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A smart mob is defined as a group that, contrary to the usual connotations of a mob, behaves intelligently or efficiently because of its quadratically increasing network links, enabling people to connect to information and others, to perform a task allowing a form of social coordination. Parallels are made to, for instance, slime molds. The concept was introduced by Howard Rheingold in his book ''Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution''. According to Rheingold, smart mobs are an indication of the evolving communication technologies that will empower the people. In 2002, the "smart mob" concept was highlighted in the ''New York Times'' "Year in Ideas." These growing technologies include the Internet, computer-mediated communication such as Internet Relay Chat, and wireless devices like mobile phones and personal digital assistants. Methodologies like peer-to-peer networks and ubiquitous computing are also changing the ways in which people organize and share information. Smart mobs sometimes are manipulated by the dispatchers who control the 'mobbing system' (i.e., those who own the contact list and the means to forward instant messages to a group) and are induced to cause distress and aggravation to individuals who have been targeted or singled out for whatever reason. There is a tendency to keep the dynamics of smart mobbing 'covert', and not to discuss such incidents on the internet. ==Early instances== According to CNN, the first smart mobs were teenage "thumb tribes" in Tokyo and Helsinki who used text messaging on cell phones to organize impromptu raves or to stalk celebrities. For instance, in Tokyo, crowds of teenage fans would assemble seemingly spontaneously at subway stops where a rock musician was rumored to be headed. However, an even earlier example is the ''Dîner en blanc'' phenomenon, which has taken place annually in Paris, France, since 1988, for one night around the end of June. The invited guests wear only white clothes and gather at a chosen spot, knowledge of which they have only a short time beforehand. They bring along food, drink, chairs and a table and the whole group then gathers to have a meal, after which they disperse. The event has been held each year in different places in the centre of Paris. It is not a normal cultural event because it is not advertised and only those who have received an invite attend - information on the chosen location is transferred by text message or more recently Twitter. The number of people attending has grown, in 2011, to over 10,000.〔(essen-und-trinken.de ), ''Le Diner Blanc: weißes Dinner in Paris''. (German )〕 ''Dîner en blanc'' would be considered a smart mob rather than a flash mob, because the event lasts for several hours. In the days after the U.S. presidential election of 2000, online activist Zack Exley anonymously created a website that allowed people to suggest locations for gatherings to protest for a full recount of the votes in Florida. On the first Saturday after the election, more than 100 significant protests took place—many with thousands of participants—without any traditional organizing effort. Exley wrote in December 2000 that the self-organized protests "demonstrated that a fundamental change is taking place in our national political life. It's not the Internet per se, but the emerging potential for any individual to communicate -- for free and anonymously if necessary -- with any other individual."〔("Organizing Online" ) ''Mother Jones'', December 2000〕 In the Philippines in 2001, a group of protesters organized via text messaging gathered at the EDSA Shrine, the site of the 1986 revolution that overthrew Ferdinand Marcos, to protest the corruption of President Joseph Estrada. The protest grew quickly, and Estrada was soon removed from office.〔("Day of the smart mobs" ), CNN〕 The Critical Mass bicycling events, dating back to 1992, are also sometimes compared to smart mobs, due to their self-organizing manner of assembly.〔("Dadaist lunacy or the future of protest?" ), Social Issues Research Center〕〔("Flash! Mobs in the Age of Mobile Connectivity" ) ''Fibreculture Journal'', issue 6〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Smart mob」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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