Signaling in Mobile, Social Computing: Analysis and

Design

Jonathan GipsSpring 2005

Techo-Identity Seminar

Mobile, Social Computing

• Social computing at the intersection of online communication and physical interactions

• Acronym issues…– MoSo? SoMo?

Questions for Analysis

• What type of signaling does the system support?

• What are the pre-requisites for participation?

• How does one interact with the system?• What organizational structures are

made possible?• How does the organization change over

time?

Three Systems Analyzed

• TXTMob– Tad Hirsch, Institute for Applied Autonomy

• Familiar Stranger– Eric Paulos and Elizabeth Goodman, Intel

Research

• Serendipity– Nathan Eagle, Reality Mining Project

TXTMob

• Web site allows users to join text messaging groups

• Public, Private, and Secret Groups

• Used to protest RNC 2004 in NYC

TXTMob

Signals (and underlying Quality)

Messages with group-relevant information (Value to the group as an information source)

Unchecked Deceptive Signaling

High, by texting false information with large assessment cost

Hardware Required Cell phone

Interface Style Interruption Based

Foci-based networks Yes

Network Structures Supported

3 Types of Groups (Public, Private, Secret)

Edge Creation Web-based / potentially using SMS, administer support may be required

Familiar Stranger

• Milgram’s “Familiar Strangers”

• Device quantifies relationship to proximate others.

• User can categorize strangers.

Familiar Stranger

Signals (and underlying Quality)

Co-presence that results in blinking lights (Shared experiences)

Unchecked Deceptive Signaling

Very low, enforced by hardware

Hardware Required Jabberwocky (small electronic device)

Interface Style Ambient to Intentional

Foci-based networks No

Network Structures Supported

Ego-specific groups with 2 user-defined and 1 general

Edge Creation Built up by proximate encounters and resulting device input

Serendipity

• Users fill out online profiles with interests and friends

• Proximate Bluetooth encounters are sent to server

• Successfully matched profiles result in introduction over MMS

Serendipity

Signals (and underlying Quality)

Introduction made when in proximity to matched users (Common interests and openness to communicate)

Unchecked Deceptive Signaling

Medium, with false profile entries

Hardware Required Bluetooth Smart Phone

Interface Style Interruption Based

Foci-based networks Yes

Network Structures Supported

Dyadic links

Edge Creation Web-based specification of profile and known friends

Proposed System

• Mobile system with wearable display that affords physical and virtual membership signaling

• Costs associated with signaling are imposed by creating directed edges between users

Proposed SystemReceiver is not a member

Receiver is a low ranking member

Receiver is a high ranking member

Emitter is not a member

Draw: both added as members with bi-directional edge between them

Receiver Wins: Emitter added as member with subordinate link to Receiver

Receiver Wins: Emitter added as member with subordinate link to Receiver

Emitter is a low ranking member

Emitter Wins: Receiver added as member with subordinate link to Emitter

Draw: bi-directional edge created between Emitter and Receiver

Receiver Wins: Subordinate edge created from Emitter to Receiver

Emitter is a higher ranking member

Emitter Wins: Receiver added as member with subordinate link to Emitter

Emitter Wins: Subordinate edge created from Receiver to Emitter

Draw: bi-directional edge created between Emitter and Receiver

Proposal

Signals (and underlying Quality)

Visual display of membership in the same networks

(Shared sense of identity)

Unchecked Deceptive Signaling

Low, false membership claims result in low status

Hardware Required Bluetooth Smart Phone / Wearable Display

Interface Style Ambient to Intentional

Foci-based networks Yes

Network Structures Supported

Directed, acyclic graphs

Edge Creation Challenges between users

TXTMob Familiar Stranger Serendipity Proposal

Signals (and underlying Quality)

Messages with group-relevant information (Value to the group as an information source)

Co-presence that results in blinking lights (Shared experiences)

Introduction made when in proximity to matched users (Common interests and openness to communicate)

Visual display of membership in the same networks

(Shared sense of identity)

Unchecked Deceptive Signaling

High, by texting false information with large assessment cost

Very low, enforced by hardware

Medium, with false profile entries

Low, false membership claims result in low status

Hardware Required Cell phone Jabberwocky (small electronic device)

Bluetooth Smart Phone

Bluetooth Smart Phone / Wearable Display

Interface Style Interruption Based Ambient to Intentional

Interruption Based Ambient to Intentional

Foci-based networks Yes No Yes Yes

Network Structures Supported

3 Types of Groups (Public, Private, Secret)

Ego-specific groups with 2 user-defined and 1 general

Dyadic links Directed, acyclic graphs

Edge Creation Web-based / potentially using SMS, administer support may be required

Built up by proximate encounters and resulting device input

Web-based specification of profile and known friends

Challenges between users