The document discusses the intersection of humans and robots in digital spaces, exploring the concept of the 'digital panopticon' where online identities are fragmented and privacy is redefined. It highlights cases that illustrate the evolving nature of interaction with technology, including the use of bots and the implications for personal reputation online. The author emphasizes the need for multiple identities to support free speech while advocating for transparency and empathy in digital interactions.

1. Humans, Robots
and the Digital Panopticon
Benjamin Joffe | Plus Eight Star | PICNIC, Amsterdam, 2009.09

2. Benjamin Joffe
ベンジャミン
벤자민
本杰明

4. 4 years
1 year
4 years

5. www.plus8star.com

6. “Innovation Arbitrage”
China | Japan | Korea

7. Social Networks
Virtual Worlds
Online Games
Communities
Etc.

8. mobilemondaybeijing
the mobile professionals community

9. Social 3D Apps Team

10. Why is Asia interesting?

11. General assumption #1
Everything from USA is great

12. General assumption #2
Everything from Asia is weird
(and sometimes funny)

13. IT Infrastructure
100%
Avg. 7 Mbps
80%
Avg. 15 Mbps
60%
3G users
40% C
hi
n
20% a Avg. 4 Mbps
www.plus8star.com
0%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Internet connections measured above 5Mbps
(Source: Akamai, 4Q08)

14. Internet Mobile
1.3 billion 3.3 billion
Asia > Europe + USA
Source: Morgan Stanley, 2007

15. Digital Population
Country USA China Japan Korea
Internet users 225 mln 340 mln 100 mln 35 mln
Mobile users 260 mln 650 mln 100 mln 45 mln
Internet Total X2
Mobile X3

16. Asia can help predict
part of the future

17. Agenda
1. Two Curious Cases
2. Humans & Robots
3. The Digital Panopticon
4. What Next?

18. Two Curious Cases

19. The curious case
of Andrew Chen

20. Andrew Chen

21. Revenue: The Internet Wants to Be
Free, but You Need to Get Paid
Andrew Chen presentation

22.  Follow

23. hi! Saw you added me- thanks! What are you
working on these days? Would love to hear it,
email me Andrew_Chen@gmail.com

26. Automatic Reply!
hi! Saw you added me- thanks! What are you
working on these days? Would love to hear it,
email me Andrew_Chen@gmail.com

27. The curious case
of Thomas Crampton

28. http://www.thomascrampton.com/

29. Direct message from Thomas Crampton
When are you coming down to HK? Be great
to do another interview!

30. Direct message from Me:
Hehe sounds like a Twitter-bot ;-)
Hope to see you soon~

31. @benjaminjoffe Just accused me of being a
Twitter bot! Didn't realize I was that
predictable/boring.
6:57 PM Mar 15th from twhirl

32. Wondering whether I was mentioned by the
"real" @benjaminjoffe or his tweet bot.
3:39 PM Mar 16th from twhirl in reply to
benjaminjoffe

33. Humans & Robots

35. “On the Internet, nobody knows
you’re a dog.”
The New Yorker, 1993

36. Poker

37. “On the Internet, nobody knows
you’re a bot.”
Wired, 2005

39. “Glider is a tool that plays your
World of Warcraft character
for you, the way you want it.”

40. Games Only?

41. Single Multiple Use of Shared
account accounts Bots account

42. Shared account
Use of Bots
Whose persona?

43. Global Voices

44. “My Twitter friend for 2 years…

45. …was a Robot!”

46. Twitter AI workshop in Tokyo

47. Twitter human bot
Twitter: donsuke and ha_ma

48. HOW?

49. How?
1. Picture & name
2. Timely responses
3. Connectors (“BTW”, “indeed”, “!!”)
4. Language twists (“, you see?”)
5. Random words in structured phrases
6. (Intentional spelling mistakes)

50. Is it robots mimicking humans...?

51. …or humans being robotic?

52. Daily Conversations
• Small-talk (“Phatic” / “noise”) a%
• Repeat of daily news b%
• Repeat of previous stories c%
• Original new ideas d%

54. Call Center =
Human Interface to an AI?

58. Could we pass a Turing Test?

59. Idea #1
Identities are becoming
multiple and fragmented

60. Idea #2
Human & Robot Hybrids

61. The Digital Panopticon

62. BRAND

63. Panopticon
(Prison Concept, 1785)

64. Creates a sentiment of an
“invisible omniscience”

65. Digital Panopticon
YOU

66. Dark Age of Transparency

67. “Overreaction Man”

68. In Korea
Broadcasting Jockey goes to bed

69. True Names
(Vernor Vinge 1981)

70. Korea
Minerva: Economist Blogger arrested

71. China
“Human Flesh Search”
(人肉搜索)

72. In China: “Human Flesh Search”
(人肉搜索)
• Cruelty to animals
• Insensitivity to Sichuan Earthquake victims
• Judging a marital affair
• Corruption case
• Reckless driving

73. Invisible Killer
(无形杀)
August 2009
Who killed Yin Lan?

74. “On the Internet, everybody
knows you’re a dog.”

76. “123people.com is a free real-time
people search tool that looks into
nearly every corner of the web.”

77. Public Place?

79. Google Street View

80. Google Street View in Japan
• 2009.02 - Japan: Municipal opposition to Street View
• 2009.02 - Japan: Tokyo gov't invites Google to discuss Street View
• 2008.12 - Japan: Fukuoka Bar Association requests halt to Street View
• 2008.11 - Japan: Suginami Ward proposes removal of Street View images
• 2008.11 - Japan: Street View and the Burakumin
• 2008.10 - Machida city council requests regulation of Street View
• 2008.10 - Japan: Street View and Public Space
• 2008.10 - Japan: Google, the anti-social corporation
• 2008.09 - Japan: The true revolution of Google Street View
• 2008.09 - Japan: Street View's Missing Streets
• 2008.08 - Japan: Debate over Google Street View continues
• 2008.08 - Japan: Letter to Google about Street View

81. Privacy = Momentary Anomaly?

82. What is your country’s definition
of a Public Place?

83. Idea #1
Online reputation
is the currency of the decade

84. Idea #2
“Privacy” is being constantly redefined

85. Idea #3
Be part of the process
(since you’re involved anyway)

86. What’s Next?

87. Hope #1
Multiple identities
will support free speech
(not only real-name)

88. Hope #2
Transparency can bring Empathy
(we’re all humans, after all)

89. Contacts
www.plus8star.com
benjamin@plus8star.com
+81 | Japan
benjamin0123 +82 | Korea
http://twitter.com/plus8star +86 | China
Telecom & Internet
www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminjoffe
+ Added Value
www.slideshare.net/plus8star * High quality