This is the New Media Fishbowl

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This is the New Media Fishbowl. A commenter on Mitch Joel’s blog pointed out a Facebook Application that could draw a hyperbolic map of your friends in your network and how they were related. I was stunned to see a true, graphical, and clear representation of the New Media fishbowl, the echo chamber, whatever you want to call it.

The inner ring of hyperconnection is the fishbowl. It’s new media. Everyone in the outer ring? Financial Aid Podcast community members for the most part. These are all the people that the folks in the fishbowl are NOT connecting to – and there’s a lot of them. Most are college students.

Believe it or not, I’m happy with how my map looks, because the outer ring signifies that I’m trying to reach outside the fishbowl.

What does your map look like?

Comments

19 responses to “This is the New Media Fishbowl”

August 29, 2007

Justin Kownacki

I was quite sad that I didn’t show up in this diagram… until I remembered I’m not on Facebook. *WHEW* I can keep on livin’ in the fishbowl, even if the fishbowl cain’t find me.

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August 29, 2007

Justin Kownacki

I was quite sad that I didn’t show up in this diagram… until I remembered I’m not on Facebook. *WHEW* I can keep on livin’ in the fishbowl, even if the fishbowl cain’t find me.

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August 29, 2007

Ricky Mondello

What I would give to be able to cmd (ctrl) + F the data in that diagram.

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August 29, 2007

Ricky Mondello

What I would give to be able to cmd (ctrl) + F the data in that diagram.

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August 29, 2007

Ricky Mondello

Of course, immediately after posting my last comment, I found my name. Interesting!

(Sorry for the dupe.)

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August 29, 2007

Ricky Mondello

Of course, immediately after posting my last comment, I found my name. Interesting!

(Sorry for the dupe.)

Reply
August 29, 2007

A Woven, Tangled Web at Exposay

[…] my friends would feel about that; I’ll stay on the safe side. Props to Christopher Penn for blogging about the application, where I discovered […]

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August 29, 2007

whitney

Hey Chris-
I think this app is interesting- I did the friendship wheel http://thomas-fletcher.com/facebook/friendwheel/showwheelgif.php?userid=790350175&name=Whitney%20Hoffman and through that graphic, I was interested at the nodes created by the hyperconnected, versus those that were not connected.
The different graphs give you a different feeling on how you are connected and to whom.

I would argue with you, however, that Facebook in and of itself is a fishbowl. The reaching out is done with all the folks, say, in the Philly blogging community who aren’t facebook users. Or my next door neighbor. Or the guy at the Apple Store, who never heard of PodCamp. Really cracking the fishbowl requires reaching out beyond the screen and interacting and sharing in person- and that won;t be reflective in the graph.

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August 29, 2007

whitney

Hey Chris-
I think this app is interesting- I did the friendship wheel http://thomas-fletcher.com/facebook/friendwheel/showwheelgif.php?userid=790350175&name=Whitney%20Hoffman and through that graphic, I was interested at the nodes created by the hyperconnected, versus those that were not connected.
The different graphs give you a different feeling on how you are connected and to whom.

I would argue with you, however, that Facebook in and of itself is a fishbowl. The reaching out is done with all the folks, say, in the Philly blogging community who aren’t facebook users. Or my next door neighbor. Or the guy at the Apple Store, who never heard of PodCamp. Really cracking the fishbowl requires reaching out beyond the screen and interacting and sharing in person- and that won;t be reflective in the graph.

Reply
August 29, 2007

Amber

That echo chamber is pretty echo-y.

Reply
August 29, 2007

Amber

That echo chamber is pretty echo-y.

Reply
August 29, 2007

links for 2007-08-29 « John’s musing

[…] Christopher S. Penn » Blog Archive » This is the New Media Fishbowl Very cool Facebook app that shows your friend circle by common friend connections, whats more interesting is the outer circle since that’s where I’m crossing networks (tags: community friends facebook applications) Posted by John Filed in Innovation […]

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August 30, 2007

Mike Wills

Just created mine and it looks similar to yours… but with less friends…

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August 30, 2007

Mike Wills

Just created mine and it looks similar to yours… but with less friends…

Reply
August 30, 2007

Peter O’Connell

Chris:

The outer ring, in my opinion, is one of the problems/challenges with Facebook. As an A type personality, I have no problem initiating conversations or introductions with people who I don’t know but of whom I know a possible legitimate connection might exist.

That’s how I approached Facebook. Sure I can “connect” with people I ALREADY have a connection to but what’s the point? To make the connection “stronger”? I don’t need Facebook for that. I want to meet new people with whom I don’t have a connection…the outer circle if you will.

I understand that people don’t want to be awash in strangers approaching them, but one of my sense’s of these on line communities is to be open to professional introduction…despite some mediocre attempts by Facebook to try and do that, I don’t think they do it very well.

But, that could just be me.

Best always,
– Peter

Reply
August 30, 2007

Peter O’Connell

Chris:

The outer ring, in my opinion, is one of the problems/challenges with Facebook. As an A type personality, I have no problem initiating conversations or introductions with people who I don’t know but of whom I know a possible legitimate connection might exist.

That’s how I approached Facebook. Sure I can “connect” with people I ALREADY have a connection to but what’s the point? To make the connection “stronger”? I don’t need Facebook for that. I want to meet new people with whom I don’t have a connection…the outer circle if you will.

I understand that people don’t want to be awash in strangers approaching them, but one of my sense’s of these on line communities is to be open to professional introduction…despite some mediocre attempts by Facebook to try and do that, I don’t think they do it very well.

But, that could just be me.

Best always,
– Peter

Reply
October 28, 2007

Social Top 5: PodCamp Boston & other thoughts « Gischeleman’s Blog

[…] PodCamp Boston conclusion: time to change the water in the New Media Fishbowl? […]

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February 6, 2008

Doug Haslam » Blog Archive » Social Media Top 5: PodCamp Boston edition

[…] PodCamp Boston conclusion: time to change the water in the New Media Fishbowl? […]

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March 8, 2008

Richard Mondello : A Woven, Tangled Web

[…] my friends would feel about that; I’ll stay on the safe side. Props to Christopher Penn for blogging about the application, where I discovered […]

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