Social Network Contributions
It’s not a surprise that information is shared through social media. People share their personal news and what’s going on in their lives all the time online. I think the way you use your social media; however, can affect what information you receive.
On Facebook, I have a few interconnected networks, but some networks I’m a part of are completely separate from the rest of my friends. For example, the group of NC State friends I travelled abroad to London with are all friends with each other, but none of my other friend know any of them. So yes, I’d say having separate groups of friends online definitely affects the variety of posts I see in my feed.
Posts that I see most often on my feed are either personal update posts or repostings of videos or news articles. Because I follow news-oriented pages on Facebook, a lot of articles show up on my feed regularly. I also subscribe to BuzzFeed and enjoy the articles and lists on silly subjects too. I click the “like” button when my friends post positive things, animal videos, and funny articles. I don’t often share as many things about myself online. In terms of how my friends influence me on social media, I’d say they don’t change any of my views but they do persuade me to attend local events that Facebook tells me that they’re attending. I’m more likely to attend an event where I know my friends will be.
I don’t post much on Facebook. If I do, it’s usually an article or a video or a post expressing gratitude for birthday wishes. I have true friends on Facebook, but I also have acquaintances I’m not close with and I don’t make many personal posts because I don’t feel like I necessarily want everyone to read them. The people that react to my posts are friends I’m closest to in real life. If I’m posting a picture of myself or places I’ve travelled to; however, a lot more people like and comment on them. If I influence others through social media, it’s either from a news or entertainment-based standpoint, I’d say.
I’m not really keen on Facebook using my social network for any reason. That could be a way to manipulate how users interact with the site freely and it seems like it could have restrictive implications. Facebook could target a person that shares a lot in their friend group with certain videos and advertisements knowing they’re likely to share it online and I think that’s going a bit too far. I’d rather Facebook not manipulate or track our social networks — but they probably do.
Hey Sarah. You addressed something in your post that I forgot to in mine: Facebook groups make my friend groups independent. Your example group of students who traveled to London akin to many of my own Facebook groups. I think that before Facebook groups, I would be more likely to communicate in person or online with a more diverse group of friends. Now, I post specifically to one group, or I even hang out with one group of friends on Tuesdays and another group of friends on Fridays. My friends from study abroad are unlikely to ever meet my friends from classes.
I am like you in the sense that I don’t make many personal posts on Facebook because I’m not even sure I have had a real conversation with some of the people that might see it. But, when I think back to middle school (and high school) days and the things I posted on Facebook, it’s quite funny to look back on them and see what I so freely posted on the Internet. My friends and I actually have made a game of going back in time on each others’ walls and finding the most embarrassing posts and pictures to bring back. I know, we are awful people. At this point I am wishing my mom had made me wait longer to get a Facebook.
Do you use the group features on Facebook so you see the different groups separately in your feed? Unfortunately as it seems, there isn’t much we can do to stop the intrusive acts of social media except stop using it. Are we in to deep though? Great job!