Current Social Media Trends of 2016

Social media has come a very long way. I created my Facebook account in 2005 when it was simply “the facebook”, today we have a slew of social media platforms that allow us to virtually connect with anyone over anything.

As I was trying to find a post topic for this month, I came across an article by Jennifer Besse that discusses the emerging trends that we’ll see this year. She makes the point that live streaming video will a big thing. Besse couldn’t been more correct. I’ve noticed over the past few months that more and more friends and pages are using Facebook Live and Periscope has become a popular app.

While “Live Streaming” isn’t for everyone, it is a great marketing tool for business. I downloaded the Periscope app late last year because a TV show that I really like what marketing themselves by having Q&A and behind the scenes videos with the actors and writers. This gave the viewer a completely different interaction with a typically one sided medium. Personally, it made me feel more attached to the show (for those who are curious the show is called Undatable – not for everyone, but I love it).

When it comes to live streaming business (really any organization) can utilize this emerging social media tool for a fun experience. In his article, Matt Greener, offers some useful and innovative ways for a business to use this form of social media:

1. Q&A Sessions
2. Live Group Support
3. New Product Features
4. Announcements
5. Crowdfunding
6. Candid Insider Views
7. To Expand Reach

These tips are great for any business – this offers a new way for businesses to interact with their followers and gain feedback. It’s a free service so there’s no cost. I see this form of technology slowing being utilized more and more each day. I hope this trend continues as it makes the user feel involved and even apart of what the bigger picture.

References:
7 Powerful Ways To Use Live Streaming For Business
Social Media Trends

Mobile Social Privacy

There was a discussion post in the classroom not too long ago regarding the Facebook Messenger app and the privacy issues it aroused. I remember (all the way back in 2014) trying to access my messages and getting that stupid little cartoon telling me my messages have moved. I wasn’t really concerned about my “online privacy” – I had nothing to hide, no information to share, I was more upset that I had to find room for this thing just to view my messages on the go. What as the hullabaloo about? Why are we so concerned with our “online privacy”. What does this have to with me liking my friend’s status about going bowling?

The bane of my existence for… three or so months.

Well… what is online privacy? Because I’m having trouble formulating the exact words I’ll reach to the Internet for assistance:

Online privacy is the right or mandate of personal privacy concerning the storing, re-purposing, provision to third parties, and displaying of information pertaining to oneself via the Internet. Internet privacy is a subset of data privacy. Privacy concerns have been articulated from the beginnings of large scale computer sharing.^[1]

Privacy can entail either Personally Identifying Information (PII) or non-PII information such as a site visitor’s behavior on a website. PII refers to any information that can be used to identify an individual. For example, age and physical address alone could identify who an individual is without explicitly disclosing their name, as these two factors are unique enough to typically identify a specific person.

This can affect you in a multitude of ways – if there is a privacy breech you could have from having your online identity (or your actual) stolen, your images could be used without permission,or  your personal information being sold.

But what did this have to do with the world-wind of people not wanting to install the Messenger app?

People were more worried about invasive permissions – meaning that Facebook wanted more permissions than most apps were asking for – this raised a lot of eyebrows. People were stating that Facebook would read user messages and pull data to focus adverting efforts on users, it would have constant access to the users microphone and camera. While none of this is completely true, those who still had the Facebook app were still allowing nearly all of the same permission that the Facebook Messenger app requested.

Comparison of Facebook app vs Facebook Messenger versions

I was hesitant to download the app (not just because I didn’t want to add in another app to my already limited storage) but because the Internet was in uproar about the Facebook Messenger privacy. Had I read the specs I would have learned that I’m basically in the same boat with my current app. I eventually downloaded the app (for those burning to know) but I did it out hating to see that notification lingering in the Facebook app. The way I personally saw it, I post hardly anything (expect for pictures of my dog) and I’ve turned my location settings off – which, to me, is the biggest issue with privacy.

But for those wanting to protect their online privacy there are some precautions for those to take to be sure they’re browsing at their safest.

1. Don’t over share
2. Limit the cookies stored on your browser
3. If you’re super serious – encrypt your data when using email or cloud based storage
4. Don’t link all of your social media accounts
5. Use anti-virus software
6. Use strong passwords and be sure to log out of your accounts

Articles that supplemented this article:

Internet Privacy. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_privacy

Crambler. The Truth About the Facebook Messenger App and Your Privacy . (2014). Retrieved March 27, 2016, from http://crambler.com/truth-about-facebook-messenger-app-privacy/

Geofencing and “Free Speech”

I may be a little too old for this app – I’ve tired it and saw it as useless and just plain dumb. But, I’ve noticed it popping up and popping up for the same reasons. The app I’m referring to is Yik Yak. Yik Yak is an app that can be considered an anonymous Twitter. It allows users in a geographic range update a short “status” or “statement” for users in that same geographic range to view.

More common Yik Yaks 

In doing research for this blog edition I came across an NPR article that reveals how much of a commotion this app is creating.  Multiple universities are having issues with students (or people who happen to be in the same location) posting threatening and hateful comments. Examples the article gives:

At Western Washington University, there were calls to lynch the black student body president.

At the University of Missouri, students threatened to shoot all black students.

How things can get out of hand 

These are just a couple of examples – but there are loads more. Some universities (including Emory University) have responded to student’s concerns by blocking the app on their Wi-Fi networks, but that isn’t restricting those their cell networks.

Students are calling for Yik Yak to set up a geo-fence around zip codes of their universities to block the app. This is something that is being currently put into use in middle and high schools – the workaround for that is that the app is meant for users over the age of 17.

Let me back up a bit… what is geo-fencing? Geo-fencing is a predefined set of boundaries based on location. A great example is just that of a middle or high school campus. Even some businesses use it as a form of marketing (Big Brother is watching).

Obviously, this won’t cure the issue of people being hateful towards one another. But this isn’t free speech this is hate. By eliminating one forum to “anonymously” post these comments will do the world of higher education good. But, at the same time there will always be another way for people to post hate. It is unfortunate for those who use apps such as Yik Yak for playful jokes and innocent posts. What’s the saying? A few bad apples spoils the bunch.

To read the article in it’s entity visit:
Yik Yak Tests Universities’ Defense Of Free Speech

 

 

What is Mobile Social Media anyway?

Simply put, mobile social media is a gathering space for users with similar interest to connect and share their ideas, stories, photos (you name it) via their mobile phones or tablets.

If you’re currently reading this post on your phone and hop over to Twitter to see what people are saying about #SuperBowl50 you will become a mobile social media user. Fancy, huh? Sorry if you’re reading this on a destktop… you’re just not as cool.

I understand that this can be slightly confusing – the only word really separating the two is “mobile”.  A part of this idea is the fact that mobile devices allow geo-discovery.

SnapChat is perhaps one of my more favorite examples of this. Once enabled; a SnapChat user is able to scroll through a variety of filters that pertain to the geographic area they are near. Sometimes I find myself taking photos of random things just to see what the set of filters are. Below are a few examples:

This is just one tiny element of mobile social – in this blog our group will expand on other examples and emerging technology (and whatever else happens to pop up).

We’re new to the blogging world, be kind. We hope you enjoy and please feel free to add any feed back!

-Katie