DisturbingSearchRequests

My favourite example of NetworksCreateValue : Disturbing Search Requests

http://searchrequests.weblogger.com/

What?

When you run a webserver you get information about the page that referred (or linked) to you. If that page was a search engine, you get to see the search terms that were entered. Somewhere along the line, this guy found he had people coming to his site, after typing in some weird / amusing / disturbing search requests, so decided to start a weblog about this. He invited other webmasters who'd received similar to send them in.

And this is value?

Hmmm ... well it's quirky, interesting, and regularly updated. It's an entertainment site that probably draws a larger, more loyal crowd than some of the lame sites out there.

Note how it exemplifies both senses in which networks create value :

*It gets its content by aggregating the tiny quirks that would otherwise be beneath notice.

• It's fundamentally ABOUT the web,

Also note : It's not unique to new media that so much of it is self referential. That's equally true of the press, TV and (maybe to a lesser extent) radio. That doesn't count against my point. It just goes to show that the traditional networks are still networks. (As NetoCracy points out.)

More on this theme : AllMediaTalkAboutThemselves

(See also BlogRolls)