On On-Line Social Networking

[mlerules]

I've been ruminating on the purposes and goals of on-line social networking recently as I've been wandering around in FaceBook these past few days. I have some thoughts that'll likely spill/spew forth here before long. This pretty well sums up what I do NOT care for about it.

Why do YOU use FaceBook and/or LJ and/or MySpace and/or whatEVER? What goals do you have in using it/whatEVER (if any)? What needs do you hope to fulfill/have fulfilled? What do you want to, hope to, and actually GET out of it? What's it FOR, in your opinion? (And what's IT?) I'm curious and'd really like to know, as it might help shed some light on these issues for myself. (And because generating and engaging in at least some slightly more in-depth discussion/conversation is something I value and prefer LJ for over FB, at least so far.)

Comments

[jimkeller.livejournal.com]

LiveJournal I joined strictly as a mass communication medium. By being able to post once what was going on in my ludicroiusly busy life and tell everyone to just read the damn blog if they only want to know if I'm alive or not, I could save several hours a week that I had previously been spending "touching base" with everyone. Yes, in many ways it depersonalizes the process. But because I can quickly and impersonally (and on my own timetable) see what my friends are up to in their lives, I actually feel more connected than I did before I started and instead simply ignored everyone.

Facebook I joined for professional reason. Because the kids love it, we sort of had to be there. The days when the public sought out science educational materials are gone. Now we've got to go where the kids are and convince them that the Universe is every bit as interesting as Britney Spears' underwear (or lack thereof). I've quite enjoyed it for the ability to truly "network" ... there are people I know (and have known) from all walks of life there, and because I treat it as a professional page and discourage anyone from posting anything inappropriate, it can truly serve as a one-stop, multi-functional page. One of my coworkers complains that it's his personal page and he's uncomfortable with all the professional contacts friending him, so not everyone agrees with me. The ads don't bother me, really, because it's a free service and it's my option whether to click on them or not.

MySpace, on the other hand, has annoyed me with its pop-up advertising, poorly coded pages, auto-playing music and video, etc. to the point where I barely touch it any more.

I've also toyed with LinkedIn and Friendster, but did not feel they were superior to any of the others (LinkedIn at least is intended to be a professional network, so there's no battle for appropriateness, but at the same time being there is like being at work and so I have very little incentive to do so).

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for this - greatly appreciated.