New Comm Biz

Social Media will soon face the realities of multiculturalism

This story highlights the problem when decisions are based solely on two factors:

1. Can we do it? This decision is left to the engineers.
2. Does it make business sense? This is made by accountants.

Old Japanese maps on Google Earth unveil secrets by AP: Yahoo! Tech

An Internet legal expert said Google is quick to take advantage of its new technologies to expand its advertising network, but society often pays the price.

Not only does it show why these types of decisions should not be made mathematically, it also shows the problems that come because most business, Internet and even social media decisions are being made with an American point of view.

So far social media is still largely focused on the US and Western Europe. As social media is being adopted by other countries we are starting to see cultural differences but I don’t think we’ve seen the real implications yet. This is something that I try to be aware of as I work with global teams but I’m also aware that I don’t know what I don’t know.

It is inconceivable to most of us that the country of Japan still has to deal with situations like this that stem from it’s caste heritage. We expect it of China and it’s still apparent in India but I never would have suspected it of Japan.

I wonder if Google ever asked, or thought to ask someone in Japan about this first?

If you are making a decision that has monetary consequences (aka, all business decisions), it is never a neutral decision and you are never innocent of consequences.

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