My friend, Kirsty McGill, recently blogged some enlightening thoughts about using the web and social networking tools to amplify public events:

Online amplification is basically any live, online activity which gives a digital dimension to the proceedings thus enabling remote participation and creating an online record of the event.  There are therefore two parallel aims – to generate conversation/interaction and to archive.

Any social networking tools could be used to amplify an event, although some are perhaps more suited to this purpose than others.  Twitter is fast becoming the mainstay, but it is by far the be all and end all.  Blogs, video streaming, live chat rooms, slide sharing and services such as Cover It Live all have a role to play and can effectively allow multiple entry points to the event so participants can engage through whichever single or combination of services best suit their needs.

But how do you co-ordinate all of this stuff? Should you try to co-ordinate it?  And how do you get your flesh participants involved without distracting them?

For some potential answers to these questions, read more here: Big Digital Feet