Gregory Ferenstein | Idea Labs

Some Web Giants Thrive by Cooperating

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:00:17 +0000

A investigative piece about the cooperative mentality of the web’s most successful companies. Read more at the Washington Post.

[Image: Flickr user Dakiny]

How web journalism can make people seem hateful

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:19:29 +0000

A post about how the Internet magnifies the psychological tendencies of people to ignore and truth and spread the most extreme interpretations of facts.

How Mobile Technology is a Game Changer for Developing Africa

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:16:11 +0000

Texting isn’t just for late night convos and killing boredom. Short bursts of instant communication are connecting some isolated African communities to vital information.

Because of widespread poverty in Africa, the technology culture there has followed a different path than the West. Because computers are so expensive, affordable mobile phones have become the ubiquitous form of communication. Between 2003 and 2008, Africa had the fastest growing mobile phone market in the world. On average, more than one-third of the African population has a mobile plan, with some areas reaching almost two-thirds market penetration.

Why the web benefits liberals more than conservatives

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:01:18 +0000

From the micro-donation platform first popularized by Howard Dean in 2003 to the million-strong Barack Obama Facebook page to the huge audience of the Huffington Post, liberals have been the dominant political force on the internet since the digital revolution began.

How the U.S. Engages the World with Social Media

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:18:01 +0000

The perception of the U.S. abroad varies widely, and is subject to many forces, including world events, media coverage, policy changes, and presidential administrations. In response, the U.S. State Department, America’s public relations branch, has been charged with the difficult task of engaging in the dialogue surrounding the controversial policies discussed in almost every corner of the world.

Michael Moore ignores capitalism’s blessings

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:05:48 +0000

Though Michael Moore seems to have missed it, in the past 10 years corporations have made enormous strides in promoting workplace democracy, patent-free innovation, and the financial independence of women in developing nations.

The iPhone vs. The Business Card

admin — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:13:01 +0000

Ditch your business card; it’s bad for business and the environment. With Gmail and my iPhone, every meeting follow up is personalized, conveniently archived, and facilitates networking. The experience of being cardless has turned me into a digital evangelist.