mnmlist: London 2012: The Most Social Games Ever? It’s Inevitable.

Artist - Space Hijackers (UK) // site specific install next to Olympic Village, East London

Artist – Space Hijackers (UK) // site specific install next to Olympic Village, East London

 

Reading through the Brand Guidelines for the 2012 Games [pdf], I don’t see much that is as unreasonable as the two recent over-zealous enforcements (the chips issue and the police/plastic bags silliness).

Given IOC’s promise that this would be the most social Olympics ever, it’s even more surprising that the organisers are constantly on the back foot as social media helps these gaffes spread faster that a Usain Bolt 100m dash.

TIcket holders however are subject to the following agreement:

Images, video and sound recordings of the Games taken by a Ticket Holder cannot be used for any purpose other than for private and domestic purposes and a Ticket Holder may not license, broadcast or publish video and/or sound recordings, including on social networking websites and the internet more generally, and may not exploit images, video and/or sound recordings for commercial purposes under any circumstances, whether on the internet or otherwise, or make them available to third parties for commercial purposes. [my emphasis]

Participants and ‘other accredited persons’ are subject to equally restrictive terms [pdf]:

So while you have this

The IOC encourages participants and other accredited persons to post comments on
social media platforms or websites and tweet during the Olympic Games, and it is entirely
acceptable for a participant or any other accredited person to do a personal posting, blog
or tweet.

You also have this:

Participants and other accredited persons cannot post any video and/or audio of the
events, competitions or any other activities which occur at Olympic Venues. Such video
and/or audio must only be for personal use and must not be uploaded and/or shared to a
posting, blog or tweet on any social media platforms, or to a website.

 

It will be the most social games ever, but perhaps not in the way the IOC thinks. Brace yourself for an online brew of indifference, defiance and mischief.