It'll be a nightmare. Everyone will spread shitty content as many already do just to make some cash. Catchy headlines, with numbers in them and pages with screenshots and pictures about things the author generally don't master, just to make money. The real, the useful content from smart people (not only marketers) will be harder to find - directeur from NoiseRiver

@directeur: The information filtering problem was going to hit us regardless of the economic climate. If we come up with better ways to reshape our personal news streams I'll be happy. - Daniel J. Pritchett

NoiseRiver, think beyond the content play alone, what about technology startups? Not just media side - Jeremiah Owyang

I think it will help drive innovation as well as an increased focus on efficient processes, like you said. - Brian Chappell

Every crisis always leads to more innovation. In a crisis risks are valued differently, creating more opportunities. I do absolutely agree with your statement - Aad 't Hart

economic downturns always makes people more creative. What I managed to do with Roman Noodles back in the day was nothing short of miraculous. - chartreuse

I wrote this morning about this exact idea, it is time to adapt and innovate. I definitely think that many tools will "fall by the wayside". - Rob Diana

Funny Jeremiah just called me NoiseRiver ;) Seriously, I DO agree that the "need" is a "creativity's" generator. I'm just affraid that a great need will have some dirty <side>effects. And yes, I do care about content more than the tools. Tools when used for/by/with bad content will seem useless and vain. - directeur from NoiseRiver

I am just waiting for the one take all social media portal. Similar to friendfeed but more intuitive. - Brad Wrage

oh snap, i meant directeur sorry - Jeremiah Owyang

I think the opportunity is definitely there - unfortunately i think that alot of businesses paradoxically shy away from trying something new during times like these out of a fear that they will waste dwindling resources so it could take stronger more forceful convincing - Marco(aureliusmaximus)

Agree, focus on profits need to return. Good time to really make trackable insights fly, good time to be in analytics, brand monitoring social media spaces. Could put an squeeze on crazy crowdsourcing models because now more than ever effort needs to equate with returns. - Dan Rockwell from twhirl

I noticed, with chagrin, that for all the advice to "hunker down" and "reduce overhead" nobody, and I mean nobody has suggested that all these VC-funded startups actually try to make a profit. Is that a concept that is considered passe? - MVB (Curmudgeon of FF)

It will be good for social media because it will force convergence of the multiple tools that exist and overlap. Then the model will truly emerge - Francine Hardaway from twhirl

One good thing about a downturn is that it roots out bad ideas, and companies. One bad thing is that investment money will likely just go on 'sure things' and not on 'out there', radical ideas. One other good thing: big companies let smart people go, and these smart people may then start up their own businesses. - john conroy

I hope so, there's a lot of crap out there... bad UIs, marginal use cases, no path to profit conrtribution, etc. What I really want to know is, what site is running the best Dead Pool? - LogEx

A lot of out-of-work people will be spending a LOT of time on Youtube, methinks. - Steve Lynch from twhirl