Socially Adept

Can an 18 Year Old Launch a Social Network...without a Bomb Scare?

Sofia Loginova, an 18 year old from Quincy, MA launched a Social Network called B4class.com.  Right on the home page is a smiling photo of Sofia who most certainly will generate some attention of her own, but today's news focuses on a prank that may have been set up to generate a buzz about B4class. 

According to Boston.com, four suspicious backpacks were left in Newton North High School (in my town) filled with newspaper and adorned with the B4class logo.  Being as this is only a few weeks after this fiasco, you can imagine how some Bostonians reacted to this little stunt inside the school.

The interesting part of this story is that Sofia has managed to give away 2,000 of her logo'd backpacks (allowances must have gone up since I was a kid) and secured over 500 new users.  According to the article, Sofia is not using any outside marketing help and is relying on Word of Mouth to generate awareness (you're welcome, Sofia) but I have to think that this kid is getting some help from someone.

As Sofia is not a student at Newton North, I wonder who thought to leave 4 of the bags there?  Until then, she had been handing them out in Boston's Faneuil Hall.  It will be interesting to see how this story plays out, but the evacuation of an upper class high school outside of Boston should get the name B4class.com on the evening news... for everyone to hear!

Blogger Receives Death Threats!

Unreal... I am not even sure what to say about this.  Right now, every major blogger is talking about this in their blogs and on Twitter.  Check out O'Reilly, CC Chapman and Scoble.  Right now, the blogosphere isn't feeling as safe as it used to.  I sympathize with everyone who might be feeling a bit uneasy now, but encourage you to push through. 

The blogosphere is becoming more and more like a high school as it grows.  Most people look at it as a huge popularity contest and will do whatever they can to drive traffic.  However, there is no excuse for making someone feel unsafe.  This is a community and everyone needs to protect eachother.  Don't let one more person feel unsafe for sharing their thoughts.  Be civilized and welcome differing views, but save the harsh criticism and the "You Suck" comments for the playground.

Kudos to Scoble who has decided to take the week off from blogging in support of Kathy Sierra.  If we rally around our own, we can pull the mask of cowards who utilize the blogosphere to generate a feeling of power within themselves.