Social Networking as Discussion
The Ubiquitous Librarian has a write-up of a talk given by Facebook executive Mike Murphy on the benefits of social networking sites. Without stating it overtly, Mr. Murphy makes the case for how Facebook promotes dialog and problem solving. For example, he says that the way users talk with friends is a blend of pop culture and serious issues, with a lot of focus toward making decisions. He also points out that social media is about active sharing.
Beyond anything else, I am struck by the fact that social networking sites create discussion where otherwise there might only be isolated points of view. Given that we worry about a passive culture inspired by television and other modern media, this interactivity seems a boon. Certainly not something we should cut off in libraries because of the potential for abuse.
Other interesting facts about Facebook:
- Facebook is the 7 th most popular website in the United States .
- 10 million users and over 50% of them sign in daily.
- Each person has less than 1% of access to the total facebook user base— it requires confirmation to see beyond your network — privacy control is spectacular
