|
|
This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations. |
aSmallWorld is an online social network service similar to Friendster. Dubbed "Snobster" by critics, it is an exclusive invitation-only network with roughly 270,000 members [1]. Founded by Erik Wachtmeister, a former investment banker and INSEAD graduate, and the son of a former Swedish ambassador to the United States, the network includes supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Marcus Schenkenberg, Ivanka Trump, Bruno Santos, Massimiliano Neri, Isabeli Fontana, Lisa Cant, Singers and Musicians such as James Blunt, and Josh Groban; Film directors Quentin Tarantino, Renny Harlin and Andrew Waller, Sport champion Tiger Woods, socialities and businessmen Emanuele Filiberto Di Savoia, James Ferragamo and David Reuben.
Contents |
Features
aSmallWorld shares many features with other social network services, such as profiles, an event calendar, and private messaging. Unlike most other such services, aSmallWorld allows users to list multiple cities as their location of residence. aSmallWorld offers 65 detailed "city guides" written by its members detailing and rating high-quality clubs, bars and restaurants. Members can also buy, sell, and auction items using aSmallWorld's private forums or even rent property or find a flatmate.
Members
According to Wachtmeister, "members are people with large personal networks, frequent travel and highly active personally." Most aSmallWorld users come from European countries. London, New York and Paris are the top three cities of residence. Wachtmeister has been quoted as stating that only some members have the right to invite others, as determined by a panel that factors in more than a dozen variables for eligibility. According to Wachtmeister, aSmallWorld keeps "track of people's behavior and we actually do kick people out." Members are not allowed to discuss the inner goings-on of aSmallWorld on any outside website, and doing so may result in internal exile to "aBigWorld".
aBigWorld
aSmallWorld is patrolled regularly for suspicious activity or members who are not closely connected enough to its main userbase. Problematic users are immediately exiled to a separate network called aBigWorld; when exiled users log in, they will find that the color scheme of the website has changed from blue to green, and they no longer have access to aSmallWorld profiles or forum posts.
Funding
With its cachet of exclusivity, the site has attracted the interest of film producer Harvey Weinstein. In May 2006, his company invested a significant amount in the site as their first online venture.[2]
References
- "Teaching case on aSmallWorld" by Thomas Langenberg and Alexander Schellong (Program on Networked Governance, Harvard University), ksg.harvard.edu/netgov, June 2007
- "Social Software Company Profiles Wiki: aSmallWorld" by David Teten, TheVirtualHandshake.com, July 2005
- "Bin Laden in 'Hell'" by Xeni Jardin, Wired Magazine, August 2005
- aSmallWorld Gets Even Smaller by the editors, Gawker.com, 6 October 2004


