Life after TED — real requests, special spam

Two weeks ago, I was chosen speaker of the day at TED.com — and since then, life has been different.

I have no idea if it’s the same for everyone. But with more than half a million views, interesting forms of attention have come my way. The power of the TED brand is stronger than I had ever imagined, and I am now looking forward to exciting travels and new keynotes and sessions for 2016. (Do get in touch via andreas at andreasekstrom dot se if you wish to place an inquiry of some sort!)

But the most fun so far, I have had with what we might call ”spam deluxe”. Among the serious researchers, reporters, organizers and authors that have contacted me, I have also had a few fairly skilled hustlers get in touch. My favorite: the guy who is posing as an author and think tank dude, who wants me to contribute to a book.

The catch?

I will have to pay a small fee to get my copies sent to me…

I did some research on the man, and found a well-painted facade with absolutely nothing behind it. Targeting the vanity of TED speakers, how is that for a sustainable digital industry?

How spam can still be a business may baffle anyone who is the least bit digitally savvy. But let me just remind you: well over 50 percent of the world’s population is still not online. However, within the next ten years, a majority of them will be. New suckers are connected every day, and with a cost close to zero to send out literally millions of messages, be sure that the spam will continue to be delivered.

And it will become more sophisticated, too. As the rest of the internet becomes personalized, I can’t see why spam wouldn’t.

I promise to let you know when they finally get me.

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Andreas Ekström is a journalist, analyst, author and keynote speaker — based in Sweden, but working all around the world. He writes on Medium most Tuesdays. Read more here: http://www.andreasekstrom.se/english/