Facebook

After resisting for sometime, I had joined Facebook before this course. It was overseas friends that particularly wanted me to join. The ease of adding photos and having threads of comments on wall postings does make it quite an inclusive, attractive way of keeping in touch. It's also good if you are a member of a group, you can get mailings and post them easily, (although yahoo groups did this well too).

While I dreaded signing up, it has not proved too onerous to be on Facebook. I wonder how many people will pay the £3 fee that may be introduced to stay on there (I was told). I do not put too many personal details on there, just because I don't think it is a good idea.

As for work uses, we are in debate about this already in my workplace. My first reaction, when asking students what Web 2.0 technology we should use, was "not Facebook". I know Twitter is coming up on the programme (and I may not like it when I know it better) but I think that would be my first choice over Facebook. I would be concerned about having to monitor for unsuitable postings on the Facebook wall the whole time.

I have been asked to send posts to students on things like new books by subject and Twitter would be best for this (I am told).

I am a Facebook friend of a library that has set up it's own page and I can see it is keeping students engaged that way. Perhaps I am old fashioned but I can't help feeling that there should be divides still between work and play (I know that is not the general way these days though).
The advertising that can appear on your home page is annoying too. I don't like promoting Starbucks but you can't control that.

While a Facebook would attract fans and interest no doubt, we have a good web page. I am not clear on the difference between Facebook Groups and Fan pages - I think you would need to try it out to see.

I plan to take a decision on what to introduce at work, at the end of this programme, so don't quote me on statements in this post.