One of the interesting things in social media is when the popularity of something becomes viral. I have seen this happen from time to time with YouTube videos, new podcasts, and even different software or web services. However, in the over four years that I have been on Facebook, I have seldom seen anything like the phenomenon of the "25 random things" note that has been running rampant the past couple of weeks.
I'm very active in most social media networks. Particularly on Twitter, Plurk, an of course Facebook. However, I have different parameters for whom I interact with, and who I'll add. I have all my accounts set to private, not necessarily because I have something to hide, but because as a woman, I have to be careful online. I'm very open to add people on Twitter, a bit more selective on Plurk. Although I have the largest amount of connections on Facebook, I have the most stringent policy of who I'll add there. I'll only add people with whom I've had some significant interaction with.
Parameters aside, once I make a connection, I'm in it for the long haul. I believe that once you join a network, you should be an active participant. You don't have to be on every network, but BE THERE in the ones you are. I use ping.fm to quickly update all my soc nets, but part of being a good steward of community, and building relationships is checking the responses you are getting, and having communication with those who are making an effort to interact with you. Different people communicate in varying ways, so why not be open to it? At the end of the day, isn't it about building relationships one person at a time? To me, the Facebook note "25 random things" is a perfect way to share a little more about yourself and to get to know more about your friends.
The concept is pretty simple. Write 25 random things about you, and tag 25 friends. At quick glance, it seems a bit like a chain letter, but the only similarity is the mass dissemination. It doesn't mandate you do it, or sentence you to bad luck for not doing so. It's merely a creative way to open ourselves up. You tag 25 people who you are now telling "Hey, I want to know 25 random things about you!"
Some have very vocally cried foul! Claiming that it's an "inappropriate use of tagging" some even dubbing it "bad internet etiquette." I couldn't possibly disagree more. The first qualm they have is that the note "doesn't talk about them." The fact that I selected YOU among the 25 people I tagged means I want to share these random things about me with YOU, and in turn, I want YOU to share 25 random things about YOU. Clearly, the note is about YOU!
Perhaps the most dissaponting complaint is that of "an inbox filled with notifications." I've had my share of notifications, and have been tagged in the note several times. But you don't hear me belly aching. On the contrary. I have 25 random things about myself, and have made a concerted effort to comment on those who have choosen to share with me. Oh, and with that, I've also had to "put up" with more notifications as others responded after me. At the end of the day, it's a small price to pay to get to know someone on a deeper level.
The Internet is an amazing new medium to not only share our lives, but to maintain old connections and create brand new friendships. That is something I believe to the core of my being. I think this note is a prime example of it. To earnestly share about yourself, and if you allow yourself to be open, if you believe in community, and in those relationships you've build online, to learn more about those that are opening themselves to you.
I think a lot of people have some evaluating to do. They need to assess why they joined social media networks, why they make connections on those networks, and what their words and actions say to those who genuinely want to make a connection with them.
Thanks everyone who's read my 25 random things note, but above all, Thank You to every single one of you who wanted to share 25 random about yourselves with me. It has sparked some wonderful conversations. I have learned at least one new thing about all of you.
I'm very active in most social media networks. Particularly on Twitter, Plurk, an of course Facebook. However, I have different parameters for whom I interact with, and who I'll add. I have all my accounts set to private, not necessarily because I have something to hide, but because as a woman, I have to be careful online. I'm very open to add people on Twitter, a bit more selective on Plurk. Although I have the largest amount of connections on Facebook, I have the most stringent policy of who I'll add there. I'll only add people with whom I've had some significant interaction with.
Parameters aside, once I make a connection, I'm in it for the long haul. I believe that once you join a network, you should be an active participant. You don't have to be on every network, but BE THERE in the ones you are. I use ping.fm to quickly update all my soc nets, but part of being a good steward of community, and building relationships is checking the responses you are getting, and having communication with those who are making an effort to interact with you. Different people communicate in varying ways, so why not be open to it? At the end of the day, isn't it about building relationships one person at a time? To me, the Facebook note "25 random things" is a perfect way to share a little more about yourself and to get to know more about your friends.
The concept is pretty simple. Write 25 random things about you, and tag 25 friends. At quick glance, it seems a bit like a chain letter, but the only similarity is the mass dissemination. It doesn't mandate you do it, or sentence you to bad luck for not doing so. It's merely a creative way to open ourselves up. You tag 25 people who you are now telling "Hey, I want to know 25 random things about you!"
Some have very vocally cried foul! Claiming that it's an "inappropriate use of tagging" some even dubbing it "bad internet etiquette." I couldn't possibly disagree more. The first qualm they have is that the note "doesn't talk about them." The fact that I selected YOU among the 25 people I tagged means I want to share these random things about me with YOU, and in turn, I want YOU to share 25 random things about YOU. Clearly, the note is about YOU!
Perhaps the most dissaponting complaint is that of "an inbox filled with notifications." I've had my share of notifications, and have been tagged in the note several times. But you don't hear me belly aching. On the contrary. I have 25 random things about myself, and have made a concerted effort to comment on those who have choosen to share with me. Oh, and with that, I've also had to "put up" with more notifications as others responded after me. At the end of the day, it's a small price to pay to get to know someone on a deeper level.
The Internet is an amazing new medium to not only share our lives, but to maintain old connections and create brand new friendships. That is something I believe to the core of my being. I think this note is a prime example of it. To earnestly share about yourself, and if you allow yourself to be open, if you believe in community, and in those relationships you've build online, to learn more about those that are opening themselves to you.
I think a lot of people have some evaluating to do. They need to assess why they joined social media networks, why they make connections on those networks, and what their words and actions say to those who genuinely want to make a connection with them.
Thanks everyone who's read my 25 random things note, but above all, Thank You to every single one of you who wanted to share 25 random about yourselves with me. It has sparked some wonderful conversations. I have learned at least one new thing about all of you.
5 comments:
Way to address the community and personal aspect of this debate. Well said.
I agree with ya girl. I've found some of the pre-judgements hurtful. While I was hesitant to do this 25 things exercise at first, I found it to be rewarding not only to learn about others but to learn about myself. You articulated some of my thoughts exactly...,
and in a crazy act of serendipity a friend just posted this... http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=49100371491&h=AvIju&u=jMQg_&ref=nf
Interesting post! To be honest with you, I am the same way about my parameters regarding who I add (or keep) as my Facebook friends. You would be surprised.
Also, about the 25 random things: When you tagged me on your was the first time I felt the impulse to actually participate. Now, I feel the presure to be funny is too much and I even question if I would have 25 things to say. Your post made me want to do it... so be on the look out for it. lol
Andrea,
I’ve read the blog entry.. Nice quote when you wrote… “Different people communicate in varying ways, so why not be open to it? At the end of the day, isn’t it about building relationships one person at a time?”
I totally understand that when I did my rant in a live broadcast of the My Crazy Life Podcast, that I totally screwed up on how I wanted to share my concerns about tag spam. I admit that I came away from that rant looking like a complete hypocrite. I did not communicate what I wanted to communicate at all and it appears that I’ve hurt some people’s feelings in the process.
This is my public apology to anyone whose feelings I’ve hurt by telling them that I feel they they are “WRONG” for using the technology the way they want to use it.
The point is that there are a bunch of places all over facebook where people can see my name, my photo, and a link next to it that says “Notes About…” This implies to my friends on facebook that if they click on that link, they will be able to see notes that reference me.
Again, it’s not the 25 Random Things that upset me. It’s the “Booty Stank” spam that people will see when they click on a link from MY PROFILE! IT makes the facebook experience a lot more like what I tried to get away from when I left MySpace to come to Facebook.
You wrote in your blog….”Perhaps the most disappointing complaint is that of “an inbox filled with notifications.” I’ve had my share of notifications, and have been tagged in the note several times. But you don’t hear me belly aching.”
In the video, I shared the Obama Note, The Leopard Ate A Woman Note, and The Booty Stank Note. There are a TON OF OTHER NOTES THAT I’ve been tagged in that I simply would not show you because they were a lot more offensive than those examples. All of them which I have to personally have to either remove my tag from to avoid having my friends see that stuff when clicking on a link that says “Notes About Cliff.”
As for the notifications… I’m now getting so many of them each day that I went into my settings and told facebook to no longer send me the emails when someone tags me in a note.
Now, if someone where to write a note and tell a funny story about their experience with me or something like that, I won’t get an email about it.
However, when I log into facebook, I will see the notifications there. But I’m away from Facebook for more than 8 hours and log back in to see 55 notfifications and 35 of those notifications are where I’ve been tagged in a note…. At one point, I’m eventually going to stop looking at them.
The problem I have is that there is not a “block tags from this friend” option for those who abuse the system.
I’ve obviously made some folks feel very uneasy with my rant. I admit that I can take my own perspective on things and just run with Pure Passion on the topic, even when that topic is a non-issue.
Honestly, this isn’t that big of a deal except that I’ve made it a big deal and I’ve hurt some folks feelings.
I can’t promise that I’ll never get this passionate about a non-issue in the future. However, I can honestly tell you that I’m very sorry to learn now that I’ve hurt anyone’s feelings by sharing my side of the argument in a “judgmental and overly opinionated way.”
Please forgive me!
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