Social media, family trees and finding friends

By Kerry Schofield

@obsesscreative

I asked a group of social media users several questions about their use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace. Users in the group say they are on Facebook and Twitter more so than MySpace. But one user has been on MySpace at least one year longer than Twitter or Facebook. The group overall has used social networking from one to four years.

 

One user is on Geni.com, a site where family members build a family tree and invite other family members to collaborate. He says his family has contributed a lot of information to the Geni family tree, which has grown to over 5,000 blood relatives reaching back to Great Britain during the 1400s. Another user is on Linkedin, a site where professionals exchange information, ideas and opportunities. Linkedin is used for networking and employment opportunities.

Users are accessing social networking sites on their home PCs or on their Blackberry or cell phones. They report having constant access to social media in this regard. Users are also blogging on Blogger.com. All but one user is multitasking when on social media sites. They are watching T.V., listening to the radio or music, eating or talking on their cell phone. Some users will leave a Facebook or Twitter tab open while working on their PC or laptop. Others leave their computer on and walk away from it only to return later. Users in the group spend anywhere from 15 minutes to 6 hours a day on social networking sites. Some spend up to 3 hours per week.

Most users are at home or work when on social networking sites. But if they are accessing social media from their mobile device, they could be anywhere. Users like the ability to get up-to-date information on news from social media sites while others like them as pure entertainment. Many use the sites to keep in contact with friends, family and children or to find out what their friends are doing and to view pictures from them. One user says he likes social media for light communication with a wide group, deep communication with a limited group and communication with people of similar interests and views. Another user has tried social media for networking for employment.

Users say some problems with social media are that people talk about mundane details that are not interesting and that some people talk too much. Social media can also be a distraction for more important tasks like reading a book, writing a journal entry or otherwise enjoying life. One user was concerned about being “spied” on by others who may be checking profiles and user locations. Another user is concerned about too much personal information that is online. And yet another was concerned about phishing and scams. One user says Facebook in particular has become a distraction because of checking for news feed updates and this time could be spent on more productive tasks.

Overall however users say social media enables them to keep in contact with close friends and network with people who share the same interests. In addition, social media has allowed users to re-establish lost relationships with people in other areas of the country or world. One user was able to obtain a critical interview through a friend on Facebook. Social networking sites have helped users to develop relationships online that turn into friendships offline. Facebook has helped to make existing friendships stronger as well. Others say social media has introduced them to a world of communication they were not aware of before.

Many users read the news and search for old and new friends on social network sites. Some users hope to draw traffic to their blogs by posting on Twitter and Facebook. One user says she has learned to condense her life into a very short status update. One user likes playing games on Facebook and can spend up to 6 hours a day on the site.

Most users feel social media can be addictive, time consuming and a time waster. Privacy is a big concern too. Some users feel that people are too emotional online. One user said care must be taken with what’s posted because employers are looking. This same user says to totally avoid social media is not good because we live in a digital age, especially if one is considering employment as a journalist or in the communication field. One user says Facebook can give the illusion of a relationship when in fact it’s quite passive. One user says friends from long ago now want to be friends who never really were friends. One user who works on a computer all day wants a break from it in the evening. This user said social media is like being addicted to the “boob tube,” texting or tweeting. Most users think social media can be positive due to the connections made by people for both personal and professional reasons.

One user advises caution when using foursquare and Facebook Places. She says these sites are not protecting our privacy. She says there are some people that you would not want to see. Those close to you already know where you are. This user is also concerned about publishing private information voluntarily. She is cautious when adding friends and thinks that strangers and stalkers can find you easily through social media sites. She stresses caution when posting to pages for safety concerns.