podcast
Virtually Policy #3: Virtual Currencies & Roach Motels
This episode of Virtually Policy is part one of a two-part interview with virtual currency expert Jon Matonis. Jon is editor of The Monetary Future, an economics blog that examines the intersection of free banking, cryptography, and digital currency. His work on digital cash has been published by Dow Jones and the London School of Economics, and he was previously CEO of Hushmail and Chief Forex Trader at VISA. Currently Jon is a board advisor to startups in Bitcoin, gaming, prepaid and mobile payment systems.
In this part of the interview we focus on the nature of currency and characteristics of virtual currencies, including Facebook Credits, Warcraft Gold and Linden Dollars.
Next week, in the second half of the interview Jon focuses on Bitcoin – what it is, how it works and how it relates to human rights.
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| << Episode #2 Public diplomacy in the digital age |
All Episodes | Episode #4 >> Bitcoin |
Virtually Policy #2: From Ghana to Second Life – public diplomacy in the digital age
In the second episode of Virtually Policy, Bill May talks with Ren Reynolds about using social media and Second Life in public diplomacy.
After 30 working in the US Government, NGO’s and the private sector, Bill is now working on international public diplomacy initiatives and a social-technology start up venture. He recently left his position at the US State Department as Director of the Office of Innovative Engagement (OIE) where he led public diplomacy initiatives using new media and social networks to engage the world in support of the President, the Secretary of State and key strategic policy objectives. Previously in the State Department, Bill worked with international exchange programs, within the State Department’s Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), where he received a Hammer Award from the Vice President’s office for developing an innovative information system, which improved the information flow between the USG and NGO’s.
In the podcast, Bill talks about using appropriate technologies and themes to engage with people across the globe and across cultures. Including the use of SMS and traditional media for President Obama’s visit to Ghana to bringing American and Egyptian students together in Second Life to create architecture.
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| << Episode #1 Dutch Supreme Court on Virtual Theft |
All Episodes | Episode #3 >> Virtual Currencies & Roach Motels |
Virtually Policy #1: Dutch Supreme Court on Virtual Theft
In the first Virtually Policy podcast, Arno Lodder, professor of internet governance and regulation at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam talks to Ren Reynolds about the Dutch RuneScape trial.
This case, which made it to the Dutch Supreme Court, centred on the issue of whether or not virtual items can be stolen. The Court concluded that they could, and two defendants were convicted of theft. Ardo and Ren discuss the arguments examined by the Court and ask what implications this case hase for the virtual goods business model which now underpins much of the entertainment and social media economy. Further detailed analysis of the case by tVPN and others can be found via links below.
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