Voxpop

Virtual conferences and events are rising in popularity as companies seek to cut travel costs. Which event would you like to see go online, and why?

Given that there is so much talk about digital Britain, let’s have the Government lead the way and put parliamentary proceedings online. Let’s see and hear MPs answering to the webcam, not the Speaker. Constituents could e-submit questions for their MPs to answer, making representation much more ’real time’. They could introduce a virtual ’Hear, hear’ tool, perhaps with a digital paper-clutching fist that MPs can wave. Best of all, they wouldn’t then need second homes or be tempted to submit dodgy expense claims.

Fred Burt, Managing director, Siegel & Gale

This is an easy question to answer because I have been a virtual visitor to TED conferences for some time, and I have already enjoyed their insights and inspirations from the comfort of wherever I have happened to be with my laptop. The part of conferences that are about the transmission of knowledge, vision and experience can be well covered virtually. I don’t think you miss much not being there in the room, but of course it’s no good for networking.

Nik Roope, Founder, Poke

Online events don’t deserve the word ’event’ yet. And some very dull events should only be online. What about shared emotions, organic interaction, and touching and twiddling? ’Virtual events’ are still very basic and only possible if your rich content is not reaching your audience through one pipeline. I choose Oktoberfest, the Munich beer festival, as a marker. When that is available online, I shall also order two tickets for the Humble Piefest.

Tim Elliott, Creative director, Jack Morton Worldwide

As someone who is still very much a ’floating voter’, looking at all the options on the political landscape, I am looking forward to hearing what the leaders of the three main political parties have to say in the groundbreaking television debates. It would be great to see these broadcasts put up online so that they can reach the biggest audience possible, perhaps including a live polling mechanism where we can voice our appreciation and disdain free from the constraints of the studio audience regulations.

Syd Nadim, Founder, Clock

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