Tom Coates (technologist)
Tom Coates (Born 19 July 1972) is an early weblogger based in London, England, who has been writing plasticbag.org since 1999. He's also well-known as an expert in social software and for his thinking on future media distribution and the web of data.
Educated at the Norwich School, the University of Bristol and the London College of Printing, Coates currently works for Yahoo! Tech Development with Caterina Fake and Jeremy Zawodny . Previously, he worked at the BBC running an R&D team for BBC Radio, and before that he developed the geo-coded online community UpMyStreet Conversations. He has also developed online communities for emap and was Production Editor of Time Out's website . His professional written work includes film reviews for the BBC , contributions to Time Out city guides and comment pieces on technology for The Guardian.
His weblog has won a number of Bloggies including Best European Weblog (2001, 2002), Best Gay/Lesbian/Trans weblog (2001), Best British or Irish Weblog (2004, 2005), Lifetime Achievement (2005). He also runs the online subcultural community Barbelith - initially inspired by the work of comic book writer Grant Morrison.
He is also on the advisory council of the Open Rights Group.
In October 2007, Coates was named as one of the Evening Standard's Most Influential 1000 Londoners.