1. Trends in Technology By: Carla R. Williams TIE 300
Flash Mob/ Smart Mob
Trends in Technology
By: Carla R. Williams
TIE 300

2. What is a Flash Mob & Smart Mob?
Flash Mob - Unusual & pointless public entertainment, artistic expression
Smart Mob – Public technology enabled protest
Organized via mobile communication technologies
Cell phones
Text messaging
Internet
Web blogs
Viral videos
Members linked together by wireless devices allowing group to work as a whole.
Organized via mobile communication technologies
Cell phones
Text messaging
Internet
Web blogs
Viral videos
Members linked together by wireless devices allowing group to work as a whole.

3. Flash Mob History
First flash mob documented in Manhattan, created by Bill Wasek, senior editor of Harper’s Magazine, on June 17th, 2003.
Considered an apolitical act, similar to political demonstrations done by the Yippies in the 1960s.
The term was inspired by the term Smart mob – also seen as a specialized form of smart mobs.
Described as self organized entertainment.
Popular but short lived due to backlash.
News media and promoters use term to refer to any form of smart mob.
Well documented by blogs and mainstream media.
Flash mob video

4. Smart Mob History Concept & term introduced by Howard Rheingold
Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution
First smart mobs “thumb tribes”
Advancement of social communication (Internet & mobile phones) enabled phenomenon
Smart mob to “Stop Violence against women - Smart mob to draw attention to "Violence against women".

5. Impact of Flash mobs/Smart mobs: "Smart Mobs: The next social revolution" by Howard Rheingold
Pros
Cons
Use of mobile devices and internet
Evolution of social communications
Social collective action
Can entertain or inform
“True citizen journalism”
Use of mobile devices and internet
Net wars
Crime mobs
Ability to evade authorities
Promotes mob mentality
Flash mob goes wrong.

6. Use of Flash Mob trend in Education
Learning about Flash Mobs Helps Children Develop News Literacy Skills.
Students critically analyze flash mobs
Explored how news is constructed
Discussed violence and peer pressure
Used Red Lasso (news search engine)
Used computer programming to develop video games and expand learning.

7. Resources:
FCJ-030 Flash! Mobs in the Age of Mobile Connectivity.
Flash mob craze spreads
Want to buy a Flash Mob?

8. More resources:
flash-mobs/ 2/

9. Other “Flash Mob” performances:
Frozen Flash Mob performance
Marriage Proposal Flash Mob
Central Station Antwerp Flash Mob
Epic Flash Mob in a library
Grocery Store Flash Mob
Bollywood Flash Mob