Sep 19 2010
Framing: Week 4
In “The Wealth of Netowkrs,” (Benkler), in Chapter 10 he discusses social ties in technological world and how the Internet has changed pre-existing relationships and created new ones? How has social networking affected your life to the extent that you communicate with these people on (virtual) and off-line (physical)?
Benkler brings up a good point in saying the following: “This is not to say that the Internet necessarily effects all people, all social groups, and networks identically. The effects on different people in different settings and networks will likely vary, certainly in their magnitude” (357). Briefly, it seems like there are primary social groups and secondary social groups. Who would be defined as primary opposed to secondary? What does each main group get out of these social ties? Since it has a different effect on different individuals and social groups, what does this tell us about social networking?
Now more than ever, it seems like technology cannot be ignored. Many corporate companies require employees to blog and have twitter accounts, and the majority of staff use some type of technological tool to communicate in the office. What are the advantages and disadvantages of social networking and using technological tools (such as AIM, skype) strictly in an office environment?
What I love most about social ties and networks is my freedom of speech. I find it very liberating that I can blog or comment about universal laws, values or simply thoughts that are meaningful to me or disgust me. I can write with respect or as distasteful as I please. I can even tweet a celebrity or political figure and tell them what I absolutely love or hate about them. However, how much power do I actually have in social networking and how will that change over time?
December 7th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
In September, I asked “How much power do I actually have in social networking and how will that change over time?” Then I knew Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were all popular resources, but I did not realize the full extent of how liberating or imprisoning social networking can be. My answer to most things in the beginning of the semester was always something to the extent of “just make yourself private.” But over the course of the semester, I began to realize that maybe privacy wasn’t the answer or the best solution. As any kind of professional, I now find it imperative that you are on the web and not strictly through a personal website. Today’s society is far more social and laid-back than it was 5-10 years ago, which is why we see celebrities and political figures utilizing social tools from Twitter to blogging. After completing my research paper and final interactive product, I really learned that social networking has been a liberating experience for most individuals in that they are able to voice their opinions which media filtering what they say. Social networking gave Kanye West the resource and opportunity to apologize to millions of people over Twitter (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647228/20100904/west_kanye.jhtml). Without Twitter as a resource, there were few ways besides television or radio (which allows filtering) that he could have utilized his freedom of speech over such a large medium. Social networking has really empowered us to show our true colors and we can only hope that people listen. For average individuals (non-public figures), like myself, social networking gives us the prime opportunity and resources to market and brand ourselves. If we choose to remain privacy, it’s perfectly okay– but over the course of the semester, it seems have research and class discussion supports the notation that web presence definitely establishes credibility on a number of ways. Social networking and blogging has over been reputable and highly trafficked over the past 3-4 years so I definitely believe their is potential and a long way to go. As interactive media guru’s of course we see the benefits, but the power is in observing these average non-public (and perhaps not as technology savvy) individuals to catch on. Individuals have much power in the social blogosphere and control how liberating or imprisoning the experience is for oneself. If individuals utilize social networking such as Facebook or blogging to promote (indirectly and unconsciously) the illegal things they do, of course they will be judged accordingly. However, if people acknowledge the universal laws and values surrounding the blogosphere, it pretty much provides freedom of speech which is the benefit and power behind social networking. At the end of the semester, I’ve really realized the power and potential over marketing myself over the web and am interested to see how far it will take me.