Social Media Links for May 27th through August 6th:

• How Cellphones, Twitter and Facebook can make history: Ted talks Clay Shirky – Thanks to Delicious user Caffeinebomb for sending this in.
  (http://delicious.com/caffeinebomb & http://twitter.com/caffeinebomb)
• Australian Local Council starts using Birmingham’s social media surgeries | Be Vocal – The fantastic social media surgery concept, pioneered in Birmingham by Pete Ashton and developed by Nick Booth, is taken up in Australia.
• How Andrew Stott is setting Whitehall a-Twitter | Technology | The Guardian – Brief profile and interview with the man who is teaching politicians and civil servants how to engage with the public via social media tools (not just Twitter).
• Guardian on their influential readers – This is interesting. A presentation from The Guardian & Observer advertising sales team regarding influence within their readers. Now newspapers aren't just selling their readers as a demographic to advertisers: they're selling the network of their readership to brands.
• Timms takes over Digital Britain brief | Technology | guardian.co.uk – A new minister in the hot-seat to drive forward Digital Britain, the UK Government's strategy and vision for the digital economy, and the required infrastructure and skills development that will make this possible.
• twopointouch | Surrender! Foucault and Twitter – A brief overview of how we might apply Foucault's ideas to social media, with some useful links to further reading.