OK Go

Thank you Mashable! for this article about Ok Go!

First off, I love Ok Go. Second, from an artistic perspective, this video (as with all Ok Go’s videos) is really cool. Third, Mashable! called Ok Go “YouTube darlings” I agree. I first heard about Ok Go through YouTube.  I think it is amazing how they have had such success by marketing through social media. Sweet.

Social Media, Politics, Infographics

So, if you are one of the three people that has read my About Me page, you will see that I am a Graphic Design student! The absolute RAGE in all of my classes this semester was infographics. I think I made about a million of them. Additionally, if you know me in person, you know that I can get a bit red in the face over politics. (blah blah blah raised by a lawyer w/ completely different political views than mine…. this taught me a) how to argue and b) it strengthened my own political beliefs by forcing me to defend them.) Additionally, if you have been following along boys and girls, you will remember that this blog is for a class over DA DA DAAAAAA Social Media.

So pretty much I like this article, posted by Mashable. It is titled ‘Social Media’s Impact on the Midterm Elections [Infographic]’.

Sweet. You should check it out.

And no, interwebs, I will not share my political views on here. It’s none of your beeswax, and I don’t feel like getting in a fight today… maybe tomorrow.

Don’t Mess With the GEEKS!

Mashable posted an article about how a group of hackers TOOK DOWN VISA.COM! Holy Moly… don’t mess with the geeks. They will f you up.

This whole Wikileaks thing is getting to be a pretty big deal. Anyone else think that it is a bit frightening (and kind of inspiring) that this group of hackers used Twitter and other social media outlets to organize and attack?! What a world we live in.

Facebook Facelift

Epicenter (I know… reference them all the time… I love Wired!) recently posted and article about the new Facebook redesign.

By now, I feel as though most people I know have switched over.  At the moment, the change is voluntary, going site-wide in early 2011.

My question to all of you (that’s right… the WHOLE INTERNET!) is what do you think? In the past, Facebook’s changes have been controversial. Many people simply don’t like change. Additionally, there have been so many privacy issues in the past that everyone gets their panties in a bunch every time a change is made. This time, thankfully, I have not heard of any privacy issues.

Personally, I kinda like the changes. I like that there are more faces visible on FB when I go to my page. I like the new design, although it took me a minute to find out how to update my status and comment on someone else’s wall. In the past I’ve been on the fence for some, and against other changes. This time, I’m not hating it.

Also- Google is starting a competing social network!? What? This is the first I’ve heard of that. I say good luck Google. You are awesome, and I love you, but I think FB has the market. Not even Myspace’s trendy new vibes could compete.

Web 2.0 and Plagiarism

Anyone who’s been through high school knows that plagiarism is a big no-no. The fact remains, that people still do it. Additionally, anyone who’s had any experience with web 2.0 knows that plagiarism is easier than ever. Mashable posted this article about a blogger who fought against a magazine (! That’s right, a printed publication!) that plagiarized one of her 5-year-old blog posts. Makes you think…

Facebook Sobriety Test?

Mashable recently posted an article about a new plug-in that acts as a sobriety test before you post on Facebook. It’s actually called “The Social Media Sobriety Test” with the tagline, “Nothing good happens online after 1 a.m.”

The idea is that you can set certain hours between which this plug-in will put you through a series of tasks before allowing you to access and modify your Facebook. If you fail the test, it will post to your FB that you are too intoxicated to be on Facebook.

Okay, I’m sorry, but does anyone else see how absurd this is? This plug-in is obviously marketed to the idiot youth of the world. I myself enjoy the social lubricant that is alcohol from time to time, and yes, I’m sure that I’ve had my moments where I wished I had had a filter… but if you have the ability to set certain hours within which you think you will be too intoxicated to make good social media decisions, don’t you think you might have a problem? Try an AA meeting instead.

Facebook to Sociallize, Twitter to work

Wired recently published this article titled “More Professor Are Using Twitter-but Mostly Not for Teaching”. The article discusses how professors are taking advantage of Twitter to spread ideas in their free time, but not using Twitter in the classroom.

I personally love Twitter.  I signed up for twitter a few months ago and didn’t use it to it’s fullest potential.  I had a private profile, and I only followed people I know in person.  While this is an okay way to use Twitter, I feel as though I now know the better way to use it.  When I started this class (ims 201) we were required to get a Twitter account and to start following various tech news companies (Epicenter, Wired, Mashable, etc.) and we were encouraged to seek out experts in our fields, or big companies in our fields.

I have found so many amazing Graphic Design firms, and professionals. Whenever I want to keep up with the latest GD news, or tech news, Twitter is a fantastic resource.  I am a fan.

Texts From Last Night

Texts From Last Night is a social media website designed to mock the drunken antics of college students (or anyone else who binge drinks and sends ridiculous text message).

I am in love with it.

On this website, people can post conversations that they have had via text message (especially ones that are found to be comical). Additionally, you can search these text messages by entering the city or area code.  No names or phone numbers are included on the site, so people are protected.

Where as some social media can be used to spread valuable information, this delightful piece of internet is devoted solely to poking fun.

I am an avid people watcher.  I love to go to Uptown Oxford when the bars are in full swing, and sit and watch people. It is hilarious. Drunk people are fun.
This website takes that same idea and pushes it further, allowing us to laugh at the ridiculous conversations that people have. I find it to be a wonderful social commentary.

Btw- This post is dedicated to my boyfriend Josh, because he just discovered this website recently and went nuts over it.

Apple and Face Recognition

Mashable posted an article this afternoon about how Apple has supposedly acquired a Swedish company that specializes in Facial Recognition software. Rumor has it that Apple plans to use this software to create a program that allows you to point your iphone camera at someone, and automatically see links to their social networking sites.  It would allow people to see your latest tweets and blog posts, etc.

I have mixed feelings about this software.

My first reaction is “Sweet! That sounds awesome, and I want one right now!”

My second reaction is “Wow… I really don’t know if I want to be that accessible to people.”

I am the type of person who has everything set to private! If you go to my Facebook page, all you will see is my profile picture and a nice little message telling you that you must be my friend to view my profile.  Secondly, I don’t friend people that I haven’t met in person.  Although, I do need to go back and weed through all the people that I met once at a party, I know basically everyone that comes up on my news feed pretty well. Additionally, I even censor most of my content and status updates from some people (mostly my grandparents and young cousins… because I have a potty mouth).

I’m intrigued to see what Apple does with this software.  On the new iphone 4, there is a feature (called Face to Face I think) where you can video chat over your phone. Maybe this is the next step. I hope it comes with some wicked privacy options.

I am happy I do not attend Harrisburg University

The Chronicle recently posted an article about Harrisburg University. The article discusses how HU will shortly be entering a Social Media Blackout.  *expletive*

This University makes several points that I agree with, and several that I do not agree with.

Discussed in the article by a Mr. Eric D. Darr (Harrisburg’s Executive VP and Provost)  is how students today do not know what the world was like before social media.  According to him, if they have a university-wide blackout of social media, when they bring it back, students will appreciate it more and learn how to use it in a more productive manner. Mr. Darr states that it is in no way censorship, as students are free to go off campus for internet.

On the other hand, a Mr. David Parry (Assistant Professor at University of Texas) believes that, while taking a break from social networking may be a good idea, Mr. Darr is being a bit ridiculous about it.

I agree with Mr. Parry. I believe that there are several other ways to teach students the value of social media, and how to use it to its full potential. I agree that taking a break from social media could do us all some good, but I do not believe that it should be forced on anyone. I disagree with Mr. Darr when he claims that it is not censorship.  Webster defines censored as:

: to examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable <censor the news>; also : to suppress or delete as objectionable <censor out indecent passages>

Now, I know anyone can look up a word in the dictionary (or online as I did) and try to sound intelligent.  That is not my goal here.  My goal is to point out that the definition perfectly describes what is being done at Harrisburg University.  They are suppressing the student’s ability (and right to information) to access social networks.

One topic touched upon in the article that I wish would have been expanded upon is the fact that many students use social networks to communicate with their loved ones.  How is this censorship fair to these students?  I myself use Skype every single day to communicate overseas.  What about students who have friends and family over fighting  the war? Is it fair to tell them that unless they can make other arrangements off campus, this important communication will not take place?

I believe that there are better ways to achieve the goal they are seeking.  Why not have classes that teach students how to use the tools that the internet provides?  This class that I am in right now for example: IMS 201.  This class is the reason this blog is here in the first place! Our assignment is to blog twice a week, tweet five times a week, bookmark six sites on delicious.com a week, and start using an RSS reader. The goal of this assignment is for students to understand that social media is not there simply so that everyone knows about the big kegger next weekend or that Marci just got some awesome new strappy sandals, but that the flow of information can be extremely interesting and valuable.

Instead of violating their student’s right to freedom of information by censoring them, Harrisburg University should do what every educational institution is supposed to: educate.