Rosie Niven

Private messaging from Audioboo

I must admit that I have been very lazy about putting Audioboo to good use. That could all change with the recent introduction of private messaging via its web service.

One of Audioboo’s drawbacks until now is the fact that you have to share your boo with the world. Today, I received an email saying that Audioboo has now introduced private messaging and when I logged into my account I found a private boo from Audioboo fan Stephen Fry explaining the changes.

Private messaging allows you to boo anyone who has an Audioboo account privately. They can boo you back by replying to your message. At the moment, it’s only available on the internet, but the company expects it to be on its mobile services before long.

This is great news for journalists. Earlier this year journalism lecturer Paul Bradshaw alerted me to Audioboo’s potential as an everyday tool. Until then, I had thought of it more as a means of broadcasting or publicising your work. But when Paul used Audioboo to answer some questions I’d sent him when researching an article, I realised that Audioboo is also a quick way of getting quotes from people.

The privacy that the personal messaging service offers is likely to increase Audioboo’s use as a way of quickly recording and sharing quotes. Of course, it relies on both parties being tech savvy and Audioboo users. However, as mobile platforms are added, I can see personal messages becoming yet another tool for anyone whose job includes interviewing people.

Of course, it could also become another outlet for drunken ramblings that people live to regret when sober, but that’s another story!