Tag Archives: Facebook

Distant from the Online World

Posted on April 9, 2013 by | Comments Off on Distant from the Online World

@YakustaLeader4

This past Saturday I went most of the day without going online (mainly because I was out and about that I did not have access). It was pretty interesting and almost a kind of relief in not having to worry what was going on in Facebook, because usually not much does happen. Prior to this, I was not on Facebook or any social media site for almost two years. During this time, I did not really have the need nor want, of wanting to be online. However sometimes it was challenging because I have friends in California, and since I also did not have a cell phone at the time, then trying to stay in touch with them was pretty hard to do. But on the positive side, I was able to get more stuff done with school and able to focus more as well. Because of this extended time being offline, not being able to be online for a day was not that bad. During the school year I would definantly have to not be online so much if I want to stay focused. Also it did not kill me and the world did not end because I was offline. And the next day when I got back online, like i said before, nothing special or crazy happened in my absence.

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Time Without Technology

Posted on April 9, 2013 by | Comments Off on Time Without Technology

@JaredAbrahamWSU

When I started  this experiment of spending time without technology like; cell phones, iPods, and computers; I thought that it would be easy. I thought that it would actually be good for me, being disconnected from the rigors of keeping up on my virtual social profile. When I first started, it was easy and life seemed less cluttered. However, as time passed I started wondering  if my status in certain games had changed, since I was not being active in them. And I started thinking, what if there is an emergency and someone is trying to contact me through email or Facebook? What is going on in the outside world?

Going without technology for a period of time is life eating cauliflower. It may be an unpleasant experience, but it will be good for you. This experiment gave me time to start reading an old fashioned paperback book and do other activities that I never would have had the time to do if I was still plugged into my smart devices.

It is amazing that we have become so dependent on technology like computers and smartphones. Twenty years ago we could not have cared less if we went a day without being on a computer, but today we have been trained that we need these devices to live a successful and full life.

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Discussion Post 11

Posted on April 2, 2013 by | Comments Off on Discussion Post 11

@stansberry_dtcv

In the “Power of Sharing”, Deanna Zandt used the analogy of bubbles to portray our social connection to others: “Picture billions of soap bubbles in a sink. Each bubble represents a different person, and the bubble size reflects that person’s sphere of influence. Where bubbles connect and intersect represents our relationships with people around us” (7). Keeping this analogy in mind, it’s easy to see how social media is such a successful way to mobilize people in seeking social change. It’s long been understood that the first step towards solving a societal conflict is raising awareness, which today is often done using such mediums such as Facebook and Twitter. When we post, “share” or “like” a video such as the Kony 2012 viral video Facebook allows all of our all of our virtual friends to see. Next, our friends can choose if they also want to share or like it, and if the post is interesting enough the outreach can be exponential as the awareness spread through the “bubbles” and “empathy” builds (1). Naturally when large groups of people become aware of a pressing issue, the normal course of action is to seek change. Social media often is a place where real life events and protests are organized, allowing users to set a date, provide a description and invite their friends to join. Prior to social media, events like these were took time and were difficult to set up as they relied on heavy word of mouth, print media, and if possible sometimes television. Social media has allowed for us to stay connected and unify quickly if necessary.

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blog #11

Posted on April 2, 2013 by | Comments Off on blog #11

People turn to social media for different reasons. Simon Cottle believes that people use social Medias such as Facebook, YouTube and twitter to “propel images and ideas of resistance and mass defiance across the Middle East and North Africa. “ (p.3) In the other hand cooper & Dzara argue that people use social media to join groups.  The point is that we always turn to social media for our benefit.

Social media environments are able to mobilize people to seek change as Dzara and cooper suggest in the reading. Facebook has limited relationship statuses which make people want to seek a change in that. “Some users of the site have recently started a group to complain that Facebook does not allow “civil union” as a relationship”.  (p.189) People seek changes in gender, relationships, friending, and tagging. People seek changes in these areas because they don’t give the user enough options to choose from. Tagging is a big issue on Facebook and some people would like to change the use of tagging. Cooper and dzara explain how people can tag you in pictures and although you can untag yourself the person that tagged you can still have the picture.  There are many changes users of Facebook would like to see but maybe if they want to be more conservative they should not have a social media like Facebook.

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Blog #10dtcv

Posted on April 2, 2013 by | Comments Off on Blog #10dtcv

@JaredAbrahamWSU

One of the most groundbreaking creations of the last fifteen years, is the creation of the social media website. These social media sites have been able to connect the world in a way that has never before been witnessed. One could even say that the social impact of these sites rivals that of the telephone when Alexander Graham Bell invented it. just as the telephone is able to connect people from distances far apart, social media can do the same, but is more instantaneous.

Facebook and Twitter are the most popular of these sites at the moment. Not only is Facebook used to find long lost friends and family, but it is also the primary source of news for many of its users. Deanna Zandt says that “Social Networking gives us unprecedented power to share our stories with more people than we ever imagined.” (p. 159) Perhaps the best example of social media’s impact on our world, and its “power to share our stories” (p,159), is its use in the middle east. There are many instances of twitter being used, in the middle east, as the only form of communication with the out side world when a country is in the middle of a coup most of the communication is cut of from the surrounding countries. However, we are still able to communicate with the citizens of these countries through Twitter.  This could warn of an uprising, or even get information to the different government agencies that could end up helping the people of these war torn countries.

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Social Media Environments

Posted on April 1, 2013 by | Comments Off on Social Media Environments

@KatieGullans

In the Palm Beach Clark County District in summer of 2009, they announced a new program that increased emphasis on standardized tests. Parents were upset by the changes. Then a substitute teacher/parent named Lisa Goldman started a Facebook page that would go against the standardized testing, emphasizing that  “testing is not teaching.” The people of the community joined together to share their ideas on what actions they should take. They ended up with more than 6000 members to fight against this(Zandt 164).

This is a good example of how social media environments can group together to share similar views on a situation  and try to make a change. This brought people to join together because they strongly disagreed with the new system of standardized testing and they could all build a trust with each other.

People can build trust and empathy with each other by sharing stories. Someone may share an experience they had and another person may find meaning in that because they’ve had a similar experience. This process can be done with or without the internet, but with it, there is a possibility for even more connections.  If one can’t seek out a group in real life, then there are many to find and join online. If people can have someone to understand how they feel and relate to, then they wouldn’t feel alone. If I didn’t understand the homework and someone said they didn’t get it either, I’d feel better because at least I wouldn’t be the only one. If the whole class didn’t understand it, they would have something in common. And this idea can build up with more people online.

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Blog 11: Social Media

Posted on April 1, 2013 by | Comments Off on Blog 11: Social Media

@kylemcgee77

The creation of social media is truly a remarkable thing. Never before have people around the world been able to connect to one another so quickly and efficiently. The creation of social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, myspace, and various blogging sites (such as this one) have done so much more than just allow people to socialize online. “Social Networking gives us unprecedented power to share our stories with more people than we ever imagined.” (Zandt pg. 159). Through these social networking sites, people around the world can let others into their minds. People have the opportunity to let it all out there. These social networking sites are essentially public diaries. We live in a world that is full of social issues that need attention. These issues can be greatly publicized through social media. Along with the social issues come mass amounts of public opinions on the issues. This is where people truly get to know what type of person you are. Although putting your opinions out there for the world to see may spark a lot of debate (a lot of times negative), it can also do a lot of good for society. By bringing social issues to the public eye, we as a whole can produce ideas that can help resolve these issues. The potential for this to occur happens through social media. Facebook and blogging sites connect you with people that share your common interests and opinions. It is said that great minds think alike but they can also change the world.

#dtcv

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Sharing who we are

Posted on March 31, 2013 by | Comments Off on Sharing who we are

@PerrinKyla

Social media environments are able to mobilize people to seek social change by providing a different outlook on life. Social media allows people to create a new outlook of their own lives. They create a person that they want to be and when people show interest in that person they decide to change themselves in real life. Characteristics of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are being able to post statuses about your daily life, posting pictures and videos of yourself and being able to see others pictures and videos, and being able to make friends with anyone without meeting them in person. In Catfish the movie, Nev met a young girl Abby and her whole family and fell in love with a girl who did not even exist. According to Deanna Zandt when people tell stories they build trust with other people, they “build empathy.” “We’re sharing information about ourselves and our networks online, which leads to ore connections with other people and other networks” (Pg.7). People can share all sorts of information about themselves but how do you know if it’s real or made up?  How can you tell if their profile picture or any other pictures on their profile? I think that something about the unknown brings people together. “Diversity in the social network sphere is critical for generating fresh perspectives on old problems…” (Pg.19). Social media allows people to come together on issues and change not only the way they are in social situations but to change bigger issues in the world.

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Discussion Post 9

Posted on March 20, 2013 by | Comments Off on Discussion Post 9

@stansberry_dtcv

Social Media, have it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or another undoubtedly plays a role in the majority of people’s lives today. While not every person uses these websites and some may use them far more than others, the numbers have been and are increasing and people are spending more time than ever keeping up their online identity and reputation. Personally I’ve seen social media change people in a good and bad ways. Some who were naturally shy I’ve seen be able to open up and make more friends by utilizing Facebook, while others seem to have retreated towards the contrary, where you only see them online and never in person. Also, it’s given way to a new form of popularity. I’ve heard even such ridiculous claims from friends about people they see in person who they’ve never met calling them Twitter or Facebook “famous” because of the amount of likes, favorites, or retweets they get on such medias. As described in “Hello Avatar”, “an avatar is computer-generated figured controlled by a person via a computer”. Beth Coleman argues to expand the definition to include more than just characters generated in games like second life, but to also mean the user behind an IM or SMS. I would say this ‘avi’ that we choose on such social networks, even if it is a real picture of yourself, is often chosen so specifically or edited and filtered to portray who we would like to be, rather than who we naturally are. Fact is, many enjoy a virtual world just as much or more than the real world, and that will continue to change and shape our society as these technologies progress.

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Avatar Facebook: Blog Post 9

Posted on March 20, 2013 by | Comments Off on Avatar Facebook: Blog Post 9

@YakustaLeader4

With Beth Coleman and Clay Shirky stating how “media changes the user” I don’t quite agree with them entirely. Yes in certain aspects media changes the user, but not fully. The C3’s, Communication, Community, and Collaboration have definantely changed in the past decade, but has it really changed everyone or the user in general? For sites such as Facebook and Twitter it depends on the person, whether or not they change due to the media they are using. For communication, yes most people have changed how they communicate amongst each other thanks to Facebook and other social media sites. “… we have had live voice, and text connection and on occasion, as with videp conferencing, a live two-way channel on video stream” (128). What this is, is examples of how people can communicate nowadays. For a community, on some sites, a person could create a group or page where people can ‘Like’ or ‘Follow’ and people who are interested in the same thing could come together as a community if they please. Now whether that changes a user isn’t so clear. Maybe in how those people get together but not just a single user. This can go the same way for collaboration as well. In protests, or trying to have an event, social media sites have helped people in having the ability in collaborating with each other in how the protest/event would be held. But again, it doesn’t nessecarily change the user, just how some ideas or activities change in collaborating.

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