Kitchener all a-twitter for conference
Posted Sep 15, 2011 05:08:54 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Kitchener is playing host to a first-of-its-kind conference today.
The 140 Conference, brainchild of Vonage co-founder Jeff Pulver, takes place today at The Tannery from 8:30 AM – 5 PM.
140 conferences have been held in cities around the world but this is the first time it has come to Canada.
Benjamin Bach, spokesperson for the local event, says the conference is about sharing stories of how real-time technology has impacted people’s lives.
“We’re going to be hearing stories from people involved in philanthropy, the arts, media and business,” Bach lists. “And they’re all going to be sharing how real-time interaction has really shaped their business and the way they do things.”
The conference is named for the 140 character limit that governs postings on the popular social media site Twitter. But Bach says Facebook and other real-time technologies will also be explored at the conference.
It’s all part of a shift, he says, from people accepting advertising as “a push” to people treating it more as “a pull” by going out and sourcing the information themselves.
“We’re going to be examining how people are getting the information they want and how you can deliver it better, whether you’re a small musician or a large charity,” Bach explains.
Presentations are limited to a maximum of 20 minutes to keep a brisk pace through the day. Besides Pulver, scheduled speakers for today’s event include Kitchener’s own Taylor Jones, founder of the website Dear Photograph, which has recently been featured in Time Magazine.
Bach says he’s excited by the opportunity to make real connections with people he has come to know virtually, through social media.
He also thinks the organizers have found the perfect venue for their conference in Waterloo Region.
“We knew that this is where we wanted to have the first Canadian discussion on how real-time internet is shaping the way we do things,” Bach says. “Because Waterloo, as a community, is really shaping the way the world does things.”
