Craigslist Founder Craig Newmark Speaks on IdeasProject.com

San Francisco, CA (Gawkwire.com) Customer service expert and founder of Craigslist, Craig Newmark, says Internet connectivity changes the balance between centralized expertise and the power derived from online consumer reviews, networking and other forms of user feedback. This trend lends weight to our existing system of grassroots democracy.

A video interview with Newmark discussing how the Internet has influenced the emerging balance between central authority versus grassroots democracy is featured on IdeasProject, a unique website developed by Nokia. IdeasProject is an online "information space" that provides a new way to interact with thought leaders and their big ideas about the future of connected communications. For more on Newmark's big idea, visit: http://www.ideasproject.com/idea_person.webui?id=4405

"We have a pretty good system of representative democracy, though flawed, which is now being increasingly balanced by online grassroots networking," said Newmark. "This combination affects all kinds of industries such as advertising, where user reviews combined with expert reviews are becoming more important to consumers than merely conventional advertising."

"Newmark hits on one of the most powerful features of the Internet; its ability to connect you with other people and facilitate near immediate feedback," said Valerie Buckingham, Director of Technology Marketing, Nokia. "The Internet opens up all communication, leveling a playing field which was previously dominated by industries not interested in grassroots voices. We look forward to sharing more of Newmark's provocative thoughts on how the Internet influences the balance between centralized and grassroots democracy on IdeasProject."

Over the next several months, editors from the IdeasProject are featuring their favorite ideas as submitted by the public and sending a Nokia N95 to the 'Big Thinker' who contributed. Share and submit your 'Big Idea' with the world by visiting http://master.ideasproject.com/userideasubmit.webui