Facebook states its mission as connecting people the world over. But while social networks are capable of overcoming the technological barriers to achieving this, there are still mountains to climb when it comes to cultural and societal challenges.


In this episode of the Digital Download Podcast I talk to Michael Marquardt, a global business advisor who has spent 25 years living and working throughout Europe, Asia and America. Michael serves on several boards for organisations around the world, advising not just on business practice but also on the cultural differences between different countries. We discuss the world from a digital standpoint, looking at how different cultures view the internet and social media, and what the future of social networks around the world might be.

Here's what is discussed in this episode:







How the internet has developed in different regions of the world
How different cultures think about social media
Why a global view of social media can be a huge business advantage
How sharing of personal information online has been influenced by global history
Why local knowledge is so advantageous
What the challenges of fragmented social media around the world are
How WeChat differs from western social networks and reflects local society
Why social networks are culture-led not technology-led
How data privacy issues have not touched some Asian countries yet
Why technological innovation in Asia can be attributed to lack of privacy concerns
Whether there is such a thing as global social media
What the future of social networks around the world might be

 


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