Last week, I had a terrific conversation with Brian Pittman, director of content for Bulldog Reporter and Bulldog Reporter’s PR University.
We spent an hour discussing digital immigrants, mindset shifting in PR practice, challenges for communicators with social media, what’s on the horizon, and a lot more.
Brian’s posted that conversation as an interview: Are You a Digital Immigrant? Social Media Guru Hobson Tackles PR "Viral Video" Push, Dishes Tips for Tapping New Tech.
A bit of a mouthful of a title, but Brian’s done a good job with putting the feature together.
Hope you find it interesting.
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For some reason I’ve come to despise the phrases, “digital immigrant” and “digital native”. To me they’re all about separation and division. As if you can determine a person’s tech competency based on their age.
I’m 38 and didn’t grow up with a Playstation Portable in one hand and a T-mobile sidekick in the other. Am I an immigrant? And who are the natives?
What’s the benefit of separating people into these two categories? Who draws the line? Can someone convert themselves from immigrant to native? Would love to know your thoughts on that Neville.
As an aside, that link is one of the ugliest and most ornery URLs I’ve ever seen. And it throws a SQL Server (SQL Server?!?!) error.
Just commented on Neville Hobson’s latest blog post. http://tinyurl.com/2k4ex3
I don’t mind those phrases, Rob, trite though they can seem.
I don’t see it as being about separation and division. They are useful labels to convey a point that I think does reflect some reality: many people who remember life before the DVD (if not the VCR) aren’t as accepting about some of the latest technologies and different social behaviours, especially those different behaviours that are making it into the workplace.
Neither is it about immigrants converting into natives (an impossibility, I reckon). What it is about is people of whichever label simply being willing to consider the changes around them and how to contribute to broader understanding of those changes. Open minds, really.
As for that URL, I agree – what a painful one!
A thoughtful reply as alway Neville. We need to be careful that the distinctions we’re speaking of don’t lead to unconscious discrimination against older (or younger people) based on pre-supposed digital savvy or lack thereof.
I’m sure there are lots of interesting opinions on this issue. Maybe a good discussion topic for FIR?
I checked the link again this morning and it is still giving an error. I also tried using their site search on the title of the interview and it yielded no results.
A bit of a mouthful – leading to a bit of a broken link…
It’s a good read: found it at
http://tinyurl.com/2jmu4u
Thanks Richard. I’ve edited the URL to a tiny URL as the full URL goes right over to the right to the edge of the screen. Actually, off the screen.
Boy, what a PITA!
And the link is now working.
Rob, it is a good discussion topic for FIR. So on the to-do list.
May I be the first to congratulate you on the well-deserved professorship bestowed upon you by Richard Bailey (http://prstudies.typepad.com/weblog/2008/02/some-readings-f.html).
I saw Richard’s post and that reference. I assumed he was taking the piss.
But thanks for the congrats, Philip