Lessons from ancient social media | Tom Standage | TEDxOxbridge

Social media isn't the just sign of modern times but, Tom Standage explains, of ancient ones, too. At TEDxOxbridge, he takes us on a tour of the history of how news and ideas were spread and discussed -- from the letters of Cicero to the coffee houses of Elizabethan England -- and shows that social media is not that new after all. Tom Standage (@tomstandage) is digital editor at The Economist and editor-in-chief of its website, Economist.com. He has been editor of the Technology Quarterly supplement, which covers emerging technology, since 2003. Tom is also the author of six history books, including the forthcoming "Writing on the Wall" (October 2013), the New York Times bestseller "A History of the World in Six Glasses" (2005), and "The Victorian Internet" (1998), a history of the telegraph. He holds a degree in engineering and computer science from Oxford University, and is the least musical member of a musical family. He is married and lives in London. This talk was part of the "Connecting Through Time" session at TEDxOxbridge "Timeless Ideas" in Oxford, England at the Said Business School on June 1, 2013. Find out more about TEDxOxbridge at www.tedxoxbridge.com or on Facebook or Twitter (@tedxoxbridge). About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)