The document discusses the need for a mobile social networking site in India to address social networking issues such as lack of accessibility for non-English speakers and poor feedback mechanisms. It proposes a solution where individuals are incentivized to help connect job seekers with employers, primarily focusing on the informal job market. The initiative highlights the importance of SMS and localized content to cater to the diverse demographic in India.

1. Or why India really does need another mobile social web site. Bangalore BarCamp4 Mobile Collective

2. Outline

3. The social networking problems today

4. The social networking problems today Too many people see too much

8. The social networking problems today Too many people see too much The feedback loop on blogs sucks

9. If no comments or trackbacks, did anyone read anything?

10. The social networking problems today Too many people see too much The feedback loop on blogs sucks Little sense of real places

13. The social networking problems today Too many people see too much The feedback loop on blogs sucks Little sense of real places SN’s are largely for rich, English-speaking people

14. Who’s in Kannada? Even Hindi?

15. The social networking problems today Too many people see too much The feedback loop on blogs sucks Little sense of real places SN’s are largely for rich, English-speaking people Mobile users are largely ignored

16. The Indian numbers 2.52 mil broadband 9.27 mil total Net connections at Rs 200/month Mobile 185.13 mil subscribers GSM Rs 298, CDMA Rs 202 (prepaid Rs 168) SMSs for prepaid CDMA: 21/month Source: TRAI, March 2007, June 2007

17. Indian numbers con’t .25% has broadband on a PC 4-7% via shared/work connection 18% of country has a mobile 3% on mobile Internet (maybe) virtually all 18% on SMS Hence, SMS

18. The social networking problems today Too many people see too much The feedback loop on blogs sucks Little sense of real places SN’s are largely for rich, English-speaking people Mobile users are largely ignored Nobody’s paying you to use them. (See next talk)

19. And thus

70. SMS Philosophy Session/Dialog based Menu system with timeouts Full support for status, blogs, scraps, mail, invite Soon Notify when sent directly to you (Not twitter nor group messages) Moving to local numbers

71. Recap Too many people see too much The feedback loop on blogs sucks Little sense of real places SN’s are largely for rich, English-speaking people Mobile users are largely ignored Problems:

72. + all the normal stuff Photos Videos Comments Blogs Scraps Status About you, etc.

73. But wait…

74. But wait… Rs. ???

76. Why we started How do people fall into poverty? Health calamity How do people escape poverty? Income diversification aka other jobs How do the poor get other jobs? They know someone. MSR India Research

77. Driver tells Employer and Employer hires cook. The Driver asks his friend if she knows any cooks. His friend knows a cook and tells the driver. Employer needs a cook and asks her driver Many jobs are found through word of mouth.

78. Other job sites help high end workers – even connect to social networks

79. But wait: Poor people in India don’t use computers And most don’t have phones

80. Our solution: Pay people to help others find jobs.

81. How we do it:

88. ...languages spoken, gender, religion and eating habits, such as veg or non-veg.

89. Why maps? Everyone wants to work near their home

98. Employer Payment example 1: Employee Connector Mentor

99. Driver tells Employer and Employer hires cook. The Driver asks his friend if she knows any cooks. His friend knows a cook and tells the driver. Employer needs a cook and asks her driver Previous example

100. Employer Payment example 2: 2 hops Employee Connector Connector Mentor Foo NGO

101. Employers pay Rs 700 Search our list and/or post a job When they hire, we pay Rs 100 to: Up to 2 connecting people between employer & employee The mentor The employer (for telling us who they hired)

102. Beta launches today Private invite only (except for BarCamp) Bangalore only Future: Does the model work? Leverage Facebook as a platform? Widgets? More cities Status + Future

103. Where you come in

112. Summary Informal sector jobs (for now) Maps Mentors paid to help others Who sees and reads your blog Video, photos + great SMS Job connectors paid Hire through your friends and neighbors The mobile social network for India

113. Questions