Social Media in the News

Find a recent article concerning anything social media related in the news. Link the article to your blog post. (A simple Google search under the 'news' tab on Google using the search terms 'news articles about social media' or 'news articles about [fill in the blank platform]' can lead you to articles, for example.)

Courtesy of David Hall Social Media

Summarize what you've found. What impact does it have on the world? On you?

Blog posts should be at least 3 paragraphs. Make sure to proofread! Posts are due by 5PM Friday, December 1.

Choose Your Own Adventure: Thanksgiving Break Edition

This week, what you post is up to you! (You still have to post something...)

Here are some thoughts to guide you if choosing your own adventure isn't your thing:

• What are you doing for Thanksgiving break... anything fun and exciting? Or just rest?
• What did you think about Janie Henderson's talk on Social Movements?
• What are you most looking forward to at the end of the semester (it's so close!)

Your post doesn't have to be related to the ideas above - they're just suggestions to get you moving. Have fun; post something interesting. Be you and be authentic. Posts are due Sunday, November 26 by 5pm.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Public Shaming

There have been some interesting cases of public (online) shaming that have happened ever since social media gave us the ability to make commentary on anything and everything. Public shaming has become a form of Internet vigilantism wherein the targets of the shaming are humiliated via various social media channels. Those who do the shaming see it as an opportunity to right injustices.

Photo courtesy of Public Shaming Twitter Account

For example, the Ashley Madison leak outed several users who were using the site to conduct extramarital affairs. For class this week, we read about Justine Sacco who tweeted an awful joke and subsequently had her life ruined while she was on a flight. Even here on campus, we have seen several incidents where students have tweeted or posted on Instagram something that struck a chord and took on a life of its own, even if it was mostly isolated to our Mountain home.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

So... where do you stand on the idea of public shaming? Is it ever ethical for someone to publicly shame another? What are some good practices to get into as you begin to use your social media accounts for posting both personal and professional content? Provide a list of a least 3 tips (please number your tips as opposed to writing them in paragraph style).

Blog posts are due by Friday, November 17 at 5PM. Make sure to include some visual elements to break up your paragraphs. Make sure to proofread!

Wikipedia and Privacy

Once again, you have two options to complete for this week's blog post.

Option 1. Using the Van Dijck reading (Chapter 7) and Tuesday's discussion on Wikipedia, make a case for whether or not Wikipedia should be used as a reliable source for student research papers.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Supplement your argument with specific examples from the reading and discussion. Responses should argue for or against in about 3 paragraphs.

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Option 2. Have you thought about the information you share online? What does it say about you? Are you protected?

Photo Courtesy of Online Gladiators

Thursday's topic is Privacy Online. There are so many ways that hackers, scammers, and phishers can access our information. Is any of it actually private?

Tell me what you think about privacy. Are you being proactive about protecting your identity and information online? Explain what you do to keep yourself safe online.

As a part of your response, come up with a set of guidelines (a list of 3-5 governing ideas/techniques) that you would give a high school senior in terms of online protection as they begin thinking about an adult life away from home for the first time.
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Posts are due by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 10. Make sure to proofread your blog posts. Break up large chunks of writing with something visual like a picture or gif.