As of April 7, Mixi requires a valid (Japanese) cellphone e-mail address in order to sign up for its membership. The only exception is when your "regular" e-mail address belongs to one of the ISP's recognized as "safe" by Mixi. As usual, Mixi will not publish the list of those "safe" providers.
The effect of this new requirement is that people who live abroad will not be able to register for Mixi anymore. It's highly unlikely that those who live abroad have e-mail addresses from those "safe" ISP's in Japan, let alone Japanese cellphones. I tried to see if big names in the U.S. like Comcast and Verizon were possibly included in the safe ISP's list. The answer was "no."
Existing members who live abroad are *probably* safe for now, but who knows? Being as crazy as they have been lately, Mixi may require us to re-register, at which time a valid cellphone address must be entered, or something like that. I don't want that to happen. I hope you share my concern.
Now, here is the "feature request" that asks this new requirement to be removed from the sign-up process. I would appreciate your taking a look at the request and hopefully saying "Yes"(良い)to it so those who live abroad will continue to be able to become part of Mixi.
52 Michael
> All in all, I think their reasonings are...not well thought out, I think it would be better if they ask the community what they want. Even if it's just people that live in Japan I think they would overwhelmingly say that they want people outside of Japan on mixi...
I understand this sort of thinking, but I've been to meetings with Mixi folks and I didn't get the impression that there were a lot of bilingual or internationally-minded people there. To be honest I don't think it's really on their radar.
If it's just anti-spam measures than I'm sure existing users will be safe. Still there are better alternatives that don't require such personal information and exclusion of users, so I'm not convinced about their motives really.
>53 fenomas
>I understand this sort of thinking, but I've been to meetings with Mixi folks and I didn't get the impression that there were a lot of bilingual or internationally-minded people there. To be honest I don't think it's really on their radar.
Sorry to stray off the main topic, but I have to agree to this.
I wouldn't say all of them, but a lot of those who are easy-go-lucky don't really seem to care about what's going on in the world, let alone in their OWN domestic society.
Even though they are learning a foreign language, a lot of them just seem to want to have foreign friends since they believe it's fashionable/cool.
Every time I try to talk about social/political issues with them, I feel isolated, and eventually get disappointed by their shallowness.
From my experience, housewives with no international connections tend to have even narrower views, living in a smaller world.
From them, I get a lot of "It's no use to worry about the future" or "well, it's sho-ganai" responses.
Of course they do care about their kids, but they don't seem to care about what this society could be like in their kid's future whatsoever.
Surprisingly, some of them even don't know how to vote!!
In this country, it's extremely rare to find a person who understands what democracy really is.
>55 devon
Actually, Japanese don't sue so often.
They have been tamed well.
I'm sorry for off-topic, but I could't hold myself.
>56#
>I wouldn't say all of them, but a lot of those who are easy-go-lucky don't really seem to care
>about what's going on in the world, let alone in their OWN domestic society.
And what do you care about? People always care about something you know.
>Even though they are learning a foreign language, a lot of them just seem to want to have
>foreign friends since they believe it's fashionable/cool.
Is it bad? Why would you be learning foreign languages?
>From my experience, housewives with no international connections tend to have even narrower
>views, living in a smaller world.
So your mother was one...OK.
>From them, I get a lot of "It's no use to worry about the future" or "well, it's sho-ganai"
>responses.
So you have more than one mother. Ok.
>Of course they do care about their kids, but they don't seem to care about what this society could
>be like in their kid's future whatsoever.
I see. Could this mean they care but not completely?
>Surprisingly, some of them even don't know how to vote!!
But they have you to tell them about voting. They are surely lucky.
>They have been tamed well.
And you have a grudge against them. Ok.
Clearly you didn't understand the points I was trying to make. But I ll do my best to respectfully answer you.
> And what do you care about? People always care about something you know.
As for things I care about, they are things like the future of my country, and the future of this whole global society. I study English to better understand what is going on in the world and to better understand different people's cultures and ideas. I want to know another country's point of view, and be able to access information that I cannot get with in my own country due to censorship or information control.
> Is it bad? Why would you be learning foreign languages?
I feel it is never bad to learn a language but what can be bad is the reason behind it. Showing off your new friend like an accessory, is disrespectful and in my opinion not a great reason to study a foreign language.
> So your mother was one...OK.
> So you have more than one mother. Ok.
My mother is not a housewife so I wasn't commenting about her. Also I do not have more than one mother, so honestly I have no idea what she has to do with this topic.
Your post seems to be trying to insult me as if I somehow wronged you.
> But they have you to tell them about voting. They are surely lucky.
When they actually start voting, then maybe I will feel lucky too. I asked a 25 year old OL if she voted and she told me she has never voted, nor does she even know how to.
Then I asked why she didn't vote and the answer was no one told her who the candidates were and what they support.
> They have been tamed well.
Do you understand what I meant here? If you did, then I am afraid I don't understand what you mean by "And you have a grudge against them"
>> And what do you care about? People always care about something you know.
>As for things I care about, they are things like the future of my country, and the future of this >whole global society.
What do you do for this future?
>I study English to better understand what is going on in the world and to better
>understand different people's cultures and ideas. I want to know another country's point of view,
Yeah? But you are not flexible enogh to understand people and cultures.
You can learn about them, but never understand. Do you think you're better then those housewives you have mentioned?
>and be able to access information that I cannot get with in my own country due to censorship or
>information control.
You're sure you're not Chinese?
>> Is it bad? Why would you be learning foreign languages?
>I feel it is never bad to learn a language but what can be bad is the reason behind it.
Smells like Chinese propaganda. You wrote in you profile that you were brought up in Tokyo. Is this Japanese attitude you are showing us in here?
>Showing off your new friend like an accessory, is disrespectful and in my opinion not a great
>reason to study a foreign language.
So your reasons are good. And others they just don't have the right to choose. Yes, yes, because of
the censorship you've brought up.
>My mother is not a housewife so I wasn't commenting about her. Also I do not have more than one
What is she? A factory worker? An office-lady?
>mother, so honestly I have no idea what she has to do with this topic.
>Your post seems to be trying to insult me as if I somehow wronged you.
You see. There is not only insluting in this world. There is so much beauty in the World..... And what you see is only insulting.
>When they actually start voting, then maybe I will feel lucky too. I asked a 25 year old OL if she
>voted and she told me she has never voted, nor does she even know how to.
>Then I asked why she didn't vote and the answer was no one told her who the candidates were
>and what they support.
You are sure you are not from China?
>Do you understand what I meant here? If you did, then I am afraid I don't understand what you
>mean by "And you have a grudge against them"
Do you understand what you wrote? You expressed you anger that was obvious.
Hmm, well I think paying so that I can meet people is really weird...I wanted to join mixi because I thought there would be more people my age, I read it was the most wildly used Japanese "social networking site", I also tried a language exchange once, and when I finally met someone it was really weird. On mixi I actually met people that I would feel fine meeting if I visited Japan. (aka, someone that really seems like they want to be my friend, just not practice English; more like myspace) Most of my mixi friends actually don't know English very well, so we talk in Japanese more often.
I hope I contribute to mixi, so while if mixi stopped all non-Japan traffic, I think that would have a even larger effect as people from Japan wouldn't be logging in as often to talk to the non-Japan residents. I could say that I often buy Japanese products via importing them, however most Japanese products are "Not intended for sale outside of Japan" so I don't think companies would accept this argument. mixi has been the best site I have found for meeting people from Japan who share a lot of interests with me that many of my American friends don't such as Japanese music and culture.
I signed up Mixi last week.
I also require the cellphone e-mail address.
I'm Japanese so I could resister it.
But foreign people can't resister here from now on.
Perhaps Japanese policy is not open mind.
It's regrettable what Mixi administarative
decided this kind of policy.
It's like a "Sakoku" in Edo period.
I haven't been asked to re-register yet.
I wonder when it will happen to me?
I don't get it.... myspace, facebook and other social networking sites just like mixi that ARE open world-wide AND they're safe, secure and free. (some even multilingual)
Yet the mixi admins think that excluding foreigners will make it safer?
I don't think they're trying hard enough to make this site better.
Business benefit from being open anyway. Where's the "Yokoso Japan!" campaign when we need it?
So...this exclusion rule, is the opposite of progress.
I am not going to reply to you after this because obviously you seem to be paranoid with those ideas:
1. McCarthyism
2. Japanese CAN'T criticize Japan *shrug*
3. a lack of logic in your comment
4. too much obsession with my mom
5. 3 times visits at my account during this short term, which scares the heck out of me
It's sad that mixi wants to enforce such a strict policy, but I almost understand where they're coming from. I've noticed on some forums, there will be a thread just for mixi invites, and it's ridiculous how many of them are given away (these are English-speaking forums, just to clarify). So I feel like they're taking up "internet space" because I don't think those people are really serious about making international relationships and I highly doubt a lot of them can speak or are at least studying Japanese. Hmm...maybe instead, mixi should have a "mini quiz" in Japanese to test if you are capable of navigating the site, because I mean really, what's the point of being on mixi if you can't read Japanese?
I made some Japanese friends on Mixi and I live in Australia. I happened to have met my current girlfriend through Mixi. No we did not internet date, but it was through Mixi that we first began communications.
My Japanese is terrible, however I can easily navigate this site even though I don't understand the text, it's not that difficult. With the amount of hits and advertising, I don't think it's anything to do with lack of capital. However, I believe the companies that pay for the advertisements complained to Mixi saying that they are wasting their money on the foreign members. That may be the reason in my opinion.
odd how mixi is trying to reduce users when other social networks are working towards making thiers global...
someone mentioned safety... is it safe to give out your phone number to a network that tracks who's site you'd been to? still, it's nice to see who's stalking you.
Some of us asked Mixi whether it would be possible for them to reconsider this new requirement. They did reply to us, for which we are grateful. Unfortunately, they are pretty adamant on their position to keep the policy intact. :(
You can change your cellphon e-mail address, but if I'm not mistaken, Mixi requires the hardware ID of the phone itself when you sign up. That sure tracks you down.
Making new friends who have different culture backgrounds is very refreshing and interestingNot having the opportunity to meet new people and their customs is like not allowing them to enter a foreign countryThis is one of the many ways to maybe keep in touch with friends in Japan that you may have left behind or family if you don't wish to pay overmuch on the phoneIt's a wonderful experience to meet new friends and peopleso I say that Mixi shouldn't prohibit people living abroad to join.
Oh nooooo...
Too bad...
I don't know why this policy is so important...
usually, in japan, almost everyone has a mobile phone, so we are so easy to sigh in here, but..outside of Japan, where people don't email from mobiles, it'd be so hard....
I also want to meet and talk here on mixi English Only community..like us!!
What a shame... we're losing this chance...
Hope soon this idea would move the mixi authority and change it to a better way in the future...
Let's open our minds like a global way!!
during the time I've been here, I have greatly contributed to all japanese Mixi users who needed my assistence. Through Mixi, I have provided help and advice for at least 30 people or more, who came to Portugal. I've met many nof them personally and we had a wonderful time.
I've also done my best to give portuguese language help to many japanese people through my blog.
I've never invited a single person to come to Mixi, nor have I ever received any spam.
If I'm not mistaken, foreign people are still the minority in Mixi.
By excluding the chance for foreign people to join, it is the japanese who will lose the most, in the long term. We live in a globalised world, and if you think you can create a website that applies policies that (unintentionally) make it an elitist site, then it will not last long.
If I was asked to re-register with a cell-phone account, I would have to ask a japanese friend to help me. but why would I want to do that, knowing that Mixi would not see me as a welcome person? I would just give up on Mixi completely.
a lot of people have had great experiences by meeting with foreign/japanese friends in this site. And personal experiences are the reason why people log on to Mixi.
I am sad that Mixi has adopted this policy, since it will not really reduce spam in my opinion. Spammers will just find another way to do their work.
WTF Mixi?!
何でよ!? I don't think thats logical in the slightest. At least I registered in time though.
If I do get banned then I'll be heading over to myspace/japan!
XENOPHOBIA Sucks!
That's sad to hear, no wonder my friend could not sign up. =(
Well, it makes sense, and it also might help cut down on people signing up and then just leaving their accounts. Still, it may stop many foreigners from going onto mixi/making friends.
Wow this is bad >.< But maybe it isn't so bad as people say, because they probably just want it so invites are spammed to every single person someone meets, or possibly for other reasons....
These new make me sad. To hear that foreigners will no longer be able to get a mixi account. I can understand that they certain things sometimes have to be done for safety measures, but surely there was another way to go about it. Being a foreign member myself I am glad that I was able to get an account here before this started, but I am now worried in case they do a re-register with a Japanese cell phone email address! In which case this happens I'll have to find new ways to connect to all the new friends I've been able to make here on mixi.
I was going to invite a good friend of mine to the Mixi today... until I read this. It's a pity that mixi is not allowing others outside of Japan to register any more. :<
I hope they won't shut out foreigners that are currently in the mixi.
This new rule of mixi's really sucks.
My mom and mother-in-law don't own a cell phone.
I got my parents to sign up before mixi required cell phone email addresses, but I invited my mom-in-law after this damn rule took effect.
My parents and in-laws live in Tokyo and our family lives in Yamaguchi.
We have a 1 year old son, who is the first grandson for both sets of grand parents.
My parents get to see him over mixi by checking out my diaries and movies that I upload, but my in-laws miss out on this.
I don't understand why mixi is asking for two email addresses to register in the first place.
This not only shuts out people who don't live in Japan, but also Japanese people who don't own cell phones.
Not everyone checks mixi from their cell phones (although I do very often), and it shouldn't be a requirement to have a valid cell phone email address in order to simply sign up.
I'm sure that they feel this is a way to limit spam from free overseas email, but it seems specifically designed to limit foreigners from joining Mixi.
Speaking for myself, I interact with people here in Japanese and post my diary in Japanese - and I have made some interesting friends here. I'm sorry that the people who run Mixi will allow fear to overrule community.
MySpace and Facebook are already making inroads into Mixi's market. It seems like a very near-signted decision. What a shame. So much for a global community.