crowdsourcing | storytelling | citizenship

People’s Insights: Volume 1, Issue 13

Path

Path

Source: http://path.com , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfQ03VcOfuc

Path is a social networking app for mobile devices, downloaded from

App Store and Google Play. It is a 'smart journal' on which people share

their lives on the go with the 150 people closest to them.

Capturing experiences

Source: http://socialsteak.com/2011/12/17/why-you-should-be-using-path-2-review/ ,

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/path/id403639508?mt=8

Path started off as a mere private photo-sharing service, but

expanded to include places, thoughts, music, sleep, etc, giving people

a place to share their experiences.

Limiting friends to 150

Source: http://gigaom.com/2012/03/14/path-150-friends/ ,

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/technology/15photo.html?_r=1

The developers felt social networkers crave intimate interactions with

small circles; most people stay in touch with only 20 to 30 people at a

time. It's akin to a private social network with people who matter.

Connections are mutual

Source: http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

Unlike Twitter, where users can follow anybody, Path is more like

Facebook, allowing users to share stories with friends. Users can

add friends directly from their phone address books.

Like Instagram & Facebook with fewer friends

Source: http://www.mamapop.com/ , http://geekgirlmanila.com/

With Path's initial focus on photo-sharing, it was compared to Instagram

and PicPlz. As Path allowed users to share everything, it was compared

to Facebook – more so with the latter's shift to Timeline and mobile.

Companion, not rival to social networks

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/30/2599934/path-2-0-hands-on-new-ui-sharing-

options-150-friends , http://mashable.com/2011/03/11/path-facebook-sharing/

Path is positioned as a companion to social networks. Users can post

photos and videos to their Facebook walls and add friends from there.

Updates can also be shared on Foursquare and Twitter.

Anti social-network

Source: http://www.postadvertising.com/ , http://www.sfgate.com/

While social networks constantly push users to expand their circles and

go more 'social', Path encourages users to form quality circles to share

stuff for a more personal and less 'social' experience.

The personal journal

Source: http://techcrunch.com , https://twitter.com/#!/ailon

Experts said that while Path was like Facebook, its design was more

advanced and it afforded more intimacy and privacy. The strategy

worked – it was downloaded more than 1.5 million times in a year.

Rocked by privacy controversy

Source: http://mashable.com/2012/02/08/path-dave-morin-apology/ ,

http://mashable.com/2012/02/08/path-address-book-controversy/

Downloads dropped when a developer from Singapore found that Path

was accessing information on users' phones. The CEO's apology

reiterated Path's views on privacy. This received a mixed response.

Challenges

Source: http://techcrunch.com , http://mashable.com/2010/11/15/path-launches/

Critics lashed out at Path's 'short-term thinking'. Some of the challenges

cited were saturation of the social space, the trend of sharing more and

not less, and being typified as another Facebook with a small user base.

Revenue stream

Source: http://mashable.com/2011/03/11/path-facebook-sharing/ ,

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Creating a scalable revenue stream was a challenge. Path introduced

'Lenses' for 99 cents and partnered with Nike to build Nike+ GPS for

revenue. Potentially, the social 'inner circle' could be worth a lot.

Mobile: A clear vision for the future

Source: http://www.johnhaydon.com/ , http://memeburn.com/

Recognising that mobile devices are the future, Path encouraged

frictionless sharing via mobile. Facebook did the same with Timeline. All

social apps are going mobile, making networking more convenient.

More People’s Insights Weekly reports

For more reports, visit: peopleslab.mslgroup.com/peoplesinsights/

Every week, we dive into one topic for discussion on the MSLGROUP

Insight’s Network and discuss insights and foresights, in three key

areas: crowdsourcing, storytelling and citizenship.

CrowdsourcingMahindra Spark the Rise

Storytelling:@MarsCuriosity

Citizenship#Kony2012

Read People’s Lab insights and foresights

The People’s Lab team shares the insights and foresights from the

MSLGROUP Insights Network on the People’s Insights weekly blog and

the People’s Insights Quarterly magazine.

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For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

Coming soon: People’s Insights Annual

Report

In early January 2013 we will publish the People’s Insights Annual

Report, in which we synthesize our insights from throughout 2012 and

provide foresights for business leaders and change-makers for 2013.

People’s Lab: Crowdsourcing Insights &

Innovation

People’s Lab is MSLGROUP’s proprietary crowdsourcing platform and

approach that helps organizations tap into people’s insight for

innovation, storytelling and change.

For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

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