The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains
by Nicholas Carr
384 pages. Atlantic Books; 2010.

The rise of the information age, as represented by the Internet, is often lauded as helping us become smarter. Whether you’re looking to become smarter academically, save time and money, or just access more information and what’s happening in the world around you, the internet is posited as an answer to a long-standing problem: how to become a better version of yourself using the least amount of energy. Or, in our increasingly information-saturated world, how to become better in the shortest amount of time.

It is this assumption that Carr questions in this rather renowned critique of the web (it was, after all, a finalist for 2011′s Pultizer and PEN Center prizes and translated into over 20 languages). Carr tracks the rise of the internet most notably, and unsurprisingly, through Google and Facebook. Unlike our surface scanning of these everyday internet tools, however, Carr tracks their popularity from the inside: what the motives of these companies initially were, and how they have changed and adapted to our cultural and psychological tendencies over time. Writing in the style of a confidante (using rhetorical questions and a sense of divulging a secret), Carr asserts that the internet is indeed informing us, but in a most unhelpful way. Simply put, the information age is raising idiots under the guise of informing them.

But how does Carr assert such a blasphemous statement in our age of net adoration? He starts from the beginning, the now almost unimaginable age: the age without the net. In this pre-computerized age, most information was gleaned from books. To glean information from books, one first has to learn to skim-read, but skim-read in a contextual manner; to find the piece of information we want, we first must be looking for it and second will find related information around it to give that information context. As such, to read books is to read in depth. It is this characteristic of books, Carr claims, that engenders inspiration and thought: we have enough time, quiet, and context with which to think of new ideas. Better still, because these ideas are generated in a calm atmosphere and in context, they are well thought out: they make sense. This leads Carr to attribute many of our most inspired philosophy and invention to this age of reading in depth, when we could devote time to critical study.

The invention of the net was successful, Carr claims, because it caters to our biological tendencies rather than our rational ones. Through books, we trained ourselves to become more rationally calm and immersed in the subject. The internet, however, is attractive to our sense of play: our love of distraction. Pop-ups and links saturate our every sight as we scan numerous pieces of information: advertising, gaming, and increasingly material that might appeal to us based on past searches. We click, click, click: but not for any rational thought out reason. It is more for our love of distraction than information that we become addicted to sites like Facebook. They offer us the paradox of the information age: being informed about things of little or no significance. Yet because of our biological tendencies, which seek for opportunity and threat, we feel that to not have access to that information is to be out of the loop, forgotten. Carr’s explanation of our strengthening ties to the net is well-supported, well-thought out, despite his confession to the same addiction. It is easier to agree with his argument not only because it makes sense, but also because he writes as a comrade rather than a condemner, a downfall of many past net critics. Plus, it is very easy to read.

The above arguments fold nicely into Carr’s main claim: that the Internet is actually making us dumber. Pairing an information overload (which paradoxically provides us with too much information for our comprehension) with the billion-dollar business that has for many years been distraction, the Internet is for many just another example of fool’s gold: waste posing as wisdom. An information overload means there is no one to edit the information provided: the net holds too much junk. The net’s distraction attraction stops us from being able to read in depth, thus curbing inspired ideas that might otherwise have flourished. All of the net’s smoke and mirrors act as actors in a typical fable setting, with Google the arch-enemy who profits from the peasants click by click.

An elegantly evidenced tale, one believes Carr, but in a hopeless, defeated sense. We can escape the web for a few days, but in a world where knowledge and power are intimately intertwined with being aware of all that happens, the net holds the key to success in more ways than one. This book is a must for those interested in how their own brain patterns develop, but it is a far cry from being a self-help book or a key to increased brainpower. It’s a great argument; more’s the pity for the solution.

Danielle Whitburn is a PR and events co-ordinator for an advertising agency in Auckland, New Zealand. She regularly blogs, reviews and covers events for newspapers across the region. Find her on Twitter and read her blog.

If you’re interested in writing a book or film review for Behind the Spin, get it touch with the section editor Clare Callery via email: cs.callery @ gmail.com (no spaces)

If you’re a student, the chances are you can scarcely imagine a world without Google. You’ll have to ask your parents about fax machines, about when news was received in print and a time when phones were used only for voice conversations.

John Naughton’s new book is an attempt to relate ‘what you really need to know about the internet.’ So it should be useful for students who may lack perspective (‘the strange thing about living through a revolution is that it’s very difficult to see what’s going on’) – and for parents and employers who are bemused and wonder if it’s really such a big deal.

The author is a good guide to the subject: he’s a Professor of the Public Understanding of Technology and an Observer newspaper columnist. The book is written in a popular and non-academic style (though it’s brim-full of ideas and it cites many other thinkers).

Naughton the university lecturer makes good use of metaphors to explain key points. Using a railway analogy, he describes the internet as ‘the tracks and signalling technology of the system’ and web pages as just one of many kinds of traffic that can run on this infrastructure (some others being email, file downloads, instant messages and voice conversations).

Naughton the scientist challenges Naughton the journalist over the meaning of ‘media’. In biology, media are used to cultivate living organisms. So there’s something more essential to life here than just a means to transmit messages. This introduces us to one of the author’s favourite concepts, the media ecosystem.

This approach, borrowed from McLuhan, shows why bloggers can coexist alongside journalists – and why one does not mean the end of the other. ‘One of the laws of communications technology is that new media are generally additive rather than substitutive, which is a fancy way of saying that new technologies generally don’t wipe out older ones… New media don’t wipe out old media. But their arrival does change the ecosystem.’

Living with complexity

‘My hunch’ writes Naughton ‘is that over the next decade, the Internet will move to become the dominant ‘species’ in our ecosystem.’

It’s an increasingly complex ecosystem, in which the whole is more than the sum of the parts (a process described as ‘emergence’). ‘Anyone who seeks to understand the Net has to realize that disruption is a feature of the system, not a bug, so we need to accept that complexity is something we have to live with. It’s not a temporary aberration, but the new reality. And it’s likely to increase.’

The author then suggests what this means for public relations practitioners and business managers:

‘Organizations which seek stable equilibrium relationships with an environment which is inherently unpredictable are heading for failure’. Success will require ‘openness to change, accidence, coincidence, serendipity.’

In another important section, Naughton deals with the tension between of copyright law and creativity. ‘[Common sense] should revolt at the idea that doctrines about copyright that were shaped in a pre-Internet age should apply to a post-Internet one’.

In general, it’s an enlightening and positive read. ‘We need to rise above the optimist-pessimist, Utopian-dystopian dichotomies that characterize our current discussions about the Internet,’ he argues. ‘Like electricity, the networked information environment is here to stay.’

I’m struggling to find fault with this brilliant and readable book, but noticed that US academic Yochai Benckler was variously introduced as a ‘legal scholar’ and a ‘network scholar’. I also question the capitalising of internet and web in such an accessible book. Surely the use of lower case better proves the point that they are now established fixtures in our lives and our vocabulary?

The Facebook Effect

Facebook is a tool used by millions and probably soon, billions. While there are many users, not many people know the true story of the social giant, how and why it came to be, or how Facebook became the one social network to rule them all and not go the way of so many others.

Now, you may think recent blockbuster, The Social Network, answered that question for many users. But while the movie gets the basic timeline of events and some facts correct, it does focus largely on the court cases that have little to do with Facebook’s evolution. Not to mention a Hollywood storyline.

The Facebook Effect is not what the movie was based on (for that you need to read The Accidental Billionaires) but is a true version of events, or at least as true as we can hope for until Zuckerberg writes his own book. The book is by David Kirkpatrick, who regularly met Mark Zuckerberg from the very beginnings of Facebook as part of his work for Fortune magazine. In order to get a truthful picture of events, Kirkpatrick interviewed numerous Facebook employees, both top-level staff and the code monkeys, mostly without PR supervision. Even when there was a PRO in the room, Kirkpatrick states Facebook employees were encourage to answer all questions; Facebook also neither requested nor received any rights of approval.

So what does this seemingly unbiased book, featuring interviews with Mark Zuckerberg, Sean Parker, Chris Hughes, Dustin Moskovitz and plenty more, tell us about the evolution of Facebook? Which of these are useful to us in PR and business?

Hacks and projects

Of course the book starts at the beginning, where we meet a young Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard University. It does not take long to realize Mark Zuckerberg was a bit of a geek; dragging a whiteboard into your university dorm room would be a rare site at most British Universities.

We also find out much of what The Social Network showed us was true. Yes, Zuckerberg blogged about a girl, yes he live-blogged whilst creating Facemash, and yes he was brought to the disciplinary Administrative Board for this little project. But we also find out that Zuckerberg had many projects, around 12 in his first year. This also plays down the significance of claims from the Winklevoss twins that Facebook was their idea, stolen by Zuckerberg in the creation of Facebook.

Companies and CEOs

While the beginnings are interesting, and great to learn from, the lessons are much of the same as with the operating software of Apple and Microsoft; the window of opportunity to create the world’s greatest social network has passed. However, the book can give you the drive to run with your dreams and passions. The next chapter on Facebook is how the company developed, and this is useful to any PR student wishing to reach the top one-day.

Anyone who has watched Mark Zuckerberg talk at events, or perform that awkward skit on Saturday Night Live, will notice that he is not a born CEO. What is promising is that you can learn the skills needed, just like he has been forced to do, and the challenges you will one day face have challenged the brightest men of our time in just the same way. Learning that Zuckerberg would sometime faint, or once broke down in tears is a sobering reminder that we can relate to people we admire, and there are always challenges in the road ahead.

Money and growth

Facebook wanted to avoid becoming Friendster. This was the social network during the time Zuckerberg created Facebook, but due to inadequate servers, the service experienced numerous blackouts and failed to remain successful. Zuckerberg, with the financial help of Eduardo Saverin, made sure there were always enough servers to handle 10 times the number of users actually on Facebook (which is very over the top considering Facebook was invitation only at this time).

Start-ups are thriving in the current climate, a strange thought, but everyone wants a piece of the social media pie and angel investors are everywhere. Qwiki is performing excellently with the investment of Eduardo Saverin. Quora also experienced massive growth over the holidays, a social network created by ex-Facebook top engineers Adam D’Angelo and Charlie Cheever.

Start-ups need to use PR just like any other company (and in a more cost-efficient and effective manner), so understanding how a start up works can help you understand what type of company you will be working for, and the challenges that both it and its employees face in becoming a recognised force.

The Facebook Effect is not just an interesting read for those with a passion for social media, it also provides us with valuable lessons in how companies grow, how individuals can take on challenges in order to be successful, and ultimately how being focused, passionate and doing something you love can be so good you would turn down a million dollar offer from Microsoft while just in your early twenties. I’d have taken the money – then regretted it.

David Clare works at 33 Digital and also edits the PR and Social Media section of Behind the Spin. You can catch up with him on Twitter.

If you’re interested in writing a book or film review for Behind the Spin, get it touch with the section editor Clare Callery via email: cs.callery @ gmail.com (no spaces)

Introducing Public Relations: Theory and Practice has been primarily written for first year PR undergraduates and those who may be considering PR as a future career.

This book reads very “current” with its tone and the way of writing.  Butterick links his points to current affairs and employs many examples to ensure the readers have a better understanding of the topics from which they can easily relate to.

The author has managed to capture readers’ attentions by using simple and straightforward language in the book and has successfully explained the theories without using industry jargon.

The book splits into two parts; Part One consists of theories and histories and Part Two gives readers insights into PR practices.  In Part One, Butterick covers the theories and various PR models to give a good general understanding and knowledge to the readers.  He questions the role of publicity and whether PR is about reputation management.

However, as a book published in 2011, Butterick does not cover the social media side of things in any depth although he did touch on the subject on a few occasions by acknowledging the importance of social media and how the industry is shifting rapidly towards it.

Like many other books, it consists of PR practitioners’ interviews to give readers a view of the life working in the PR industry rather than the glamorised image that has been portrayed in films and television.

Part Two of the book will most likely answer any of the concerns students may have and most will find something of interest.  Butterick gives real life insights into PR as a profession and as a job.  The book includes diaries of various PR practitioners to give readers an overview of what practitioners do every day when they are in the office.  Butterick explores the differences between the roles of in-house, consultancy and third sector PR.  The book has also managed to highlight the importance of each role, questioning the common perception that working for consultancies is more challenging than working in-house or for charities.

Butterick acknowledges the controversies surrounding the PR industry; the public do not trust PR, PR never tells the truth, PR is all about image and many other off-putting comments.  He openly discusses the negativity by exploring and explaining why people see PR as it is.  By doing this he has allowed the readers, especially those new to PR, to understand these debates.

Butterick does not give the usual “spin” on the industry or the profession as something that can and will earn you lots of money. He tells it as it is – long working hours, high pressure, people leaving the industry after a short few years.

The book ends nicely with a chapter, “Where PR (and you) can go next”, giving useful advice and tips to students on what to do in the industry and what should they be aiming to do during the rest of their time at university.

To summarise, Introducing Public Relations: Theory and Practice is a good introductory book.  However, further reading is required to gain a wider perspective on PR from different authors.

Chloe Berry is a PR student at Leeds Metropolitan University who is on work experience with Brass. You can catch up with her tweets.

If you’re interesting in writing a book or film review for Behind the Spin, get it touch with the section editor Clare Callery via email: cs.callery @ gmail.com (no spaces)

The Selfish Gene: The Immortal Replicator

Reading Dawkins has been on my agenda for far too long. I subscribe to his RSS feeds and both respect and agree with his views on a range of issues, so reading his work always appealed to me, yet I’ve never quite got round to it.

Biting the bullet, I headed over to Amazon and ordered both ‘The Selfish Gene’, celebrated for bringing the complex theories of evolution and natural selection to the mass audience, and ‘The God Delusion’, possibly one of the most controversial books of my lifetime. It was hard choosing which of these classics would be my first taste of what Dawkins has to offer, but in the end I decided upon his earlier international bestseller, The Selfish Gene. I feel that in this case reading chronologically, both in terms of writing and publication, will be the most fulfilling way to experience the two books and appreciate his work. I also have a feeling that the more books Dawkins published, the more passionately he began to feel about religion. So to best understand The God Delusion, I should first be well versed in the science and reasoning behind his view point.

Dawkins is famed as both a scientist and for his fight against religion, so I sensed that both of these aspects would come into focus during The Selfish Gene. I was not disappointed. I should start by saying that I have have an educational background in science, having studied both Biology and Chemistry to A-Level and commencing a Clinical Science degree before finally falling into PR. I would also consider myself an atheist, hence why Dawkins and his opinions resonate with me. However, I will try not to let my own opinions interfere with my review.

Dawkins makes it clear from the offset that unlike many other books that explain and discuss evolution, The Selfish Gene is told almost entirely from a genetic point of view. That is, the gene is described as if having its own agenda, opinions and actions.

He is quick to add that this is just to help understand why genes behave the way they do, and that of course genes are not sentient, tiny individuals. But in writing the book from a ‘gene’s-eye-view’ alongside clear explanations and understandable language, the complex world of genetics and physiology is unravelled to the reader in much the same way an accomplished teacher does in a classroom.

Dawkins even explains in his preface that there were three imaginary readers stood over his shoulder whilst he penned The Selfish Gene; the layman, for whom too much technical jargon was avoided, the expert, ever critical and well versed on the theories discussed, and the student, making the transition between the two and looking for educational value.

That said, for someone without any background knowledge of evolution or without prior study of biology, reading The Selfish Gene would undoubtedly be a struggle. There were topics brushed over in half a paragraph that took me two weeks worth of Year 13 biology lessons to fully understand. Some mechanisms, such as the ‘crossing-over’ of genes, are very hard to teach without the reader having chance to ask questions when confused.

However, the book doesn’t aim to give you a biology qualification. Not understanding one small section or biological process does not deter the reader from grasping the real message the book is trying to get across, nor will it stop the reader from enhancing their prior knowledge of just what evolution is and how it affects us, both on a personal and genetic level.

The gene is introduced as a would-be villain of the piece, selfish and ruthless, out to satisfy its own agenda and ensure its continuation throughout generations. In fact, as multicellular organisms, we are nothing more than the perfect carriers for the gene, protecting it, replicating it and ensuring we live long enough for it to continue in its quest for immortality.

As carriers for such an entity, we as individuals are therefore also doomed to selfish behaviour and it would seem there is no escaping the cycle. However, as Dawkins explains, even our genes have to compromise and display a little altruism every now and again to ensure their own survival and so we see animals exhibiting the same behaviour. A mother going to extraordinary lengths to protect her young, a lioness in a close-knit pack caring for her nieces and nephews the same way she would her own, as in the long term this best safeguards her genes.

Dawkins goes into great detail, giving a wonderful array of examples of how the behaviour of animals is a direct result of guaranteeing the continuation of the genes they possess (the idea that the queen bee is actually at the mercy of workers in a hive ensuring their own genes’ survival was an illustration I particularly enjoyed). The reader will find themselves looking at their surroundings in a whole new way; when watching something as simple as a bird outside, they now have an understanding of why they act the way they do and the numerous split-second decisions that keep a wild animal alive long enough to reproduce are much more understandable under Dawkins’ guidance.

And so Dawkins guides us through natural selection, the survival of the fittest and how this eventually leads onto evolution on a micro, and subsequently macro, scale. The Evolutionally Stable Strategy (ESS) is a theory I had never heard of before, but gives scientists a way to predict which species stand the best chance of survival based on a range of characteristics, including selfish and altruistic behaviour.

The ‘Prisoner’s Dilemma’ is a particularly interesting example of viewing the selfish vs. altruistic behaviour can can be used in gambling where money is involved; cooperating allows a pay off for two individuals, yet when presented with the option to ‘steal’, we are far to tempted to be selfish even if it means leaving with nothing. It is another revelation that will make the reader look twice at the world around them and sit up and take notice of the battles between species that occur before stability is achieved and which species thrive in any given environment.

Overall I would recommend ‘The Selfish Gene’ to anyone with an interest in science or in understanding human and animal behaviour. Dawkins’ could be described as the ‘Brian Cox’ of the evolutionary world (though I know he is just an interesting on the screen) in that his passion for his subject is so infectious it almost jumps right out the page. The book ignited an appetite for science and learning that I wish had been there whilst I was still studying the subject at sixth-form. I would definitely endorse it to any 16-17-year-olds feeling uninterested and disillusioned during their AS and A-levels (as I know I was).

Though some who finish the book are left feeling empty or distressed at the bleak theories behind our behaviour, I found reading the book a rewarding experience, both in understanding living creatures and the complexity and wonder that is evolution. Though sometimes a challenging read, there is a reason why this book is often on the lists of ‘books you should have read’ and well worth reaching Dawkins’ uplifting addendum on the very last page, which I won’t spoil for you…

Clare Callery is the editor of the books and film section of Behind the Spin.

You can read her blog, catch up with her on Twitter or contact her at cs.callery at gmail.com if you are interesting in submitting a review.

Image attributions
Richard Dawkins profile – Shane Lin
DNA sequence – John Goode
Lion pride – John Tolva

Alone Together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other

Clinical psychologist and professor of social studies of science and technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sherry Turkle, (MIT) is an influential thinker. Her role at MIT isn’t to question what technology is doing for us but to instead question what technology is doing to us. Alone Together is the result of Turkle’s 15 year exploration into how the digital landscape is shaping us and is her most recent book to date, having been published this year.

The book has been written in two parts; the area of robotics and how we are being shaped by technology. Alone Together is extremely well written. The turning of each page clearly follows the train of the author’s thoughts and due to this, reading through all 297 pages was a pleasure. Throughout the book at least one profound thought exists on each page which makes for an intense amount of questions to arise. Fortunately, many of the answers I had created in my mind were quickly made clearer or shown to be incorrect through Sherry Turkle’s explanation of concepts, situations and behaviours.

Sherry Turkle begins the book by discussing how children interact with various robotic toys, going particularly in depth with regards to the Furby (a toy I proudly owned as a child). It was fascinating to read her experiences of sociological case studies concerning how she has witnessed children interacting with this robotic toy. Asking fundamental questions to children inquiring could their Furby be alive and witnessing the emotional attachment many children had with their toy. A characteristic she likens to the way humans become attached to their pets.

Certainly largely a book of opinion, one can’t help but feel an absolute truth joined by an certain irony when Alone Together by Sherry Turkle is read on the train to London. To take a snippet of thought from Turkle’s writing, when people are alone they feel most connected. An obvious example of this is through the use of smartphones, perfectly demonstrated when commuting to London each day. It is as if the world has taken your parents’ advice ‘Remember darling, don’t speak to strangers’, a little bit too seriously. When alone you have time to connect with your smartphone, time to review the host of social options (this includes texts and phone calls) your device features.

Turkle explores two questions; are we really connecting and what affect does this have on our social behaviour?

The basic premise of behaviour that encompasses the entirety of part two is the unquestioning need to be connected and the element of being interrupted, which accompanies this social trait. Case studies include teenagers revealing how they check Facebook notifications whilst driving, the strain of a young boy who feels burdened by the amount of mobile text messages he receives and underlying all of this the suggestion that leading a digitally connected life is usually coupled by an emotionally disconnected social life.

Within Alone Together, an emotional social disconnection is exampled through text messaging and Instant Messaging software (IM). At the heart of this concept is the word ‘attention’, an information overload to a single user will mean various social updates will be placed into a competitive situation. Quite unlike the beauty of a phone call which demands attention to one individual and emotion to be shared.

Beyond the need of having a sort of detached social life is the other peculiar trait which Turkle explores, the fact that some people feel the need to lead a completely separate virtual life. A life in which they can shape their ideal character and career profile. The two games which are explored is Second Life and The Sims Online (ended in 2008), both social simulation games which allows the player to lead the life they want. As with online simulations they demand the player to project their profile into the virtual character, occasionally with linked consequences in the real world. Such behaviour is often found in social networking as well, building online social networking profiles which you can shape to appear the person you want to be perceived as.

Alone Together is a book perfectly crafted to reflect my feeling on the matter of the digital age many ‘generation Y’ students have found ourselves born into. For the last 16 year of my life (now 21, I first used a computer when 5-years-old) I have been plugged into the internet. No greater need to connect socially has come than in the form of Facebook. A network which demands our attention, a company which owns our social life and a network I could no longer find myself comfortable to be on. In my spare time I was always alone together, now I occasionally just want to be alone – so I left Facebook after having been on the network since April 2007. That was 2 months ago and I have no regrets. Have you ever imagined what life was like before the interruptions of social media? Well, I’m beginning to find out.

If you are tired of the constant appraisal of social media and other online technologies, wish to find an intelligent view, then read Sherry Turkle’s book. It is loaded with information to help find that alternative view for an essay or dissertation, more importantly it may help you reflect on your own online behaviour. I will most certainly catch up with Sherry Turkle’s past books after my experience of Alone Together.

Alone together was reviewed by Michael White, a PR student at the University of Gloucestershire who is on placement at Microsoft. He regularly blogs and tweets.

If you’re interesting in writing a book or film review for Behind the Spin, get it touch with the section editor Clare Callery via email: cs.callery @ gmail.com (no spaces)

The Net Delusion: How Not to Liberate the World
By Evgeny Morozov
432 page, PublicAffairs, 2011

How not to liberate the world…

Since the Twitter Revolution of Iran in 2009 and the more recent social media fuelled overhaul of the Egyptian government, it would be easy to assume that the world is hurtling towards a democratised Utopia, in which peace, equality and justice are omnipresent. In The Net Delusion, Morozov produces a surgically argued and wonderfully eloquent account of why this may not be the case, insisting that such blissful naiveties could have pernicious ramifications.

Morozov coins the term ‘cyber-utopian’ to describe the West’s inflated sense of self-righteousness towards the power of the internet. The idea that this phenomenon will break the shackles of populations oppressed by totalitarian regimes, helping forge a new-age world that is rife with democracy is immediately dismissed by Morozov. Instead he cites the 2009 ‘Twitter Revolution’ in Iran. “Let the people tweet and they will tweet their way to freedom.” Morozov thinks not, rather, conversely, he focuses on the empowerment the Iranian government experienced courtesy of the internet. In essence, the very tool that people were using to try and liberate themselves was now being used by the government to achieve the opposite. The deployment by the Iranian government of a twelve-man cybercrime team tasked with ridding Iran of those spreading “insults and lies” on websites was initiated. Those spreading this information were quickly hunted down and arrested. The team would trawl through social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube, seeking the faces of those involved in protests, and there was no shortage thanks to the ubiquity of social media. Iranian news service Raja News published photos of the accused and demanded public cooperation in the detaining of them. The Iran Defence Ministry sent out a charming text message to all Iranians with a phone:

“Dear citizen, according to received information, you have been influenced by the destabilizing propaganda which the media affiliated with foreign countries have been disseminating. In case of any illegal action and contact with the foreign media, you will be charged as a criminal consistent with the Islamic Punishment Act and dealt with by the Judiciary.”

So the premise is that the internet can just as easily be used to control publics as publics can use it to find freedom. And if the internet is such a powerful Trojan horse for freedom it is oppressive regimes such as that of Iran or China should fear such a force. Quite the contrary, it would appear.

The Net Delusion paints an ominous picture for the future of global democracy, one that’s perpetuated by gross naivety displayed by elite Western figures who should know better. Morozov cites Gordon Brown, at the time Prime Minister of the UK, and the “ridiculous conclusions” he drew from the events in Iran:

“You cannot have Rwanda again because information would come out far more quickly about what is actually going on and the public opinion would grow to a point where action would need to be taken”

“On that logic”, Morozov sarcastically retorts, “the millions who poured into the streets of London, New York, Rome and other cities… to protest the impending onset of the Iraq war made one silly mistake; they didn’t blog enough about it. That would have definitely prevented the bloodbath.” Ouch!

Morozov’s polemical prose must be commended for its originality. In a sea of social media and internet literature that promises the enlightened age of democracy, it would have been easy to jump on the bandwagon. Morozov is a rare breed in this field, one of the few that believes the hype surrounding the internet and the perceived positive impact it imparts on a global scale is unwarranted, misguided and, simply put, a delusion. Whether or not one agrees, The Net Delusion takes a refreshing stance on a surprisingly ambiguous and underestimated issue, one that we’ll ignore at our peril.

The Net Delusion is a brilliant read, full of insight, controversy (he thinks us students are ‘depoliticised’) and thought-provoking ideas. Whatever your opinion, Morozov produces reams of evidence to support his conjectures (his bibliography runs to 70 pages alone) and has written a book that will see him marked as one of the most influential authorities on the subject.

The Net Delusion was reviewed by Toby Margetts, a final year PR student at the University of Gloucestershire who regularly tweets.

If you’re interesting in writing a book or film review for Behind the Spin, get it touch with the section editor Clare Callery via email: cs.callery @ gmail.com (no spaces)

The content of this new textbook is very informative whilst being easy for students to understand. This makes the book worthwhile to read if you are a marketing professional, a PR professional or a university student.

The authors are all highly experienced in the fields of marketing, communications and PR. Maria Hopwood, a senior lecturer in public relations at Leeds Metropolitan University, is also an editorial board member of Public Relations Review and the International Journal of Sport Communication.

Paul Kitchin lectures in Sport Management at the University of Ulster, whilst also working as deputy editor for the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship and serving on the editorial board for the International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing.

James Skinner is an Associate Professor in Sport Management at Griffith University in Australia. He publishes in leading sport management journals and along with his co-authors is a member of the editorial board for the International Journal of Sport Communication.

The book and its content have been carefully written to illustrate the changing world that of sport public relations. Some key themes that are apparent just from the contents page are the depth that the book goes into, for example the role of PR in sport is shown from the fans, the club and the players perspective.

The book is written from an international viewpoint. Some key international case studies that I found were useful and relevant to the modern day are the case study looking at a social media experiment involving the NFL franchise, Indianapolis Colts. This case study explores the benefits of using Web 2.0. Another interesting case study looks at a PR crises over the years within American sport, the study picks out three major crises:

1. The positive testing of anabolic steroids by a Major League Baseball player
2. Kobe Bryant’s rape allegations
3. Ray Lewis’s murder allegations

This case study looks at the techniques used to calm the media storm following these crises. The book is very up to date surrounding newer technologies. Along with the recent technology trends, the book also looks at recent scandals and issues such as the recent problems in international cricket.

‘Sport Public Relations and Communication’ is a fresh and relevant take on the role of PR and communication within contemporary sport. This book provides a wealth of in-depth examples from a variety of sporting nations.

The book draws on a wide variety of sources, some coming from Dr Jacquie L’Etang at the University of Stirling and Professor David Shilbury at Deakin University, Australia.

The only criticism I have of the book, is that there is a lack of diagrams of theoretical models, which makes it very wordy.

To summarise, this book is an essential resource and I’d recommend it to anyone with an interest in communications, PR and marketing in sport. The case studies in the book are relevant to the modern day world and provide an insight into the professional world of sport.

Reviewed by Joe Mirtaheri (a Sports Marketing and PR student taught by Maria Hopwood at Leeds Metropolitan University)

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It’s not easy being a royal (no, hear me out).

Warning: this review may contain spoilers (although if you know your history, not much will come as a surprise)!

Although the myriad responsibilities imparted upon you, should you be born of noble stock, have been somewhat reduced nowadays – speaking to the public on Christmas Day and being caught in public in an offensive fancy dress costume seem to be the only requirements – almost a century ago, the king was expected to carry out some much more important duties. Such a role entailed influencing the government, maintaining the prestige of the Windsor bloodline and not least, speaking to the public of your kingdom.

But what if, like the majority of people, you’re terrified at the prospect of speaking to such large audiences? What if you have a debilitating stammer that hinders your ability to communicate effectively? And what if the duty of declaring the beginning of a major conflict to the nation, one that would eventually cost the lives of millions of people around the world, rested squarely on your shoulders?

So sets the story of The King’s Speech, the biographical piece on the trials and tribulations of King George VI. Focusing on the life of Albert Frederick Arthur George (or Bertie to his family), the film follows the royal as he reluctantly accepts the position as ruler of the British Isles at a time when Hitler’s Nazi Germany was on the brink of invading Poland, all the while battling a debilitating stammer that destroyed his confidence and the abdication of his brother from the throne to be with his muse. Fortunately Bertie encounters Lionel Logue, a highly-esteemed speech therapist who will not give up on any patient, be they of royal blood or otherwise.

What follows is one of the most unorthodox ‘buddy’ films you’re ever likely to see; despite the fact that they come from wildly differing lifestyles – Bertie being a stuffy, high-class aristocrat and Logue an eccentric Australian – and initially start off with an understandable degree of friction against each other, the two begin to bond endearingly with each other over the course of the film. Seeing the two men begin to realise the fact that both need one another and their mutual respect of each other increasing as the film goes on is an endearing and inspiring delight.

The casting of every character in the film is brilliant. Rather than returning to his usual handsome bachelor role in most of his films, Colin Firth instead imbues his character with the range of emotions that accompanies such a debilitating speech impediment. Watching him lock up when addressing an expecting audience and stumbling over his words when trying to express himself to his friends is tragic. But seeing him try to explain to his brother – the selfish, decadent and arrogant Edward VIII – that he doesn’t actually want to be king, only to become unable to speak, is nigh on heart-rending.

The emotion Firth fills the character with through struggling with public engagements or playing with his daughters is exceptionally captivating.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, and that’s where the delightfully unconventional Lionel Logue comes into the picture. Geoffrey Rush obviously had a fantastic time playing the character and so it shows; taking life in his stride, always seeing the best in people and never giving up on anybody no matter how tough life may get, he is the perfect foil to Firth’s stuffy, restricted prince. Every scene containing the two, be it one of their often-hilarious therapy sessions (there’s one profanity-strewn section that will have you in stitches) or a more poignant heart-to-heart, will have you entranced.

The King’s Speech also draws parallels to public relations and the obstacles individuals have to overcome to find success in industry. Reputation and image are two themes that hold great importance, both in the film and in PR. Bertie’s determination to portray a confident and competent leader and uphold the royal standing, mirrors the actions organisations take to improve and maintain a positive public image. The comparison is even more obvious when we compare it to political public relations, and the efforts of politicians such as Cameron and Clegg to portray a strong, united government. Further more, the idea of a individual helping a leader out of the spotlight, like Lionel’s therapy to Bertie, can be compared to the ‘spin doctors’ of public relations – think Alastair Campbell to Tony Blair.

Interestingly, from a metafictional point of view, the film succeeds in altering the views one may have on the royal family (whether this was ever the writers intention can be determined by the viewer). Even those that hold no loyalty or allegiance to the Sovereign will feel sympathetic towards the characters, as made evident through the film’s nuances. Bertie’s feelings towards his abusive father and neglectful mother show that, no matter how rich and privileged members of the royal family may be, they are still human just like the rest of us and are by no means invincible to the problems and maladies that affect us all. In this respect, the film creates some positive PR for a family that has come under public scrutiny fairy frequently in the past decade or so.

To conclude, The King’s Speech is an engaging, heart-warming and memorable piece of cinema. The exquisite lead performances, already imbued with warmth and personality, are only bolstered by the accomplished depictions of minor characters, such as Helena Bonham Carter as the loving Queen Elizabeth and Michael Gambon as the uncaring George V and Timothy Spall as the pragmatic Winston Churchill, enriching the world around them in the process. A triumph of cinema, it would be a crime if the film’s creators weren’t required to give some speeches of their own at this year’s Oscars.

The King’s Speech was reviewed by Michael Slevin, who writes his own blog and can also be found on Twitter.

If you’re interesting in writing a book or film review for Behind the Spin, get it touch with the section editor Clare Callery via email: cs.callery @ gmail.com (no spaces)

First, a note on the medium.

Dan Gillmor, author of We the Media, decided to self publish his new book because no traditional publisher would accept his requirement to make the text simultaneously available for free under a Creative Commons licence (the text is available at mediactive.com). Why give something away for free if you’re trying to make money out of it?

The author deserves a fair return for his work – and I bought my review copy in Kindle format for £5.88 – but I suspect he’s more interested in spreading his ideas than in making a short-term profit.

So to the message.

The author is an experienced journalist who now teaches entrepreneurial journalism and is involved in an advisory capacity with a number of digital media start-ups.

His book begins with a diagnosis of the problems besetting the traditional news business – and the problems of misinformation in the age of digital media. Many bemoan the decline of local newspapers and the ease with which rumours and falsehoods spread on the internet. But Gillmor remains optimistic:

Tomorrow’s media will be more diverse, by far, than today’s. We can imagine, therefore, a journalism ecosystem that’s a vital part of our expanded mediasphere and vastly healthier and more useful than the monocultural media of recent times – if we get it right. That we means all of us. Remember, Digital Age media are broadly distributed and participatory – broadly democratic.

Given the diagnosis of the problems facing traditional media, and the need to ensure that we can trust the media of the near future, Gillmor proceeds to offer a prescription for those participating in this new age of digital media – including the students he teaches.

I envy my students, and I tell them so; they and countless others like them around the world are inventing our media future, and the field is wide open for them in ways that I could not have imagined when I started my own career.

Principles for media consumers

Becoming an active user demands media literacy and an understanding of the principles governing media consumption. His guiding principles (in US English) are:

1. Be Skeptical
2. Exercise Judgment
3. Open Your Mind
4. Keep Asking Questions
5. Learn Media Techniques

It comes down to this: As news accelerates faster and faster, you should be slower to believe what you hear, and you should look harder for the coverage that pulls together the most facts with the most clarity about what’s known and what’s speculation.

This is much more easily said than done. It takes energy and experience to perform ‘due diligence’ on every story we encounter. Gillmor is clearly better at this than most: ‘When a news report quotes anonymous sources, I immediately question the entire thing’, he writes.

Most of his examples are from the US, though Gillmor admires British journalism. He describes how he buys The Guardian and The Telegraph when in London: both do excellent journalism, he writes, but from different political perspectives. ‘I read both and figure I’m triangulating on the essence of (British establishment) reality.’

Media production principles

Since we all have the tools of media production at our fingertips, what principles should even amateurs follow? Gillmor recommends:

• Thoroughness
• Accuracy
• Fairness
• Independence
• Transparency

Of these, he argues that transparency is the most important and he reveals a paradox in stating: ‘If you do an honest job as well as you can, greater transparency will lead your audience to trust you more while they may believe you less’. This is because transparency requires you to declare your biases and to acknowledge your mistakes. Though not mentioned explicitly, this guideline works for public relations advocacy. Those seeking to be trusted must accept that they won’t always be believed.

Gillmor reviews the main categories of digital media (though he promises more at the mediactive.com website) and reminds us that ‘the most important element in your media creation is not the technology… What matters is you.’

After a discussion of entrepreneurial journalism, he reviews the legal and social landscape affecting content producers.

Finally, he turns to teaching and learning mediactivity, for which he advocates critical thinking.

We regiment children instead of helping them to be creative, teaching them to take standardized tests instead of teaching them to think for themselves. In too many school districts, teaching critical thinking would be denounced as a dangerous experiment. It’s not dangerous at all. It’s entirely American to challenge authority.

The book is a powerful manifesto for change written by a trustworthy guide. I had thought he was being over-boastful in the many names he introduces as close friends in the book – but then realised that Gillmor is simply practising the principles he’s preached in his book, above all to be transparent about his connections and biases.

Becoming a mediactivist should be fun – but will impose many obligations.

Competing for the future
by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad
384 pages, Harvard Business Press, 1996

“On the road to the future, who will be the windshield, and who will be the bug?” – Gary Hamel.

Competing for the Future by Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad advises managers to look to the future to make their company one of the very best and also a surprisingly good read. It is no longer about being number 1 right now so; both Hamel and Prahalad are urging companies to make their own futures, think of new markets and recreate themselves.

Throughout the book they are concerned that managers are too content and get too comfortable which starts to make them work in a set fixed routine. This can be detrimental to any company and cause them to fall behind, due to lack of innovation and lack of knowledge. The authors take into consideration the battle between IBM and Apple in the 1970s. IBM were so comfortable knowing they were the leading computer maker that they failed to see the possible market for personal computers, which was when Apple swooped in.

Hamel and Prahalad argue that there are two types of managers; the laggards and the challengers.

In order to become a successful company you must be a challenger which means following the path of greatest opportunity, not following the path of greatest familiarity. They write that directors must be more than “maintenance engineers” that focus all their attention on budgets and old tactics.

A worldwide bestseller in its day (first published 1994) it is unusual to hear of such mixed reviews. Maybe this is because 15 years on, it is less relevant and less useful to us than it was over a decade ago. At the time it was almost a novelty. Managers suddenly had somewhere they could look to help them be fresh and creative in their strategy, giving them that so desperately needed wake-up call.

Instead of it being a business book, maybe it can be seen as more of a self help book for CEOs and managers who had lost their way. Although it is accommodating in helping managers get back to grips with their companies, it lacks all those vital motivational speech like qualities to really inspire them and instead, starts off by telling managers they are doing everything wrong.

However, having said this, the book still features some excellent and highly relevant points, true to business in this decade. It proposes for us to be emotional with our work, stating that we should channel this emotion to shape our organisation and its industry. If managers can do this then they should be at the head of their game and constantly be bringing new ideas to the table, keeping the market as competitive as ever.

A excellent tip they make is that it is not all about money and profits. They want managers to realise there is more to a company than making money; it is about understanding your loyal consumers and creating a long standing brand to be proud of.

The magic of this publication lies in its ability to bring together a vast amount of contemporary examples all in one spot, giving managers an in-depth analysis of others’ workings and viewpoints. All in all, this book is an achievement to both Hamel and Prahalad; who do not fail to deliver. An interesting read for amateurs trying to work in the ‘real world’ and I guess the moral of the story goes, don’t be that bug!

This book is a career guide aimed, primarily, at people leaving school, college or university.

It would also be relevant for anybody who is thinking about a career change or generally wanting to explore how they may be happier in their work-life. The book concentrates on finding out what you’re passionate about to help find a job to suit that.

According to the author there are three key areas to focus on during the job search process and career management, these are:

• Who am I?
• Where am I going?
• How am I going to get there?

The book is broken down into these three sections with the largest proportion spent focusing on the first area, who am I?

Within this section you are encouraged to take a deeper look at yourself and discover the reasons behind what you do, what you like and what you don’t like, to try to discover common themes. For example:

“I don’t like cooking without a recipe because leaving it to chance, for me, is unsafe. In terms of things I’d like to do, piano is safe (I am in control) and the same might apply to, for example, learning a new language (it’s all up to me). The horse riding shows I can control something apart from myself, but I still know that, with practice, I can be in control.”

There are exercises running throughout the first section to help you discover more about yourself, you are also encouraged to include friends, family and colleagues in these exercises to find out more about how they see you as well.

So overall the first section, through various exercises and models, aims to help you discover your talents, your values and your optimum working environment so that you can then use this to work out what career will best suit you.

The second section, focused on ‘Where am I going?’, takes you through using the knowledge that you have built up about yourself in the first section, or the ‘blueprint’ as it is referred to, and translating that into something which you can show to contacts and prospective employers.

In this section it tells you to avoid writing and sending a CV to anyone at all costs, the advice given is:

“If people ask for a CV, you need to say that at this time you are not looking for a job…you are exploring the opportunities that may lead to a job.”

Now in my – limited – experience of the job market this is not something which prospective employers would respond well to. Almost every job advertised will ask for a CV before you will be considered for an interview or anything else. I’m not really sure that this piece of advice would necessarily help people in finding a job in the real world.

The author instead advises people to create a statement of the ‘Unique You’, which basically is a strap-line explaining who you are. This seems, to me, a lot like the first section of your CV. However it does provide good advice for what to use for this.

You are then encouraged to write a ‘Present and Future Statement’ (PFS) which is basically like a covering letter.

“You need a document that talks about what you can do in the future, drawing on what you have learned from the past.”

This is good advice for how to compose a covering letter.

The second section also talks about the importance of networking and building a wealth of contacts and encourages the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

The third and final section is basically about preparation for applying for a job you want so it now talks about creating a short CV and useful advice preparing for an interview. This is the shortest section of the book.

My top 5 tips from the book

1. Get used to saying ‘I’ instead of ‘we’ especially for interviews.
2. Don’t think in terms of job titles but think in terms of what people do in their jobs; what talents and values are expressed.
3. Networking and building contacts is key – it helps to unlock the ‘hidden jobs market’
4. Always make sure you research the market and company before contacting them and especially before interviews.
5. Make sure you understand all of your talents and have stories and experiences to back them up in interviews.

Develop Your PR Skills is written for those interested in maximising their PR skills, whether they work for a small company, multinational, charity or sole trader, and even those who are interested in entering the field.

It has basically been designed to give those interested in the subject a general idea of what PR is, why they need it and whether they should try practising in-house or seek the guidance of an agency. The book also attempts to clarify newer areas of PR that small business owners may want to delve into, such as social media and online PR as well as developing an ethical and sustainable business.

The book covers many of the concepts and theories a first year PR student might expect to see on their course, but with a small business owner as the target reader. Whether it achieves this does seem to vary from chapter to chapter, with some succeeding in projecting their ideas in a simple manner and others at times becoming a little confusing to those new to the subject.

The authors of this book are both lecturers at Leeds Business School, as is often made clear throughout the book both in the chapters and the case studies helpfully provided. Neil Richardson is a senior lecturer and Marketing Dynamics course leader at the Leeds Metropolitan Business School. He has over 20 years of experience in marketing and sales management in the B2B sector and now focuses his research in the area of sustainable marketing. Lucy Laville is also a senior lecturer and leads the Public Relations and PR and Marketing courses at the Business School. With 17 years of PR experience, her areas of expertise include crisis and issues management, internal communications and Social media.

The book begins like most PR text books going through the definitions of PR and its history, touching on the sensitive topics like propaganda and also including the much needed paragraph on what PR is not (advertising, marketing, sales, sponsorship). However, the flow of the book feels interrupted by the inclusion of ‘Hiring a PR Agency’ (which talks through the pros and cons of large full-service agencies versus small ones) so soon in the book. Indeed the next few chapters discuss ideas and methods for planning PR, such as SWOT and PEST analysis, so it seems to make sense to talk more in-depth about choosing an agency after the reader has established what PR they require.

As well as SWOT and PEST, the book explains many of the basic concepts that would be vital for a small company analysing their business from a PR point of view for the first time, such as how to set SMART objectives and establish PR strategies. However, some of the diagrams used would confuse those studying PR without a thorough explanation from a lecturer, such as the TOW analysis.

Many of the chapters in the book demonstrate the authors’ excellent knowledge on topic areas like media relations, internal communications and crisis management. The Media Relations chapter would give any PR beginner a comprehensive guide to how to construct a press release, contact journalists and target different press. Perhaps the only thing the chapter really misses is an example of a press release or a feature article, something anyone new to the subject would greatly appreciate; there is only so much that simply explaining can do.

Internal Communications is a topic that never hugely interested me when studying it at university, however I made myself complete the chapter for the purpose of this review and I’m glad I did. The chapter is refreshingly simple compared to some of the other online guides and text books I’ve read through. It is written in a way that will appeal to many business leaders; what internal communications is, what it involves, and perhaps most importantly, why it will help improve your company and even your profits in the long term. The guide contains many case studies and ideas for how to help improve team morale and productivity as well as a sample staff audit.

The final chapter in the book, Ethics and Sustainability, is also an engaging read with the book championing those companies prepared to go the extra mile for their employees and their environment. The argument is well thought out, with good use of theory and a light hearted approach to help compel companies into encompassing ‘People, Planet and Profit’ into their marketing strategy.

Online conversations

The only chapter I really took any issue with was the ‘PR and Developments in Online Conversation’, which working in social media, I was bound to be extra critical of. The authors do not delve enough into how to make the most of the tools available, which seems a shame when one considers the low cost and high potential impact of online PR.

There aren’t any real guidelines on how to use social media responsibly and in a way that ensures reputation is protected as much as possible; an essential when you think of how many companies have been burnt on sites like Twitter and Facebook. There are also niggling little errors, such as the Twitter character limit stated as 120 instead of 140, and no real guidance is given for a company that wants to start its own blog or reach out to other bloggers.

However, many main issues are still discussed, such as managing online reputation, the power of bloggers, SEO and RSS. The chapter is still more that many PR text books seem to have and certainly more than most PR courses teach, and is good enough for an introduction to online PR to encourage those interested to truly research further into harnessing the potential of social media.

To summarise, the book has its highs and lows and chapters that read well and those that don’t. The light-hearted narrative works well for most of the book; though in some places, such as when discussing PR budgets (already a delicate topic), the writing style seemed to stumble slightly. The book does achieve what it sets out to do and any budding PR enthusiast or small business owner that wants to try a cheaper and effective alternative to advertising would not only get a good idea of what PR is and how to use it, but would also have the means to start attempting news releases and contacting journalists.

Complete with summaries, questions and activities at the end of each chapter, I would recommend this book to small business owners and even to anyone thinking of studying PR, though not as a complete and comprehensive guide – further reading is advised.

“What happens when someone puts your name into Google or Facebook? If you don’t know, you should maybe find out.” This is how Antony Mayfield, author of the best-selling book Me and My Web Shadow, invites the reader to consider the importance of being in charge of our online lives.

Mayfield is Senior Vice President of Social Media at the Digital Marketing Agency iCrossing. His experience in public relations and communications includes working for Bell Pottinger, and clients have included Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Marks & Spencer, Toyota, Channel 4, Sony Playstation and Dell.

Certainly, Mayfield has transferred his online copywriting skills to Me and My Web Shadow and has created an easy to read and use book. After the Introduction, there is a small section called If you read nothing else…, in which the author describes briefly some of the main concepts of the book under the title: “The top then rules for managing your web shadow”. Some of the rules Mayfield describes are: finding out what Google says about you and considering that since the web is embedded in our daily lives, there is no such a thing as “off the record” online.

After the introductory sections, Mayfield divides the book in three parts:

1. Welcome to the Web Age
2. Managing your Web Shadow
3. Practical advice for digital lives

Welcome to the Web Age gives a brief history of the web and outlines what its future may hold. But most importantly, it highlights the relevance of becoming responsible “citizens of the networks”, as Mayfield points: “We need to develop our literacy and understanding of the networks, and take part in the evolution of the web. If we are taking part positively, with awareness of how it works, we are helping to build the future for the web.”

In the second part, Managing your Web Shadow, Mayfield suggests a work plan to manage your online reputation. This considers how to make an analysis of your online situation, how to define your objectives, where to establish your presence, how to make it grow and enhance your professional reputation and how to review your progress. It also includes specific tips to manage your reputation if you are looking for a job or if you are self-employed.

The last part, Practical advice for digital lives, explains how to create and maintain your web shadow content, as well as tools to connect with others, such as: Delicious, SlideShare and Flickr. Here, Mayfield includes useful charts to describe what each tool is, where to get it, its benefits and alternatives. Besides, he proposes a wide variety of tools to explore, maintain and manage your online reputation such as: Pipl, Spokeo, Extendr, Domainr, Posterous, Tumblr among others. This part also details information about how to get started and the features of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Blogs.

A special mention must be made to the book’s attention on privacy settings. On these topics, Mayfield gives the reader advice on security and privacy issues, provides examples of how to deal with inconveniences online and suggests other sources to get further information.

Overall, Me and My Web Shadow is a good way to understand how to manage your online reputation and with this, increase your chances of being in the right place at the right time, as Mayfield mentions: “The web is a synchronicity engine, in that it greatly increases the incidence of (mostly) pleasant coincidences.”

Furthermore, the value of this book also lies in its ability to make the reader more sensitive about how to make the web or “serendipity engine”, a better and safer place for all to use.

The Tipping Point is an international bestseller by acclaimed journalist and social psychologist Malcolm Gladwell. It examines the triggers that bring about rapid social and behavioural change and proposes a convincing and well-evidenced theory for the factors contributing to often seemingly coincidental ‘social epidemics’ in which ‘ideas and products and messages and behaviours spread just like viruses do’.

The Tipping Point has enjoyed such widespread success because of its accessibility and broad appeal. As Time Magazine said in 2005, Gladwell “manages to make his work as relevant to CEOs as it is to soldiers”. However, his 21st Century slant on social psychology will be of particular interest to those studying or working in any communications or people-focused field.

The book examines in depth what works and, as importantly, doesn’t work to bring about social change, challenging many common assumptions about the way people think and are influenced. However, Gladwell concedes that there are some aspects of social epidemics that can’t be ‘deliberately’ influenced and are just a result of serendipity.

This is a theme running through Gladwell’s work in later books like ‘What the Dog Saw’ (2009), which will also be of interest to those studying or working in public relations and social marketing.

If you are tasked with devising a campaign to encourage people to stop smoking, for example, Gladwell might not have the magic ingredient for widespread change but he will help you to understand the sorts of things that need to be considered by fully exploring what motivates people to begin smoking, become regular smokers, and continue doing it despite the risks.

Author photo from gladwell.com

Malcolm Gladwell is an international best-selling author of four influential, thought-provoking books on social phenomena. As an award-winning journalist he covered business, science and medicine for the Washington Post before becoming a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine in 1996. In 2005, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people for his ability to demonstrate the “practical applications of cutting-edge academic scholarship”, making him “the US’ leading pop sociologist”.

The Tipping Point is about ‘social epidemics’ such as the sudden resurrection of the suede shoe brand Hush Puppies in the mid 1990s or influence of Paul Revere’s message that “The British are coming!” on the outcome of the American Revolution. It argues that only certain circumstances, involving certain people, messages and contexts bring about social change that has a real impact.

The three rules of epidemics, according to Gladwell are:

1. The Law of the Few – there needs to be a certain mixture of a special type of person (Connectors – people who know and can influence a lot of different people from different social circles, Mavens – people who hold important information and intelligence on certain subjects and Salesmen – people who have a gift for telling stories and ‘selling’ messages) for a social epidemic to occur
2. The Stickiness Factor – the type of message is also important. If it doesn’t ‘stick’ with the people it needs to influence, it won’t have any long term impact.
3. The Power of Context – the first two factors alone can’t achieve a ‘social epidemic’ in the wrong environment. The context of the situation, such as whether a neighbourhood is run down and vandalised, is key. A major aspect of the sudden drop in crime rate in New York in the early 1990s was the efficient and extensive clean up of the run down transport system.

Gladwell’s anecdotal examples and questioning tone make for compelling reading, even for those with little interest in the academic understanding he is striving for. The book’s chapters each delve into an element of his ‘Tipping Point’ theory but are inter-connected with real life examples and stories that run throughout.

At the beginning and end of every section, the reader is reminded of what they have just read, what they are about to read and how it all fits together. For example, he says: “We’ve looked at the people who spread ideas and we’ve looked at the characteristics of successful ideas. But the subject of this chapter [the Power of Context] is no less important than the first two.”

There is no doubt that the ‘Tipping Point’ deserves the critical acclaim it has received. I was inspired by it both on a personal and professional level. It makes the reader think in a new way about how they and those around them are influenced to act in a certain way or buy a certain product or listen to a certain person’s warnings, demonstrating why sometimes the most obvious messages just don’t get through. He concludes on a positive note, reassuring the reader that: “If there is difficulty and volatility in the world of the Tipping Point, there is a large measure of hopefulness as well … Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable, implacable place. It is not. With the slightest push – in just the right place – it can be tipped.”

Suggested word count: 600 words

Purpose of a review:

A book review is not about your opinion on a book or its author. It’s written with the reader in mind. You are trying to help the reader decide whether a book is worth reading and worth buying. You should be encouraging readers to form a judgement rather than imposing your judgement on them.

Choosing books to review:

We usually publish reviews of recent books in the public relations field, though we might publish round-up reviews of several established texts.

Who can review books:

Anyone wanting to submit a review should first contact the editor. Anonymous reviews will not be published, and reviewers should state any connections they have to the author (through family or work).

How to read a book you are reviewing:

Ideally, you should read a book for review twice. The first reading should be at speed to gain a broad overview of the themes of the book. The second reading should allow a much more detailed analysis of the argument.

In reality, there is rarely time to do this. So you should read the book judiciously, skimming certain sections to allow a more detailed reading of key passages. Have a notebook to hand to record the page numbers of key passages you may want to cite or quote.

Academics will often read a book ‘back-to-front’, judging it by the quality – and the quantity – of the sources consulted. Does the book have an index, and does it appear comprehensive?

Suggested structure of a review:

1. State the details of the book. Its title, author, page count, publisher and publication year.
2. Outline the general topic. Does it support or challenge existing scholarship in the field?
3. Indicate who the book is written for.
4. Comment on the author’s credentials to write this book (authority).
5. Summarise the key themes and identify some of the main arguments.
6. Illustrate with choice quotations from the text.
7. For academic books, you might comment on the research conducted and the sources consulted.
8. Identify any errors or omissions.
9. Comment on the style and structure of the book.
10. Provide a summary of the book’s qualities (or deficiencies).

This scholarly book is an important – but complex – contribution to the literature on PR and social media. So let’s start by unpicking the book’s title.

Macnamara tries to steer a course between the utopians heralding a major media revolution and the dystopians who see declining standards all around them. Hence the ambivalence over whether new media should be considered revolutionary or evolutionary. Then there’s the concept of emergence: as he explains it, ‘some media and systems of communication are mutating, becoming self-organizing, and evolving into wholly new forms… Emergent media owe as much to chaos theory as to evolutionary systems theory’.

The cited example of emergent media is simple enough: the unanticipated rise of text messaging on mobile phones. Then the author complicates it by saying the trend emerged  ’because of a ground-up bifurcation led by teenagers’. The author is a professor of public communication – and his desire to profess to his academic peers is evidently more powerful than his desire to communicate to the general reader. This book belongs on the media studies shelf in university libraries and will be read with most enthusiasm by research academics.

8 Cs of emergent media

He begins with an analysis of types of media, and a discussion on the appropriateness of such a time-bound term as ‘new media’. The author finds ‘social media’ ambiguous and problematic, but he’s happy with ‘interactive’ and ‘participatory’.

He finds that public communication practices are characterised by: ‘connectivity, communication, community, creativity and co-creativity, collaboration exploiting… collective intelligence and conversation.’

What follows is a sophisticated but indigestible review of the sociology of media consumption and identity before a succession of chapters addressing the future. There’s a chapter on the future of mediated politics (containing a discussion of Habermas’s concept of the public sphere); a chapter on the future of journalism (including analysis of the influence of PR on journalism and of the rise of citizen journalism); one on the future of advertising (including paid search) and another on future media business models.

The future of public relations

In chapter nine, 300 pages in, we reach the chapter on the future of public relations.

While advertising is mostly monologue and is increasingly unable to reach into many emergent media environments, public relations has unparalleled opportunities to help organizations align with the public interest, build relationships, establish goodwill for brands, and ensure sustainability to facilitating conversations and dialogue between organizations and their publics. But there is an urgent need for public relations to rethink its methods and practices and commit to openness, authenticity, and conversations which lead to true dialogue and relationships, rather than distributing packaged imagery.

‘It is time to open the floodgates of information and let it flow both ways and find its level’, he writes. ‘Ethical effective organizations have little to fear and much to gain’.

Macnamara envisages a new paradigm of public relations ‘in which centralized control paradigm ‘gatekeeper’ units are dismantled and replaced by professional communicators acting as advisers, trainers and facilitators of communication’.

In the conclusion, Macnamara offers 10 maxims of modern media. These are good. To pick just two, ‘there is no mass audience and, in reality, there never was’; and ‘networks are people – not technology’.

In such a precise academic book as this, the presence of glaring mistakes is surprising. We’re told that Shel Holtz wrote Twitterville (it was Shel Israel); and that Max Aitkin became Lord Beaverbrook (he was Max Aitken); we’re told, admiringly, that changes can be made to Wikipedia in ‘days if not hours’; the film of the novel becomes meaningless when called ‘Thank You For Not Smoking’.

Yet in admiring Macnamara and applauding his wide reading (this book has 44 pages of references), a question comes to mind. What can explain the strength of public relations and public communication scholarship in Australia (and also New Zealand)?  I’ll leave the final word to the author: ‘Australia is an ideal test-bed for research in this field having among the world’s highest per capita usage of computers and broadband internet connection combined with a small population spread over vast distances, which makes electronic communication highly relevant and even essential.’

When the internet began, it was for government use and the public was unaware of its existence.

Over the years the internet became publicly available and became increasingly popular from the early 90s when the World Wide Web enabled the inclusion of multimedia images, videos, sound, and animations. Now the web contains just about anything you want it to, from information encyclopaedias, to the latest movies by illegal download.

The main feature now, though, is the social side of the internet – how users can adapt and change the content of a website and make it their own, how users are interacting with one another, and how the power has been taken away from site developers to the person on their laptop or mobile device creating content.

Introducing Web 2.0

Web 2.0 represents a social rather than a physical evolution. Although better systems, software and servers are in place, Web 2.0 describes the power the user has upon internet content. Websites now feature a variety of tools allowing the user to adapt and change the site. These social media sites are the innovators of Web 2.0, and more traditional sites are having to play catch up.

Rob Brown (2009: 1-2) explains Web 2.0:

“It can simply be described as the version of the web that is open to ordinary users and where they can add their content… In practice is signifies the transfer of control of the internet, and ultimately the central platform for communication, from the few to the many. It is the democratisation of the internet”.

This definition is a great indication of what Web 2.0 is. It suggests that no one person owns the internet, which has always been true, but now it also suggests that no one person has total control over a website, a blog or a post. It is the people visiting that website who make it happen and work. For example, Wikipedia and Facebook need people to add content, so these sites are a form of democracy.

What is PR 2.0?

Does Web 2.0 now require a corresponding ‘PR 2.0’? Traditional public relations was not designed for the new media world, and so a new way of thinking is needed.

Yet PR 2.0 actually began with Web 1.0. Author Brian Solis coined the phrase back in the 90s. However, it was not until more recently that anyone started taking notice.

The early internet had elements of social networking and limited consumer power. Basic forums were introduced where people could communicate on subjects, however these were not as established or easy to use as the forums of today. The consumer was now able to view company websites and in some instances contact them through e-mail, but this was still nothing like today; PR 1.0 could still work in that world.

Now the internet has radically changed. Web 2.0 has ‘democratised’ the internet, and PR 2.0 is essential.

When people interact on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Bebo they gain power by their sheer mass. Twitter has trending topics, which can define the news and set the story arcs for journalists to follow.

Bebo can provide insight into the minds of the younger generation, with consensus on what is ‘cool’ and what is not, highly valuable to certain companies.

Facebook is a dominant player with 400 million users. With Facebook groups, huge campaigns have sprung up, from the harmless to those influencing consumer behaviour. The 2009 Christmas No. 1 was not won by the X-Factor winner, usually considered immovable from the top spot at this time of year, thanks in large part to a Facebook campaign.

The PR industry must take notice of the huge power this kind of media has upon organisations.  Organisations are under pressure to participate, not just at a spectator level, or in a superficial attempt to fit with what publics expect. Using the format to not only communicate with the stakeholders at a business level, but also personally.

Solis, B. & Breakenridge D. (2009: xix-xx) explain:

“PR 2.0 starts with a different mindset and approach, neither of which is rooted in broadcast marketing or generic messaging. It’s all about humanising and personalizing stories specifically for the people we want to reach”

This definition makes sense and can offer an indication on what we as PR practitioners should change to be able to compete in this new media space.

I would suggest that public relations has evolved to its second generation. This version of PR takes into account the new social media, and the roles these play in the stakeholder communications. PR 2.0 differs from traditional PR as it does not ignore the power people have.

Sticking to PR 1.0 is not enough, in fact some may say PR 3.0 is what we should be looking towards. Either way, PR 2.0 is needed here and now.

In 1999, just a year after the invention of Google, The Cluetrain Manifesto predicted ‘the end of business as usual’.

The book’s four authors argued that markets were becoming smarter and that because of the internet ‘a powerful global conversation had begun’. The Cluetrain Manifesto said that businesses needed to start having conversations inside and outside the organisation, quickly, or they wouldn’t survive the changes the book anticipated.

Thesis 74 in The Cluetrain Manifesto said that ‘we are immune to advertising just forget it’. Advertising is an element of marcoms and was historically described as ‘any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor.’

Advertising grew with industrialisation and the rise of mass media: television, radio and press. However, over the last ten years and largely due to the internet and the development of social media, there has been considerable fragmentation of media outlets creating more opportunities to advertise, many free of charge such as YouTube.

The idea of ‘free’ advertising is very different from the definition of advertising as a ‘below the line’ practice, and blurs the boundaries between advertising and public relations.

There is more advertising now than ever before, across a huge range of outlets, but with greater competition for attention, advertising messages are becoming diluted in consumers’ minds due to too much exposure to them. In an offline world advertisers are turning to alternative advertising strategies such as sponsorship, product placement and celebrity endorsements.

In The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, Al and Laura Ries subsequently argued that advertising should be used to maintain brand awareness rather than build a brand because of its lack of credibility.

The Cluetrain Manifesto authors described advertising messages as an ‘interruption’ in consumers’ minds, an attempt to stop them doing something and pay attention to the message. Permission marketing is both the idea and title of a 1999 book by Seth Godin. The idea of permission marketing is to ‘encourage consumers to participate in a long term, interactive marketing campaign, in which they are rewarded some way for paying attention to increasingly relevant messages’.

The most talked about concept in The Cluetrain Manifesto and its first thesis is ‘markets are conversations.’ The development of the internet has made conversations amongst the markets themselves – and between organisations and markets – more transparent. The development of the web has caused a shift from mass communication to micro communications such as word of mouth conversations.

This can be seen to fit closely into Grunig and Hunt’s ideal two-way symmetrical model of public relations. In 2007, Facebook’s creator Mark Zuckerberg argued that messages broadcast to the masses no longer work and that marketers (and PR professionals) should be part of the conversation.

Social media can be described as a ‘shift in how people discover, read, and share news and information and content. It’s a fusion of sociology and technology’, Brian Solis has argued, ‘transforming monologue (one to many) into dialog (many to many.)’

Social media channels include blogging, microblogging, video sharing, podcasts, RSS and wikis to name just some. These channels are described as ‘consumer generated content’ by Phillips and Young. Anyone in the world with access to a computer can make themselves heard to a global audience, an idea that The Cluetrain Manifesto pre-empted: ‘we like this new marketplace much better. In fact we are creating it’, Thesis 72.

Just as the role of advertising has changed since The Cluetrain Manifesto was written, so the role of public relations has also needed to adapt. Phillips and Young have argued that the internet is an ‘agent of change’. Traditionally it was the job of marketing and PR professionals to communicate an organisation’s controlled messages to key opinion leaders. However, because of the developments of the internet and the need for transparency, it is now the whole organisation’s responsibility to be ‘guardians of reputation’.

Technology and the developments in social media have caused a power shift from the organisation to the consumer. This presents new challenges for public relations in terms of how interactive the organisation is in building relationships, being authentic, and also monitoring online conversations.

In terms of ‘new’ online PR practice it can be argued that, ‘shouting doesn’t work, conversations do’ according to Groundswell authors Li & Bernoff.

Since The Cluetrain Manifesto was written in 1999 the world has entered the worst recession since World War Two. Recession undoubtedly brings mistrust and uncertainty for consumers and well as brands, which means that the role of public relations is even more important.

Relationships are crucial for brands during a period of recession in order for them to look genuine and build trust through personal relationships. The Cluetrain Manifesto’s thesis three talks about how conversations among human beings need to sound human which is crucial for brands in a recession.

Social media plays a huge part in these human conversations because of its authenticity, low cost and global reach.

The internet hasn’t been a solely positive development for businesses and their reputations. The internet has increased and widened participation of activist groups because of its global reach. ‘…whether the news is good or bad, they tell everyone.’ Cluetrain Thesis 12.

As well as blogs, Facebook and Twitter are popular for online activists. Online activist groups have a damaging effect on the reputation of a company as it provides a ‘global platform and an opportunity to link up with other people who attempt to harm your company or organisation, worldwide, 24/7’ according to Colin Byrne, CEO of Weber Shandwick, who has described these people as ‘badvocates’.

In July 2009 PR was introduced into the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, a practical example of how PR and marcoms have merged. Meerman-Scott described how ‘great content in all forms’ drives action which is the main purpose of both disciplines, meaning the best ideas will win no matter who created them.

The best job in the world campaign created for Tourism Queensland by Australian ad agency CumminsNitro, was advertising using public relations to raise global awareness through viral techniques. The campaign won the Cannes Lions PR Grand Prix award in 2009, with Lord Bell describing the campaign as ‘very simple, capturing the imagination of the world’s media…online and offline…highly contemporary.’. In this campaign the online communications was supporting the campaign’s communications offline.

Although the internet is seen as a positive change for a lot of people, both individuals and businesses, it is not universal and doesn’t change everything for everyone: ‘our social tools are not an improvement to society; they are a challenge to it’ according to Clay Shirky.

Shirky illustrates that technology might change but people do not. In the future, the number of people accessing the internet might be closer to 80% or 90% but there will still be a digital divide of some sort, as the population will always be made up of different demographics and the ‘global conversation’ and ‘end of business as usual’ that The Cluetrain Manifesto talks about still won’t be true for everyone.

The boundary between the personal and professional is blurring (just take a look at your Facebook ‘friends’ or your Twitter followers and see if I’m wrong) as is the distinction between public and private.

The latter distinction has huge implications for safety, security and even employability that most students have barely begun to consider. The former is much more encouraging. It suggests that if you can do public relations for yourself, then it’s highly likely you’ll be competent to do it for others.

So PR starts at home with Personal Reputation.

Our guides to this new PR are two digital marketing experts, Louis Halpern and Roy Murphy.

The stakes are high. They recount how a radio station DJ was dismissed from his job once his name had appeared on a leaked membership list of a controversial right wing political party.

‘In the internet age, your personal ‘brand‘ or identity is never off duty and your reputation is always ‘switched on’.

Personal reputation has always mattered: reputation and relationships are preconditions of commercial success in traditional markets. But the rise of the media (printing press, broadcast, internet) extends the reach of the reputation concept. People are under more scrutiny than ever before: everyone’s famous now.

Hence the need for online reputation management. The approach proposed here applies brand marketing principles:

It might sound like marketing gobbledygook but thinking about yourself as a brand helps separate out the professional ‘you’ from the personal ‘you’.

At its heart, this book discusses how to use websites and social media to promote and protect brand you and how to apply the principles of search engine optimisation (SEO).

SEO tips revolve around consistency (of reputation story), content (relevant and punchy), indexing (on search engines) and linking (to quality people and networks).

I enjoyed reading this short, stylish book. Most paragraphs are brief enough to be squeezed into a 140-character tweet and it’s a quick book to browse.

As ever, the key question is why write a book about online topics. The answer is that while the early adopters are online, the majority have yet to take the plunge and basic advice on promoting blogs by writing comments on other’s is useful. If it was only available online, the authors would merely be preaching to the converted.

Any quibbles? It’s an upbeat book, but I would have thought a discussion of the risks (spam, scams, link farms, phishing – they’re all here) merited a chapter to itself in a book written for newbies.

‘Public relations is about reputation’ proclaims the CIPR’s definition. I become a bit prickly when digital marketers seek to colonise our territory, but will acknowledge that they’ve done it well – and there’s a gap that we’ve left open to them. Have they taught me anything new about reputation: probably not. Did I learn anything about SEO: probably yes.