WEEK SIX - 'YOU' ON T'INTERNET

The lecture this week was about Social Networking and how it works, given by Margaret McCann. Rather like Margaret as a lecturer she is very organised, timely, regimented and a little bit scary! Perhaps not words to put together with social or networking.....

Social Networking was defined academically by Boyd and Ellison (2007) as:

Web based services that allow individuals to:

1. construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system,
2. articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and
3. view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system.

OK to me and you that's, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Myspace etc. Ah the penny drops!! These sites attract millions of users and many will have integrated them into their daily lives (especially now with the increased usage of SMART phone). These sites offer a varied difference in technologies and the usage. I understand it as a way of sharing information  - putting yourself on the internet!

Further research into Social Networking Sites (SNSs) has actually made me question some issues with perhaps over-sharing information. An example of this on facebook is when people 'check in' at different places, highlighting the fact that they are not at home. A website Please Rob Me actually showed hundreds of people who were away from home! Don't get me wrong I've succumbed to the pressure and have a Facebook account but think I'm pretty sensible about how I use it; I'm selective with the friends I add (described in the lab as strong and weak contacts), selective with the photos I upload and generally only post the high-points or low-points in my life. Things I actually want people to know! Not helped by the recent programme on Channel 4 - My Social Network Stalker which saw a girls life pretty much ruined by emotional and mental abuse through Social Network Sites. Now that scares me slighly more that Margaret! So then went on to research how to protect yourself from stalkers and found a useful video from a news channel:

So how does this affect businesses and can Social Networking develop Social Distribution? I'm partner in two small businesses which both have pages on facebook, A N Designs Handcrafted Gifts and Glitzy Gifts. This assists with advertising (especially our handmade selection as it shows the variation), marketing (as it shows promotions and fundraising events we participate in) etc although on a much smaller scale to other businesses. I haven't pushed this too much at the moment as our business orders are steady and to be honest with everything I have on my plate I don't want to attract too much business at the moment.  

So in the lab we were given our next e-activity which was to choose a company and follow a sample of their posts on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In. I think I drew the short straw with City of Glasgow College, I'm hoping it will be more interesting once I proceed with my research. Twitter was the only social networking site which I'm not currently a member but I am now! Now I have been looking at ways to improve myself academically and it seems I have found a solution. Who would have thought that my all singing, all dancing i-phone (that I wasn't actually that keen on having) would improve my time managment skills. My tiny hand held device provides APS for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and my most recent acquisition Blogger. My long bus journeys can now be spent researching City of Glasgow College and blogging. Who would have thought that the I'd be doing my next assessment by phone!