Debate online – Friction.tv

Friction.tv believes that disagreement – or friction – is a vital element for a healthy debate, to reach new insights and to find out what’s really going on in society. We need disagreement before we can start to find some answers.

Gosh, I love a good argument, those who turn off comments for the sake of “peace” don’t know what they are missing out on. Friction.TV is a clever little site.

Friction.tv is an online platform for user generated news and opinion. We exist to give you the opportunity to air your views and respond to the opinions of others. You can debate issues of local interest to you or discuss points of global importance. Either way, Friction.tv will provide an interesting and stimulating alternative to the sanitised, agenda driven mediocrity of the conventional mass media.

How does it work?

Friction.tv works by sparking debates. The concept is straightforward. Anyone with an opinion on any issue can post a video recording of 30 seconds or maximum of 3 minutes. This sparks others into action: to shout out support; to put across a different view; or just to debate the point. Like a real debate, there is no absolute right or wrong, only a collection of different views that allows the viewer to make up his own mind.

User generated controversy

Friction.tv believes that disagreement – or friction – is a vital element for a healthy debate, to reach new insights and to find out what’s really going on in society. We need disagreement before we can start to find some answers. So we’re looking for many different voices and encourage you to upload your video to voice your opinion in ongoing debates or to start new debates. (read more)

I guess it’s not terribly different from a bunch of other consumer generated video sites that target a niche, but they went out and got famous people to do short burst for debates.

For example, Emma Thompson on sex trafficking exhibition.

But you can create and upload your own debate topic. Even Santa Claus is getting in on the act! o.O He has 429 comments and 1 video response.

I found out about the site because I’ve been watching the UK politician David Cameron’s WebCameron poddies on iTunes. Now he’s moved them on to Friction.tv. 6 comments only, so far. Now the challenge is for him to improve his appeal. Nothing like a little Web 2.0 conversation to tell you whether you are reaching an audience or not.

In Australia, I think we are flocking to see the few vidcasts by politicians that are out there, because of the novelty of leaving a comment. That is never responded to. Once that novelty has worn off, it’ll be too late, and the politicians will need to make their videos more meaningful if they want viewing – which will mean proactive engagement. In other words, not preaching but discourse. Will the politicians return to passive broadcast? Well they can try, but I’m not sure how long it will continue to be effective (if it was ever really effective).

Wasn’t there a video upload site here in Australia for politics? I thought it was vequence, but that site seems more general. If you wanted to create some friction, where would you go, hmmm?

Me? I love a good stoush. That’s why I have a blog. And Facebook. And Twitter. And … (I really should refuse to join any online community that would have me as a member. Hat tip: Groucho Marx.)