Social networking sites are the latest trend on the web and, if you are not a member of one already, you have probably heard of Facebook, MySpace or Bebo.
If, like me, you are very bad at keeping in touch with people, these sites are a lifeline, as you can keep all of your friends and family updated of your news and share picture galleries and videos at the click of a button! Some of the sites even remind you of your friends’ birthdays a week in advance – what more could you want?
Which site you choose to join is really down to personal preference. It also depends on how you want to use it.
MySpace users tend to like customising their pages and there are hundreds of websites available where you can download free skins (ie. colour schemes, backgrounds and layouts) for your MySpace page. Members are also given an individual MySpace web link which means that you can use your account as a mini website.
This is great if you want to promote yourself. For instance, my cousin’s band has recently been signed up with a record label, so they use their MySpace page to keep fans up to date with tour dates and record releases. Fans can also listen to audio clips of their tracks and watch video clips from their latest gigs.
If you type local place names into the search on MySpace you will probably be surprised to see that quite a few pubs and clubs now have their own pages! One example is Honiton Conservative Club at: http://www.myspace.com/honitonconservativeclub
Facebook and Bebo users seem to use the sites more informally – to chat with friends, share personal photos and videos and to find new friends with similar interests. You can also join groups of likeminded members on subjects that you interested in, as well as alumni groups for schools and colleges. Facebook friends can also challenge each other to online quizzes and even send them virtual gifts!
All of the social networking sites give you the opportunity to share information about yourself and this is where you need to be cautious. Any personal information that you choose to be published online could be viewed by the wrong people and there is the potential that this information could be used by fraudsters.
The three main social networking websites all have privacy settings built in to them, so you can choose which information is made available to the general public and which is made available only to close friends and family. When you join a site it is advisable to look at the privacy options and decide how much of your information you want to make public. For instance, it is not advisable to make your birth date, mother’s maiden name and personal contact details (eg. full address, telephone number and main email address) available to the public as it is possible that these details ( along with other publicy available information on the net) could be used by fraudsters to help them apply for bank accounts in your name!
Useful Links:
Popular Social Networking sites:
Facebook – www.facebook.com
MySpace - http://uk.myspace.com
Bebo www.bebo.com
Privacy Advice:
BBC Watchdog - http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/internet/internet_20071024.shtml
As you may have noticed we now have a blog section on the Devon 24 newspaper sites and you may be wondering: “what is a blog?”
Although sounding suspiciously like an alien toilet, the word blog is actually web speak for an online diary and derives from the term web log. Whatever you want to call them, blogs have taken off in a big way recently and everyone seems to have one!
Lots of celebrities keep blogs and the nosey among us love this rare glimpse into the thoughts and lives of the stars. Blogs can also be a good way for celebrities to promote events, such as performances and book releases.
For us mere mortals, however, blogs provide an opportunity to share our latest news with friends, family and…the rest of the world! Some people like to use their blogs to keep people informed of their progress on big projects or to describe their travels on a gap year abroad. Others prefer to use their online diaries in a more traditional sense: to talk about the trivia of everyday life and to give opinions on issues close to their hearts. Alternatively, if you fancy being a citizen journalist, many of the national newspapers now have shared news blogs which you can update and use to share your views on the top stories. A word of warning though: despite what many people believe the law DOES apply to content published on the web, so be very careful that you don’t post any comments that could be libellous or defamatory.
If you are a bit techno shy don’t be afraid – most personal blog sites are very easy to use, some of the most popular being www.blogger.com and www.myspace.co.uk
The site you choose really depends on which layout you prefer. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous you can also include extra content, such as pictures, video clips (known as vlogs) and audio (aka podcasts). However, you must use your own material, as it is illegal to use copyright pictures, artwork, videos or music tracks without permission.
Over the next few months I will be using my blog to report on the latest news and trends from the World Wide Web. If you have any comments, or suggestions on topics that you would like to see covered, please email: sally.fairbrother@archant.co.uk
USEFUL LINKS:
Create your own blog:
www.blogger.com
www.blogit.com
www.myspace.co.uk
Find blogs:
Google Blog Search - http://blogsearch.google.com/
Technorati Blog Directory - http://technorati.com/blogs/