Keeping Connected or Stalking?

Social media sites are a great way to stay connected with friends and family, or are they? With all the new updates these sites have it makes it easier and easier to keep track of every move your friends make. Earlier this fall, Facebook made a drastic layout change that had most of the Facebook world in an uproar. Added to the side of your home page was a live action news feed. The feed shows exactly what people are doing such as becoming friends with this person, commenting on peoples pictures and post that you aren't even friends with, attending this event and putting this as their status update. Most people would consider this a whole new level of stalking people, and they could be right. It's hard not to look while it's updating every second that you're on your home page.

Then you have the browse friendship page. This is where you can click on a friendship with two people your friends with and see everything that has ever been active between them. This includes all the pictures they are tagged in together, along with comments they've written back and forth, and even random posts they've both commented on. These actions take staying connected to a whole new level.

What about Foursquare? Awesome site, lots of ways to get free things just for visiting stores and places you go everyday. Considered by some a fun game to play with friends by checking in here and winning points and badges and trying to beat your friends. But Foursquare is an easy way to track people's every movement. Where you go is no longer private knowledge once you start using this site. When checking into a place you can publish it to your other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, where it will then post it to that site so people can see where you are. It sounds like fun and games but do you really want people to know where you are at all times.

Even though we may find this as a great way to stalk people close to us companies and businesses find these as great tools. Ways for them to find out how often people are coming to one of their stores and being able to reward them for visiting often. It's also great for them to see when they're being talked about and keep up with their traffic and fans. Even still people love their social media sites whether it is staying connected or "stalking."

Posted by: Jenna Greene

Trick or Tweet

While searching for Halloween costume DOs I stumbled upon a few social media DON’Ts deemed scary year round in an article on The Brainy Yard. The article lists 10 terrifying mistakes to avoid when networking on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Here are the top three that make me cringe.

1. TMI

Too much information makes me think of too much costume makeup. One would assume that too much costume makeup is offensive in face to face conversation, Halloween being the only exception. Likewise, too much of the wrong information is offensive to your personal and professional followers who seek relevant and interesting content on your site.

2. A quick trigger finger

How much thought have you put towards a Halloween costume this year? Now compare that to how much thought you put behind a status update before you click share. There are very few things more embarrassing than a failed Halloween costume. Don't let your news feed embarrass you. Think before you post.

3. Untended social presence

   I won't be trick-or-treating at your house if the only decoration on your front porch is a bowl of candy with a note reading, “One piece only.” Just because you put out candy doesn't mean people will take it. Similarly, your followers won't be stopping on you site if you don't interact with them. Don't miss the opportunity to be the best site they visit.

In the spirit of all things spooky, here are a few social media inspired pumpkin carvings I found on Mashable.

Happy Halloween!

Written by: Christine Young

Social Media Faux Pas

A headline from Regan's PR Daily caught my attention the other day and I knew it was something that needed to be shared with the masses. The headline was "The worst-ever advice about social media." As I went on to read the article I couldn't count on one hand the number of rules I had broken and how many things on the list I have been told to do during my education as a PR major. I have highlighted some of the bad pieces of advice that I know I have taken in the past.

Number 2: Put the intern in charge of social media. Guess what a main part of my job description is at my internship? You got it, social media. But reading further, it makes perfect sense. Interns come and go. You need someone in charge that is completely invested in the organization or company and who can keep posting and updating long term. Plus you probably don't want to give a college student access to Facebook or Twitter during the work day. Talk about unproductive!



Number 7: Automatically incorporate blog posts onto Twitter. 'Automation is not social; it's the opposite of social,' quotes the article. I think that is hitting the nail on the head. The people that follow you on Twitter or are your Facebook fan are probably already on your mailing list for your newsletter or are subscribed to your blog. You shouldn't be advertising, you should be interacting. Tweet about interesting current events in the news, (that aren't controversial or hot-button issues... number five!) or about exciting things that are going on. Make people want to check out your link.

Number 3: Follow a ton of people on Twitter so you get followers in return. I am pretty sure day one of my internship I sat down to an inactive Twitter account and started following anything even remotely related to my organization. It is true that the followers that come naturally are more likely to be active and stand the test of Twitter time because they have genuine interest in your company or organization. Adding 30945720 new followers will only bog down your feed.

I know that I will certainly be weary before I take advice about how to get more fans on Facebook or how to get someone to re-tweet my organization. My eyes have been opened to my wicked ways on the web. Check out all ten no-no's in the full article.

by Katy Chubin

Facebook Abusers

In a recent survey of 100 college students, studies showed that the social networking site Facebook had some intriguing correlations between narcissism and self-esteem.  The study found that young adults who have some narcissistic personality traits were more concerned with self-promoting themselves rather than using the site as a way to connect with friends.  Most of these people would use their "About Me" section of their page to show off their intelligence and many of their pictures were more focused on flaunting their physical attractiveness than showing good memories and times with friends.  The article explains that Facebook "offers a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships and emotionally detached communication." In essence, Facebook gives its users complete control on how they want to be viewed by their peers.

With more than 600 million users, Facebook is clearly a major from of communication between just about everyone.  The fact of this matter is that anyone who has a Facebook page obviously didn't create that page in an effort to make themselves look bad, no one created their page with the attitude of "lets see how bad I can make myself look."  If that were the case what would be the point?  More and more employers are using Facebook to evaluate potential employees no one wants their potential future boss to have a bad perception of them because of what they saw on your Facebook.  I don't believe that the correlation between narcissism and self-esteem is an accurate one in this case.  For one, a survey of only 100 college students is nowhere near enough test subjects on a 500 million person social networking site to be considered accurate.  And what exactly they consider to be “narcissistic” is never clearly stated in the article.  In my opinion, this article is basically informing us that were all a little narcissistic.  Doesn’t everyone un-tag themselves in photos they don’t think their friends and family would approve of or find appealing to the opposite sex?  I can however understand where this article might be coming from when it says, “Facebook feeds narcissism.”  I do notice how many people like to update their status in what seems like an effort to “let it be known” that they are doing this or going there.  Many times this can come off as being obnoxious, and many times it is.  It seems as though many Facebook users are much more outgoing and show more confidence on the internet than they actually are, giving many people including potential employers the wrong perception.  Facebook is by no means a bad thing, I use mine everyday and like how it keeps me “in the loop” or what have you.  But, like anything else Facebook has its flaws and one of its biggest is that of getting the wrong perception of who people really are and getting to know their “online personality” instead of their real-life one.

By: Don Stewart

Tweeting about Mac and Cheese

Mac & Cheese – we all grew up eating way too much of this delicious, quick and easy meal, and we’re all probably slightly embarrassed to admit that as grown adults we still indulge in this tasty food every once in a while. Kraft Foods is well aware of the popularity of its product and is cashing in on an opportunity through social media and Twitter.

The company’s marketing team is collecting ideas from recent Tweets that include the words “mac and cheese” and turning them into a television commercial in one afternoon. Five tweets will be chosen to be converted into an advertisement that is being written and taped today. Four of those ads will be displayed on Kraft’s Facebook page tomorrow, while one lucky advertisement will be aired on Conan and Lopez Tonight this evening on TBS.

In an effort to utilize social media to promote the company and engage consumers while having fun, Kraft has come up with this unique concept. Hopefully this consumer-inspired advertisement and campaign will draw attention to Kraft and position it as a company who cares about its consumers and is willing to give them a say in the decision of the company. People like to feel included and like they have some control, which is exactly what this campaign is doing for Kraft’s consumers.

-Autumn Roth

Social Media: Not Only for Creeping

We have all heard the term “citizen journalism" where just about anyone can appoint themselves journalists. Using the tools readily available online and the technology that we desperately cling to everyday, news from al over the world is, well, everywhere. It is also safe to say that many people use social media to connect with friends, share photos, and feed off the latest bit of gossip to hit their news feeds.

However, now more commonly, social media has helped spread the word about the record-breaking earthquake in Japan and people are already using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to help Japan rebuild their country. People are contacting friends and family while posting videos, photos and news updates online from their phones and cameras. Information, as we all know, is never far away.

According to this article in the Technology section of ABC News, when Japan’s cell phones became too overcrowded to use, people used social media outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook to reach their concerned family members. The article discusses how an American law student who was in Japan for his spring break has used the Internet exclusively to connect with friends and family. This is not a tragedy that only affects the Japanese, and social media is helping remind us of that.

Google, which is becoming more social than just a reliable search engine, set up a “Person Finder” application that has helped linked victims to their family members already. And these immediate actions do not stop there. YouTube, as of March 11, holds over 9,000 earthquake-related videos and over 7,000 relating to tsunamis. The Google page looks like this. Simple and to the point and extremely effective:

Not only does this have newsworthy value, but it also opens a window for viewers all over the world to see how devastating a natural disaster like this can be. However, basic information is not enough to motivate people to help. When people can make an emotional connection, they are most likely to take action. It was groundbreaking to see live video during Vietnam War, as it can be accredited to causing such a negative view during that time. The same drastic affects are happening now, but thanks to social media, it is not uncommon or hard to find. People are inspired to help based on what they have seen through these images and videos of the earthquake. Twitter has becoming a main source of information, as people are posting devastating TwitPics and spreading the word about Red Cross’ efforts to assist victims in Japan just as it did for Haiti.

In the matter literally one second, my Twitter search for Japan was out of date:

The original purpose of the Internet was to create a network safe from military, technological and natural disasters and that remains true to this day. Now, however, it is a key player in spreading news, connecting with people and instantaneously raising efforts for those in need when other sources fail.

-Alaina Cordes

Colleges and Universities Now Using Facebook?

Do you ever look back at the days when the words “Facebook” and “Twitter” weren’t even in our vocabulary? Or even when the phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” had a funny yet innocent connotation? We have entered a realm of online media that is here to stay and it will gradually begin to reinvent itself as new technologies emerge. Social media acts as a springboard into a person’s private life and all things they find entertaining. It allows users to be the journalist and document stories and happenings as they are taking place by posting them on the Internet, creating for a worldwide lack of privacy. Cameras, Smartphone’s and other handheld devices are people’s weapons. They pull the trigger every single time they capture someone, somewhere doing one thing or another. These pictures then get posted online through Facebook or Twitter and there is usually a name that is tagged along with the incriminating photo. While it may seem like fun and games at the time, little do users know that potential employers, coaches or really anyone that can browse the web can find these images when they search his or her name.

An article written by the Huffington Post stated that 80% of college admissions officers use Facebook to check out potential students prior to their acceptance. Officials at colleges and universities are running a “background” check on these students by checking their social media presence before recruiting them. However, some potential students have used their social media presence to their advantage by following the colleges and universities on Twitter, Facebook and by creating personal blogs to displays their talents. Through these platforms these students can “like” the schools of their choice and students can post stories or videos showing their skills that schools can build upon if the student is accepted. These social media attributes add credibility to the students and it allows them to stand out from all of the other candidates that applied to their competitive universities.

Jillian Unitas

Flagler College Communications Major

Thanksgiving and Social Media

Social Media never sleeps, even if it’s Thanksgiving. When thinking about Thanksgiving a few things come to mind, a time to spend with family, a lot of food, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football. But now there is one more thing to add to that list…Social Media.

This year Foursquare is offering a badge for Macy’s 83^rd Thanksgiving Day Parade. By checking in to the different celebrations you eventually unlock the “Macy’s Parade 2010” badge and it will say “You’ve checked into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Enjoy this week’s excitement featuring great bands, musical acts, mischievous clown & inspiring floats! 5-4-3-2-1…Let’s have a Parade!” Social Media is no longer considered an aspect of life that is used for fun, it’s becoming a way to publicize an event and encourage people to attend something by offering them an incentive.

But ‘Thanksgiving’ hasn’t stopped there, its now apart of Twitter with @butterball and a fan page on Facebook with about 43,000 fans. People are taking social media to a whole new level and involving holidays in it. It’s become a way to share favorite dishes, ways of cooking, favorite parts of Thanksgiving, funny stories and just a way to talk with other people about the holiday.

There’s even an article on the Socialnomics website that gives the top 10 ways that Thanksgiving and Social Media are a lot a like. A few of them are: “In SM we share Content; Thanksgiving we share Contentment,” “You’ll get sick if you consume too much,” and “Your aunt pinches your cheeks in photos and then tags you in them.”

Social Media influences everything we do, and it now includes holidays. It helps promote events, help with the cooking and it is also an easy way to share the holidays with the family that wasn’t able to be there. New aspects and advantages to Social Media are growing and it doesn’t show any signs of stopping. It’s become a complex thing that we are all becoming apart of and there’s no way of stopping it, all we can do is jump on and enjoy the ride.

-Aleisa Miller

Mixing business with pleasure: a job search application on Facebook?

   As a college student I spend a majority of my free time on Facebook. Its the most convenient way to catch up with all my friends and keep track of who's doing what. While most of us use Facebook as a means of gossiping, a large number of people have started using it like LinkedIn, for job networking.

   A new Facebook application called "BranchOut" allows users to post job openings, find and make new important business contacts with "friend of a friend" features, and apply for jobs. With 85% of college students using Facebook, it seems like the perfect platform for a job application to thrive on.

   BranchOut is currently available for download on Facebook. Check out the video below for an introduction to BranchOut. Would you use this Facebook app to find a job after college? Comment and let us know what you think.

by: Caitlin Carver
ccarver@flagler.edu

The 2010 Job Interview

At twenty-two years old it is weird to think of what my life would be like without Facebook, Twitter, cell phones, ipods and Google searches. I depend on these sites and gadgets daily to get me through my day.

I'll be honest I have no idea what kind of work is involved in doing a research project where an actual book is required, I have no need for phone books, or an address book, or a reminder calendar..My Facebook reminds me (on my Blackberry) when my 700 closest friends birthdays are coming up and what events I will be attending ... Twitter tells me what my friends are doing and where they are, I have no need for a camera because the camera on my Blackberry has more mega pixels than my actual camera- and after all I am only taking pictures to load them onto my Facebook site so my family and friends can see what I am doing and where I have been. I really have no need for my cell phone mins. because I can email and text from my phone with ease- why talk to one person at a time when you can chat it up with multiple people at any one time....

Social media sites and gadgets have changed the way the world works period. Millions of Americans would crumble without their Blackberry and constant access to their Twitter and Facebook sites. Social media is the way the world is doing business these days, using social networking sites that two years ago where considered to be for personal use only, are now considered to be common knowledge. Knowing how to use the sites to gain exposure and generate a profit is considered to be a mandatory skill by companies around the globe.

As a college senior graduating in a matter of days, the job market that I am entering into has no comparison. Every moment of everyday I am on a job interview- my Facebook, Twitter and blog are all a part of my resume and my digital makeup. Our once considered personal sites are no longer that- they are anything but personal. With one quick Google search I can be found in 27 different search results- the good, bad and the ugly can be revealed to future employers whether I like it or not.

This week I was in New Orleans for a job interview, I was speaking with one of my potential future bosses one afternoon when I asked how she was hired by the company. She went on to tell me that she had lived most of her life in NY and had moved to FL to get married. She had no intention of looking for a job in FL and was very content being a mom and a wife. One afternoon she received a phone call from her current employer saying that they had seen her resume on Linkdin and was interested in meeting with her for an interview..SHE HAD NOT EVEN APPLIED FOR THIS JOB! She went in a few weeks later for an interview and was hired on the spot...all because of her Linkdin profile!

Case and point: Every second of every day we are in job interviews. What we post, what we comment on, what we say and who were friends with are all reflections of who we are as potential employees.

By: Maggie Strassel

A Spring 2010 (hopeful) graduate

Mstrassel@flagler.edu

Missing persons? -->social media!

Can social media really help in a missing persons case? Yes! And more people are turning to social media when this tragic event occurs.

There are multiple organizations where their primary focus is to find missing persons. Many of these organizations have created an online presence through the use of social media. For example, Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension currently has a Facebook fan page. They submit posts relating to missing persons and safety tips. When BCA posts information on a missing person, the information will appear in members news feeds. This is such a beneficial way to send out information. There is a lot of controversy on the page, but that is expected when dealing with children and loved ones missing.

Amber Alerts also has a Facebook fan page along with Facebook applications. Amber Alerts have established a reputation on the television and radio but social media is where it is at today. They are sending the message out with the hope of gaining leads.

Not only are established organizations creating Facebook pages, but so are people. The families that have lost a loved one are turning to social media to do the research on their own. For example, when Brittanee Drexel went missing a Facebook page was created. There is over 19,000 members on the page currently. People post their condolences to the family and friends. They also will make posts relating to how much they miss her and wishes of her to come home. Some people will post information on other unsolved missing persons cases. And there is also information and tips on how to protect yourself.

Social media is the best way to reach your audience. And when it comes to heartbreaking cases like a missing person, social media is a favorable outlet to turn to.

--Abby Sessock

Developing Social Network: Foursquare

We all knew Myspace.
Then were introduced to Facebook.
More recently, Twitter came into our lives.


Now, the next social network is here. Foursquare is a location-based social networking game/website/phone application. According to the co-founder Dennis Crowley's personal website, it is service that mixes social, locative and gaming elements to encourage people explore the cities in which they live. (See YouTube clip below!!)


The idea is that users can “check in” to locations using a phone app (iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Palm), sending a text message to ‘50500’, or accessing the website on their mobile browser. The application uses GPS to locate venues near you to check in at. The user can see where their friends are, and the location of the venue. A venue can be anything from an airport, to a bar, to a gym. Users unlock points and badges as they go out and about. Users are able to feed their Foursquare activity through their Twitter or Facebook pages. 







Foursquare is obviously the most popular in bigger cities, and started in 2009 with limited availability in only 100 worldwide metro areas. They are growing at incredible speeds, and have gained a following in the past few months. In January 2010, Foursquare changed their location model to allow check-ins from any location worldwide. As of March 2010, the service had 500,000 users internationally. In the past two weeks alone, they had 100,000 new users (including myself).


Here are some screenshots of the Foursquare app:




This form of social network is fast and new. So, go ahead, "check in"!

Caitlin Brown
http://myamericanjetset.blogspot.com/