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Week 10: Online Social Networks
I believe the topic for this week is the one I am most familiar with. I joined my first online social network in early high school because ‘all the kids were doing it’ so I can identify with some of the readings concerning teenagers and online identity. Representation of identity online is important in online networking. Since my foray into it in high school, social networking has become extremely popular not only among teenagers, but among other age groups as well.
In the readings, I like the point about online social networks as being uncontrolled space for teens that are constantly in one controlled space after another. It is a space where they can create and manage an online representation of themselves through pictures and post their interests. It is a space to hang out with their friends and others with similar interests.
A point that was addressed in the readings is that teenagers do not consider the possible future consequences of how they represent themselves to the world. Future employment opportunities may be lost because of a picture from a crazy party. It is like the haunting effects of a hasty, youth impulse driven tattoo. For the most part, I think that teenagers do not consider this because they are just having fun. It seems like an awful invasion of privacy to bar someone from opportunities due to a trace of something they did in their youth (even if it was posted as public information), which would not affect how they perform in a job. It seems, though, that if one has a presence online, a clean reputation is becoming more and more important because background checks can be made.
Identity and representation is especially important in another kind of online social networking – professional networking. I know that professional networking is done on Facebook but there is another site that I have heard of that is specifically for the purpose of professional networking. I do not have an account myself, but I have heard about a site called LinkedIN that is growing in popularity.
I like the case studies of the libraries with profiles on MySpace and Facebook. These are spaces that teens and people of all age groups are going voluntarily. Libraries are learning where people spend their time and going there to meet them. I think that it is great to have a page that serves as a portal to the library home page or a library profile page where people can accomplish the same tasks as on the library page (such as a search function where people can search the library’s OPAC right from the library’s MySpace page. I particularly like the latter option. People may not be familiar with the layout of any given library web site, but if they have a profile on MySpace or Facebook, they are closely familiar with the layout and design of the sites. It is easier and perhaps more pleasurable and interesting to find out about library events through a MySpace page rather than the library page because people already associate pages on MySpace page as interest pages.
The readings brought up the question of whether libraries are intruding on an uncontrolled space where people just want to socialize. I don’t think it is an intrusive presence because libraries can create an identity on social networks that is fun, informative and representative of the interests and needs of their users. Such a presence brings information to users and shows them what libraries can be about and how it has something that can be of interest for everyone. Applications for library pages on Facebook make it fun for people to interact with one another. For example, an application displaying books that someone has read or wants to read and they can see who else has read it or wishes to read it as well. When it is fun and representative of an individual’s identity, people will want to show that to others.
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Solinny, anyone esle
What do you think about the idea of Libraries expanding to these professional networking sites? Do you think the library will be more or less successful in these environments?
Hello Solinny,
I like your point about how libraries that have online profiles in Facebook and MySpace are creating identities for themselves, and not 'intruding' into teenagers' uncontrolled space. I believe that if libraries choose not to participate in online social networking, then they will most likely take the opposite stance of filtering the internet to avoid the 'problem' of online social networking in the library. It would be a shame if this did occur (as it has in London), because children who do not have access to internet at home will not have any access to these 'uncontrolled' spaces, and will risk not creating an identity for themselves, or socializing in the same way as others. So, libraries should definitely be involved in online social networks.
Thanks!
Solinny,
I like how you point out that these online spaces are an 'uncontrolled' place for teens to be themselves and interact with their peers without being monitored. While this can lead to bad groups, language and information (just the same as hanging out outside of the virtual world), it important for teens to have a place where they feel they are in control and can be themselves. I think this raises a good opportunity for the library to host instructional classes or collaborate with schools to educate kids on the benefits of online social spaces, how they can be used for school or communicating; this will help teens know the advantages and disadvantages without instilling fear and that facebook is BAD, like my parents and CTV keep telling me.
I've also noticed an upswing in the last few weeks in negative press about Facebook. I think, as more non-users become aware of what Facebook is and what it does, it is even more important to educate them about what it ISN'T, and DOESN'T do. Maybe this is an area where librarians can help. Perhaps an FAQ about social networks, an information literacy course on safely using them? Or even an information session for people curious about what Facebook is, but who don't want to join. So much potential for the library to get involved in the use of these web tools, even in the "real" world.
I agree, Jaclyn. I think libraries can create a niche by educating people about what these online social networks are about. As Solinny noted, young people may not be aware of the future ramifications of what they do in online spaces. So there are two extremes: (mostly) young people who are familiar with these networks, but who are perhaps not highly aware about their risks, and the (likely older) group that is aware mostly of the risks, but may not understand the benefits. The library can help to bridge those two sides.