★ The Most Expensive Social Network

I just received this from SXSW:

Let me translate this for you. If I don’t spend a minimum of $695 (as of this writing) for a pass to SXSW, the profile I created last year that includes all of my information along with photos, bio and interests will be deleted as if it never existed. It won’t be deactivated so I can retrieve it a year from now if I choose to attend SXSW in 2013. Instead, my profile will be deleted.

This $700 ransom for a profile I created after spending over $2,000 on SXSW tickets (not including travel) over the last 4 years is absurd and a punch in the face. It’s frankly embarrassing.

PS: SXSW, you’re using the YouTube icon owned by Apple, Inc for us in their iOS application for the YouTube app. You’d be wise to cease the use of this and use one of these instead.