The Return of the Secret Handshake - The Future of Social Networks April 17, 2013

More than 1 billion people are on Facebook, 200 million on LinkedIn, 500 Million on Twitter. Does the world need another social network?

The big social networks, the most important platforms to spread and consume information today, are increasingly becoming ubiquitous and thus loosing their trust value.

New social networks enter the market focused on specific interests, highly targeted to certain groups and, like any other group defined by common interest, they often demand certain conditions (money, status) and intellectual rituals (set of interests and expertise) from their new members. The secret handshake of the Freemasons, for example, was only revealed if a person had the correct attributes to fit into that society.

Could the future of social networks look similar? Where only people with certain sets of characteristics or skills would be allowed and access to such social networks could literally open many doors for them.

Topics:
Why do people join groups at all?
What should new social networks look like?
What are they good/not good for?
What is the one trust component needed for people to communicate with each other openly?
Why would you join a certain social network and not another?
How does the "secret handshake", the condition and ritual to join, define the "us" inside vs. "them" on the outside?
Why do Silicon Valley born social networks often become global and acquire non-US players - but never the other way around?

Speakers:
Konstantin Guericke, Co-Founder LinkedIn and Social Architect and Mentor
Sergi Herrero, CEO of L'Atelier NA, BNP-Paribas Innovation Lab
Jeff Tangney, CEO of Doximity
Tim Schlegel, Founder/CEO MECLUB, INC.

Moderator:
Jean-Baptiste Su, Contributing Editor, Forbes.com

Agenda:
6:00 - 7:00 pm Registration and Networking Reception
7:00 - 8:30 pm Program
8:30 - 9:00 pm Networking

Complimentary appetizers, beer, wine and soft drinks will be served.

Official Website: http://www.gaba-network.org