a variety of social fields. 3

Social Media as an answer to structural challenges decentralised, participatory and user-driven communication as an alternative to traditional government-led institutional frameworks for addressing social issues and concerns. Social Media can here provide socio-technical platforms that can be used to empower individuals and groups to better pursue their political and social interests. But… The concept of decentralised, participatory and user-driven communication can be a reasonable alternative to some of the traditional government-led institutional frameworks for addressing social issues and concerns. Think of critical social and economic developments – and their most striking eruptions in the Arab world, Spain and Greece or on the financial markets. Social Media can here provide socio-technical platforms that can be used to empower individuals and groups to better pursue their political and social interests. 4

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We need a Manifesto on Social Media for Social Innovation, because: Social Media is social in a different way – (still) mainly used for leisure and entertainment. Society faces major challenges. There is an increasingly widespread agreement that the economic and social reference models that worked well during the last decades are not sustainable. The financial crisis demonstrates that many current socio-technical systems need to be redesigned and redeployed, not merely readjusted. A similar conclusion can be reached about other relevant societal issues. Social Innovation is proving to be a sensible alternative to some of the traditional government-led institutional frameworks for addressing social issues and concerns. Social Media provide socio-technical platforms that can be used to empower individuals and groups to pursue many valuable causes through Social Innovation. Social Innovation as innovations of social practices lack speed and scale. 6

5.) manifesto text We currently live a System Failure. Spanish Revolution: example of Social Innovation using Social Media, BUT: 1. it also shows clearly the (current) limitations of Social Media; 2. it is not yet clear if it is really a sustainable social innovation 7

Social Innovation looks like an alternative. But we don’t know (yet) how to use the real ‘social’ and ‘collaborative’ potential of Social Media. 8

Social Innovation Socio - Technical issues What for? Who will develop it? Social Innovation Socio - Technical issues Socio Ownership Principles Rules How? “Acting on the cultural codes that frame minds, social movements create the possibility of producing another world, in contrast with the reproduction of norms and disciplines embedded in society’s institutions”. Issue of speed and scale Technical Platform Interface Functionalities

Therefore we envision a future where… …Social Media evolves towards a support as effective as possible for the growth and consolidation of Social Innovation worldwide. …the technologically innovative communities and the socially innovative communities collaborate towards the shared goal of more sustainable societies.

The Manifesto Highlight the aforementioned issues Our conceptual Goals Highlight the aforementioned issues Propose a research agenda Our instrumental Goals Generate research proposals Nucleate research consortia Increase support

In order to accomplish this, we will: Promote research and discussions about policies and practices that would enable valuable social innovation initiatives to acquire speed and scale comparable to those of successful businesses. Promote research and development of social media technological platforms which in their provisioning, interface design, functionalities and management are most suitable for the needs of social innovation. Promote awareness and training programs for social innovators and entrepreneurs to reinforce their management skills as well as their ability to effectively use social media to support their ventures.

A first version of the Manifesto emerged from two workshops on Social Innovation and Social Media (SISOM) held in Barcelona in July 2011. The Manifesto is promoted by a network of researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of social and technological development. Who we are:

Please follow and contact us through: Web: http://www.sites.google.com/site/sisom2011/ Twitter: #SISOM Mail: ricard.ruizdequerol@barcelonamedia.org karolin.kappler@barcelonamedia.org Use Social Media to nucleate a support group that will further develop these initiatives. Seek and obtain support for the above from socially responsible businesses as well as from socially responsible public administrations. Use Social Media widely in order to develop our cause and obtain increased support.

Social Media as a Social innovation is actually used (socially accepted) is routinised helps to better solve concrete problems diffuses into different areas of society is different from social inventions and social change The manifesto formulates requirements and options to initiate social innovation processes (empowerment / eInclusion) supported and accelerated by social media. 15

Social Media as a Social innovation The technology behind social media will change, but the social innovation will remain and will change the way of working and learning in the knowledge society. Research should focus on Organisation / management level: Professionalisation of “drivers of social initiatives” Sustainability level: how to generate sufficient speed and scale Local and regional “laboratories” for social media projects and initiatives Pedagogical approaches for learning with social media … 16

Thank you !!