Until recently, Gates wasn't using social media. It was too intrusive and he just couldn't keep up with the demands of Facebook friendship. But he's finding ways to asymmetrically use it through his Fan page, just as he's adopted Twitter to talk about his foundation work and look for useful information.
But where Gates sounded most reflective was in his discussion on the changes in journalism. He seems worried that, as organizations cut resources from major investigations, the blogosphere will not replace it.
"Is the Internet missing something that the top papers have collectively provided? Probably so," Gates says. Organizations like ProPublica are doing good work but not necessarily filling the gap, he says.