(Photo - Erik Holvig. Shanghai, China. July 2009)
Facebook is considered the king of all evils by some. It has come under intense scrutiny as of late because of the privacy issues that have arisen. However, if used properly, Facebook can be a useful tool for connecting those who otherwise never be in touch. Whether it is a high school buddy who hasn't been heard from in 20 years, or that younger sibling who never answers traditional emails, Facebook can be a positive networking tool.
The issues that have come up lately are really quite a shame. The model of Facebook as a social media is wonderful... connect with friends, create networks and expand your connections to those you may have things in common with. Lately though, the often greedy founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has implemented some mystifying privacy concerns. Facebook's default settings will share your personal information with third parties and allow online searches to display your information unless you go to great lengths to set more strict privacy settings.
I snapped the photo above while I was in China this past summer. China has taken an interesting stance on Facebook, it is completely banned there. You don't realize how connected you become to the social media we utilize daily, until it is taken away. I guess the Chinese government does not approve of social networking, or the sharing of private personal information. They have a different way of doing almost everything in China, including how they socialize, and even how they transport wood through the city (as illustrated in the photo).
"Technology does not create the underlying problem of tongues that wag too loosely, but it does amplify that problem in a way that readily establishes the basis of tortuous liability" (Mitrano, 2008). Maybe this is what China is worried about? I know it is a concern here in the US, and many schools have banned Facebook because of this very fact. However, if used properly, Facebook can be a positive and useful classroom tool. I have seen teachers set up class pages where students can check in on homework assignments, collaborate for help, and even leave feedback on lessons.
Overall, Facebook is a complex and revealing social tool, that allows users to share photos, thoughts, and friendship hierarchies with others. It isn't the first social media to hit the web, and it won't be the last. The model of Facebook is very good, but not perfect, as we have seen lately. Look for more people to revolt against Facebook's privacy policies, but don't expect a mass exodus.
Someday, someone will create a more user-friendly and less intrusive social media platform that will end Facebook's reign atop of the net. Until then, Facebook may continue to be the king of all evils, or just king.
Resources:
Mitrano, T. (2008, March/April). Facebook 2.0. Educause, 43(2). Retrieved from
http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume43/
Facebook20/162687
http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume43/
Facebook20/162687
I really Thought about using facebook for my web 2.0 tool #3 but o figured that most of my students are still myspace junkies. And I think your are very right about facebook reigning right now. They stay on top of many social media trends so it makes it difficult to one-up them.
ReplyDeleteErik,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great point on facebook. The statement of it's not the tool but the tongue is perfect. Facebook is always under some scrutiny or another because of the fact it's too open.
There has been numerous news articles on folks losing there jobs because of postings, pictures, status's or just playing games on facebook.
Even Betty White had that statement of believing it to be a big waste of time.
The way we handled it in the last two classes was fine. And I can see that being the best way we have used facebook, but we had some restraint with the teachers and other classmates that we were able to use it as a tool, but alas not everyone uses facebook that way.
Good post.
Kevin