Social Networking?
[ 5 July 2007 ]
What are your thoughts? Now that I have accounts with Twitter, Jaiku & Pownce, I’m starting to feel the pressure to be interesting!
I also have accounts on Livejournal, Facebook, Flickr, Iqons, MyBlogLog, Myspace & Trendmill.
I’ve been using Livejournal for about 7 years, & Flickr since mid-last year. I love both of them — Livejournal keeps me in touch with practically all my friends, & Flickr is a fabulous way to share pictures.
The rest of the sites I’m less active on… & Stylemob is horrific! It’s a perfect demonstration of how ugly people can be when they’re encouraged to judge others. Aiiieeee.
What do you think about all these sites? Is it simply a reflection on how desperate we are for distraction? How do you keep up? Is it all getting out of hand?!
(Oh, & I have 6 Pownce invitations to give away if anyone wants one… HA!)
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala 
Tags: gala Share this! + Email This + Del.icio.us
+ Facebook
+ Stumbleupon
+ Technorati
Comment
Read more tagged gala...
EFT Eating Disorders Why You Should Go To Sales Daily Outfit -- 19th June 2007 Exciting News! International Dress Up Day #005 -- Gala's Pictures Purple Hair Gala's International Dress-Up Day #004 Pictures
i have used livejournal for years, and love it.
i have a myspace and bebo, and thats about it. i mostly use those to tell the teenage boys asking for nudes to f**k off.
Although i do have a few old school friends on there and it is an awesome way of keeping in touch and sharing photos etc.
The other day I decided to get rid of a couple of accounts I practically never use (Myspace, Bebo & Consummating) and make more of an effort with the ones I like best (Facebook & Ringo).
There was way too much repetition for me, as I had the same info on all the sites anyway.
I use them mainly to keep in touch with people from school and uni who are in different parts of the country/overseas.
Bridey — I forgot about Consummating! I deleted my account a couple of months ago. I used to like answering the questions, but as the site grew the questions started to get boring & the demographics of the site changed — more people, lower quality. Lots of people jumped on there & they never made any effort, it just dragged the whole thing down. Anyway, that’s my take on Consummating ;>
I have abandoned my twitter for a while now! I must get back into it, I love having miss Darling on there, you’re a true treasure.
I enjoy doing these networking sites just in case I come across someone who inspires me (like yourself) or anyone to talk to, granted it is very saturated. It’s also a kinda voyeurism I allow myself to take part in, teehe.
I have a myspace, livejournal and last.fm. I also have a facebook which I rarely use and I’m a member on a couple of music forums.
To be honest, I’ve asked myself that question a lot recently. I love technology and the world wide web, as I really feel it helps open up the lines of communication to so many people.
(It’s also a great way to waste time, yet, be productive and educate yourself! Woo hoo Wikipedia and iCiNG!)
But, I really don’t enjoy these social networking things too much. I find it gives people another way of validating their social status by how many “gifts” or “pokes” or “wall-comments” they get. Also, it really scares me to know that I or anyone else can know exactly what I’m doing. Stalker much?
(Not to mention, it does make me sad to see pictures of social events I wasn’t invited to, or couldn’t attend… Damn high school social-ladders…)
Don’t get me wrong. I use them as much as the next person. But really, what’s better? A nice face-to-face conversation with a friend who you rarely see over a yummy buttercream cupcake, or a quick web-convo, where you can’t even hear their emotions?
I agree with the above.. I would rather put that time and effort into actually seeing my friends. But Ringo is a lot of fun, in a voyeuristic way. I have no inclination to join myspace or anything else. I really enjoy reading blogs (mostly killing time at work) if the author has something interesting to say, like gala :) I love food blogs they give me some really novel ideas to try out.
Yes, indeed. I find it a little over the top.
The boy who everyone in my year fancied when we were 13yrs old messaged me on Facebook… it was embarrasingly exciting.
Retro.Bunny — Yup, I know what you mean. However, for me, the majority of my friends live overseas, either in New Zealand or the States, & it’s a great way to keep up with them. Some of these people I see once a year if I’m lucky, & so getting a note from them on Myspace (or whatever) is a total thrill.
I guess it depends on your lifestyle… also, being the nutty workaholic that I am, I’d rather get an email than talk on the phone or some chat program. I know that probably seems lame or something, but it means I can fit my friends into my life & reply in a meaningful manner, rather than having to drop everything to take a call, & then be distracted or not in the best ever mood. Am I mean?! I deleted all my chat programs a while ago, just because they drove me crazy.
I’ve had an LJ for years, and I had a myspace but didn’t know anyone on there so never used it. Recently everyone in my city seems to have been getting into Bebo as a way to procrastinate exams, and I’m really liking it so far (I always thought Bebo was for school kids but it seems Uni age is taking over). I’ve found old workmates, old school friends, old flatmates, as well as heaps of current ones, and I find it so exciting to learn what people are up to now. I don’t have anyone as a ‘friend’ who I haven’t known in real life though so I guess I’m not really “networking”.
I tend not to really care much for any of those. I use LJ mostly to interact in communities, and I kind of enjoy StyleMob. While a lot of people on there can be catty — the whole premise of the site actually — I just like to look around and see some of the creativity people have with their fashion. And I only ever rate when I think something is a “Wow” so I don’t really go along with the whol point =D
MySpace is going to kill us all. I swear. haha. I despise it and I don’t think I really want to go into why as it isn’t very exciting ;-)I have lj & facebook. I deleted myspace, friendster, etc. I also am an avid emailer. I figure if someone can’t keep up with me using those, then – ta ta world!
I use lj for entries for closer friends, facebook to keep track of those high school fringe friends that you don’t mean to lose completely, but aren’t close to. & my current city friends email me. Oh wait, I also have a Flickr account, which I forget to use consistently…Gala, I understand what you mean too. Sometimes, I’m like that, but I guess since I’ve been on summer-vacation recently, I have a lot of time to burn, so I like to meet up with my peoples.
Yeah, emails are nice too. They do make me smile and think, “Well, even though someone was really busy today, they did think of me!”
:)
i’d love a pownce invite – we’ll see if it actually goes anywhere. the only ones i’m active on really are lj, facebook, and lastfm.
Well, I have a myspace, but I don’t add people unless I already know them. I use it simply for blogging and keeping up with friends. I moved after I got married, and it’s much easier (and more casual) that way. I’m not much a “call to chat” person.
I would love to cut out all the extra and just use LJ, but NONE of my friends use it, so I see no point. Why blog if my friends aren’t reading it?
I have a Facebook but hate it. I rarely go on there. It is definitely too stalker for my taste. I don’t need to be alerted that a friend of a friend posted on their wall.
Also, I have a flickr, but its not for networking. It’s to have a photo hosting site. That’s it.
So, I don’t have a crazy amount, but I feel justified in using them. Some people are just crazy about it though. I know someone who decided to give up facebook for Lent…and it was really hard for her. I truly believe these sites become an addiction, myself included. But, that’s ok. I’m addicted to this site, too. ;)
I so agree with you about stylemob, I posted a couple of outfit pictures and all the negative comments actually got to me so I left.
Amy — I’ve never used Bebo. But I keep finding people I went to school with on Facebook, it’s pretty crazy. I don’t know if I really WANT to reconnect with them, I didn’t really get along with people at school so why would I want to now?
allison — Yeah, fair enough! It’s not that hard to log online & check someone’s journal etc. Shows you who cares & who doesn’t ;>
Britt — I looove Flickr. I’ve met a couple of people through there but mostly I am keen on the community. wardrobe_remix, for example, is awesome. & I love being able to ‘favourite’ other peoples pictures, that’s awesome.
kallirhoe — That sucks! I am a firm believer in only participating in things which make you feel good about yourself, so I think you did the right thing in leaving. Who needs other people’s approval anyway? What do they know?! Etc.! I still have an account on there but I made it private & it’s not going to get any use. I don’t know how to delete it ;>
I primarily use Myspace and LiveJournal…but I also have accounts with Facebook, Flickr, MyStyleDiary, Inked Nation etc etc etc….. In some ways I like it, because it allows you to meet and interact with people you might otherwise never have met. But in other ways it sucks – for one thing, it’s a massive time sucker. (Here I am commenting on your blog, when I should be writing my thesis.) But the thing that scares me the most is the whole issue of identity theft. Once your pictures are out there on the net, anyone can take them and use them for whatever (you experienced this recently, right?). People can very easily pretend to be something they’re not. I find it very worryine.
That is one thing I find hilarious – I wasn’t the most popular at school and I know a lot of people really didn’t like me – yet I get friend requests from them now. The problem with sites like that is that people get into “I have xxx friends, how many do YOU have” penis size fights.
I use both Myspace and Livejournal in equal amounts, however I greatly prefer LJ. It seems less like a pseudo-highschool popularity contest and is much more personal.
They are the only profiles that I have, I’ve nothing to contribute to sites such as Flickr.
P.S When looking at your photo’s on Myspace, I noticed a beautiful polaroid camera. I was wondering where I could find a similar polaroid camera like that? I’ve looked at Ebay extensively, but am always worried about quality or their compatibility with modern polaroid film.
Unfortunately, I’m one of those awful myspace people (yeah, one of the ex-scenekids… thankfully no gloomy bear or diamonds or hello kitty though), but I think what attracts me to it is the utter anonymity and ease of making passive friends-of-convenience. I keep trying to get into livejournal again, but I never can bring myself to write paragraph after paragraph about my day that no one will likely ever read. I do have an LJ but primarily use it for commenting in groups. Facebook I have as well, but it kinda bores me as I end up hooking up with a bunch of people I really didn’t care about from school. Of course, I have flickr, but that’s basically just for wardrobe_remix. Aaaand my modelmayhem and buzznet accounts, but I don’t do a great deal with either.
(And, Gala, if you happen to still have any Pownce invites, I’d be tickled pink if you could send one my way (take_a@rocketship.com), I’ve been trying to get one for awhile..)
“I deleted all my chat programs a while ago, just because they drove me crazy.”
Oooops ;P
“I deleted all my chat programs a while ago, just because they drove me crazy.”
Ooops :P
I’m glad that you posted about this. I’m enjoying reading the comments because it’s something that I’ve been thinking about recently. I go through phases of being scared of identity theft and not thinking too much about it. I have accounts with Livejournal, Facebook, Flickr, Last.fm, and 43things. I hardly ever use my Last.fm. And I have no friends on it, so it hardly counts, lol.
I’ve had the LJ for many years. I used to love it and write in it all the time. I joined lots of communities and would read them every day. But over the last year, I hardly ever read it or write in it anymore. It’s friends only and I don’t think I can delete it because of all of the memories that are posted in it. But I don’t use it anymore.
My Facebook hardly has any information about me and I’ve set the privacy down to Friends Only for everything else and I’m only friends with people that I know in real life. I often want to delete it because of my fear of identity theft, but I do like being able to connect with people that I miss from wherever. However, I feel like it gives people an out. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think that thanking someone on their Facebook wall is real manners. Especially when it comes to thanking someone for a gift that they sent in the mail. Or wishing good friends “happy birthday”. (keyword: good)
I love Flickr. I mostly post pictures of people as Friends and Family Only, because I like my Friends having the chance to see them, but they don’t often look. But I love being able to look at other people’s pictures and adding them. This is one site that I just love!
43things.com is another website that I just LOVE! I can post questions and comments about my own goals and how they are going and other people can cheer me or comment on them. And I can read about other people’s work on their goals and cheer them on too. I think it is very inspiring. I also feel pretty anonymous on it, which I love.
Anyway, sorry this is so long and I’ve probably repeated a whole bunch of stuff other people said.
I use Facebook and deviantART the most but I also have a Myspace that I only check when someone in real life asks me to (I can’t stand the slowness of that site and the amount it crashes). I have a Flickr account by way of having a Yahoo account, but I’ve never used it, I’m a member of Consumating but it’s gone downhill since more people have joined, I’m not an elitist or anything – it’s just gotten confusing and harder to remember people! I quite like StyleMob…but I haven’t had any negative comments (and would just delete any I did get) and I’m really only on there to promote my blog and look around for other blogs to read. I also have a Livejournal account, but only to comment on other people’s journals.
Why is social networking site such an umbrella term these days? A few years ago, sites like Flickr and deviantART wouldn’t have been classed as social networking sites, and I still don’t see them in the same way as Facebook or Myspace.
I am dying for a Ravelry invite, though…
I think it’s too much sometimes, too many pages to keep up with, and they all have much the same information. It feels a little like I’m giving my whole life away.
But I also like it sometimes as it feels like I’m connecting with people, even though I’ve never met or spoken to them.
Flickr i love! Facebook is much better than Myspace (though i do have a myspace). it’s nice that on facebook you can update your twitter, it makes things simpler, which i love. plus facebook has a lot of features that myspace doesn’t, and privacy is better there too.
i try to keep it down to just those three things because it’s too hard to have too many places. if everyone i liked to keep in touch with were all on facebook, i would only use it… ect.
I second Victoria’s comment from above: I LOVE my 43things! It’s a really easy way for me to work on what I want to do with myself, and the blog function there motivates me to do a little work on it each day.
I have Facebook, MySpace, and LJ, but I rarely use MySpace—too many pop-ups and just poor design in general, it makes my eyes hurt. I like FaceBook best of all.
My friends + I all had ljs in high school, + I mostly keep tabs on their lives that way, so it’s good.
I point blank refused to get a myspace in high school, + am still not convinced now. I got a Facebook as soon as I got to college, + am sorely disappointed at what has happened to it. I don’t mind the non-uni thing, because I don’t neccasarially have to be friends with them, it’s the applications that bug me. I’m there mostly for communication + photos (my campus is heavy on the Facebook use), not to find out anybody’s political prefrences or how many “kisses” or whatever they’ve recieved.
Other than that, I use Flickr for photo sharing, + also as a host for when I put pictures up on my livejournal. And that’s it on the “networking” sites for me. :)
I mainly use facebook, I have a lot of friends over the country and I get bored texting them. Like to send them little messages instead.
I like the fact you can have a lot of photos on there and you can tag them, although not so good if your friends decide to embarrass you with a bad photo! :S
I feel the same as Beth though it has gone a little way towards becoming the next Myspace with all the applications. The good thing is that you don’t have to have them on your account if you don’t want to.
Although I do like the last fm application. Good to see what people are listening to. And pick up new music.
Ok well enough of my talk….. See you on facebook :)
ps- saw this ( http://www.cupcakecourier.com/buyonline.asp ) + thought of you! :)
Nadia — I think that photo theft happens all the time, regardless of where you post pictures online. It has happened to me a couple of times, once in a pro-anorexia community (?!) but the other time they weren’t pretending the picture was them, they just liked it, so they used it. There’s not a lot you can do about it, & I’m not going to avoid posting pictures just because that might happen.
Jenny — I bought my Polaroid camera on Ebay & it works perfectly :>
Vanda — Google chat doesn’t count! Everyone I talk to in there is for a good reason, MSN is all “yo, I’m bored” & I don’t have time for that ;>
Eternity — I’ve never heard of Ravelry, wtf is that?
Beth — I refused to get a Myspace account for a long time too, the same way I was anti-cellphones for YEARS! Finally I buckled under the pressure on both counts. Cellphone was a good one to buckle to, Myspace not so much. Oh & that cupcake courier, so cute!
i’ve been netstalked by quite a few people over the years, so i don’t really fancy having too much information about myself out there.
i’m on tribe & that’s the only social networking site i’m on. I have LJ & flickr, but i’ve deleted a lot of the other things that i tried briefly. I usually get bored with the drama & lack of respect.
I often find that the internet causes people to be rude (especially myspace) and people tend to have ZERO respect for boundaries, friending & leaving inappropriate comments to people that they shouldn’t be….
I’ve had LiveJournal since I was a sophomore in high school, and now I’m a sophomore in college. It’s definitely my favorite site. I found the blackcigarette community through you, Gala!
I have a MySpace, but I never use it. It basically serves the same purpose at Facebook, which is a lot easier to use and not as annoying. It’s also easier to find people.
I did just get a StyleMob account, but I’ve hidden it until I can post some pictures of myself. I haven’t seen too many nasty things yet, but I haven’t been looking too hard either.
I got a Stylemob account without knowing what it was…yeah, I regret that now. I have to figure out how to delete it.
Awww, you don’t like MySpace? Well, the only reason I use it is to talk to my friends. That’s why my layout is pretty dull and my friends list is so small. But I used to be addicted to that website, I’m so glad that’s over!
I also have a LiveJournal, but I use that to check out communities and read one of my best friends’ journal. I prefer GreatestJournal a million times over, though…I’ve made so many friends through that website and it’s basically my first place to vent.
Overall, social networking isn’t really my thing, but I guess I’m sort of into it. I’m not interested in making a million online friends for no reason, but if it happens it happens. :)
Ravelry is social networking for knitting and knitters (so obviously only of interest to knitting obsessives like me), apparently it is awesome but it is in beta.
I’m a social-utility-Ho ;) Seriously, I am addicted, its awful but I am surviving on nostalgia, my current life is pretty rough so having the memories is pretty neat. I recently went to my 10 year reunion and its been great to see all the pictures because I never remember to take them myself. Facebook by far has the most people and runs the fastest for me. Which is what matters to me. Myspace, I like because it is easier to listen to my friends music who are musicians… (I should probably phrase that as ‘people I know who are musicians’ as I don’t want to presume they feel the same affection for me that I feel for them… but still.. thats what I like it for… :) ) and afew others just because the people on those sites won’t join up on facebook … yet. LOL
LOVE your blog by the way. It’s my daily read on the couch with a cup of coffee. Feels like my daily indulgence. I work at one of the social networking site you mentioned so obviously I’m a little biased. Unlike most people I can play on the site all day and it’s considered work. ;-)
i’ve spent the majority of my life since age 19 online. it all started with AOL, then online dating sites. along came deadjournal, lifejournal, other random journals, friendster, then myspace, and a multitude of other ways to waste my time and “connect” with people.
i’m currently on:
~myspace (though i deleted my original account…i joined a month after it was launched)
~livejournal
~facebook (though it bores me)
~flickr
~kaboodle (which you should join…it’s a great “wish list” site)
~sparkpeople
~curbly (a sort of myspace for your home)
~ask mefi (part of metafilter)
~twitter (i just joined)
i have my original AIM account…though i don’t seem to chat all that often. there’s yahoo messenger, as well as MSN.
btw….i am OFFICIALLY socially retarded!!!!
I have also been stalked online, so I’m rather paranoid when it comes to social networking. Most of my online accounts are private/friends only (Myspace, Facebook, Xanga, etc). Out of all the social networking sites I like Facebook and Livejournal the most. I like that I can control the privacy settings on Facebook and most of my friends are on there. I’m addicted to LJ communities. I mostly use my LJ as a private diary, but I also post some public entries that don’t go into my private life too much. Not many of my friends are on LJ though, they mostly use Xanga to blog. I don’t like myspace, but I have it because it’s the only way I can contact my other friends who don’t have a Facebook or Xanga. I also listen to music on myspace.