Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist
UGCX Feb. 9
One way of looking at the Internet: inclusion, informs everything we’re doing
At Charles Schwab in 1994: the Internet is how all brokers should be using, usergroups, showing people the well, early virtual community.
Saw a lot of people helping others, 1995 started cclist, talking about cool events
Engaged in email discussion, talking and listening: in 1995 ppl said maybe jobs could be added to the list, then something to sell, apartment shortage in SF, ask ppl to let him know apts they saw in neighborhoods. Ppl sent feedback, try to do something that made sense and then ask for more feedback. Try to do something with the feedback
Now a customer service rep, part-time,
With 240 emails on cclist, wasn’t working, so looking for message board
Didn’t know what brands were, calling it craigslist forced continual re-engagement.
Turned email folders into html
1997 million-page views per month
microsoft asked to run banner ads
1999 became a real company, did customer svs and programming
end of 1999 rewrote code and created a real database. Hasn’t done coding in 10 years “kinda sad as a nerd.”
1999-2000 “ppl helped me realize my limitations as a manager” so hired now-CEO
a lot of companies talk about customer service, but the hard part is doing it and doing it more
lead, follow, or get out of the way: ppl who started companies would continue running them and run them into the ground.
Hurricane Katrina survivors started repurposing the site to do survivor relocation, then ppl started offering housing and jobs. Stayed out of the way, didn’t care that ppl were using the site for other purposes, were doing a lot to help ppl.
Ppl are overwhelmingly good and polite. Finding that the community is overwhelming trustworthy and the community does an excellent job of policing it.
Many ppl out there who want to get attn and don’t care how they get it: ppl posting ugly stuff usually to get attention. Racism, bickering. But these ppl may not be as racist as they seem, just trying to get attn. Love the sinner, hate the sin. After 14 years, can make for a really bad day.
Sometimes ppl cross the line into criminal behavior. Be prepared to do with police. Operator of site isn’t necessarily responsible for content.
Blog: cnewmark.com
Craigslist isn’t altruistic or noble, but business model is to do well as a business by doing well for the greater good.
Ppl ask: why does craigslist work? We treat ppl the way we want to be treated, this is an international truism. The hard part is saying it and then doing it. It’s the core value of most world religions.
Nothing noble, just universal shard values
For any user-generated content site to succeed, have to build a community that shares a sense of values
There’s a balance between the people who use the site, sometimes we get involved, but only when there’s problems. Balance between authority and community.
Harkens to founding principles of the country: balance between the power holders and the citizens
People elect you by choosing to visit your site
With the Internet, social associations are scaled
Community organizing: KIVA.org, donorschoose.org
People organizing for greater good
User-generated content in government: design and build discussion boards where ppl discuss how gov’t should work. How get best stuff voted to the top and get the politicians to listen