Social Networking Inside and Out

I found this slideshow Via Stephen Downes.  First off, if you are a slideshow fan, you will no doubt recongize this style of storying telling.   The technique is to illustrate the issue through the experience of an individual.   I've seen this style be copied by several users on SlideShare to explain enterprise2.0 issues.   Here's another one called "Meet Charlie."  I used the technique two years ago for a presentation at the first netsquared conference called "I Tag the Hand that Feeds Me" or what I should retitle "Meet Sally."

Is this the generational divide that play out in workplaces over the next 15-20 years?  That's tongue in check coming from a babyboomer who has gen y media habits.

There was a great question about social networking and representing one's organization posted on the Social Networking Affinity Group at NTEN by K.E:

I was just reading an interview with The Nature Conservancy's Jonathon Coleman on Treehugger . When asked about social news sites like Digg, Jonathon says:

"The type of things we post regularly on Digg and Netscape and Newsvine are real-world events, announcements, and discoveries – so our online efforts dovetail with what we’re doing offline.  We’re becoming popular on Digg and a number of the other big social news networks regularly because of the strength of our content.  We’ve brought huge amounts of new visitors to our site through these tools and have worked hard to develop engaging communities on them at the same time."

My question is, are the organizations doing this, like TNC, using personal usernames or organization usernames?  So far, I've been getting involved with online communities like Facebook by creating a personal profile about myself, and then creating a group for my organization. Am I going about this the wrong way? Should I be creating a personal profile for the organization?

Andy Carvin responded with this advice:

That's the only way to do it. If you look at Facebook's terms of service, it says quite clearly
that you can't create a user profile based on an entity. It has to be a real human being. Groups, on
the other hand, are designed for people to come together around areas of common interest, so you could set up a group about your org.

The PBS group is a good example. The group's officers
are PBS staff.

UPDATE from Katrin Verclas at NTEN:  (I'm elevating this comment into the post)

Facebook is deleting organizational profiles now. Amnesty's was disabled just recently and other organizations have reported the same, enforcing facebook's rule that only individuals can create profiles. Nonprofits can create groups and causes (we have both for NTEN) but of course, as was pointed out, neither can take advantage of the applications and added functionality at this point. Something to lobby Facebook for, and we at NTEN are in touch with them about this already.

Heather from Diosa who works on MySpace shared this:

On MySpace you can use an individual profile as a nonprofit profile... pretty much anything goes on MySpace

Comments

[Phil Gerbyshak]

This is a great presentation that reminds us all about the power of people, and seeing it through someone else's eyes. Very effective, and a lot to think about for those who wish to tell better stories. Thanks for sharing it!

[The Shed]

Hi Beth,

Thanks for picking up on my slides.

I just wanted to pick up on your question, "Is this the generational divide that play out in workplaces over the next 15-20 years?"

In my quest to push all things E2 into my organisation I would have to say it's not as much a generational divide as you might think. I've talked to all ages about this stuff and you tend to see 3 trends, 1) people who just don't get it, 2) people who have fun with Web2.0 stuff but can't make the connection to E2, and 3) people who can't see the point of Web2.0 but can see how E2 will bring added value to an organisation. All age ranges are split across these groups.

There's also a fourth group who are quite rare who get it both inside and outside the organisation. I like to include myself there. :)

[Peter Gulka]

One of the biggest problems with Facebook groups at the moment is the inability to develop or add applications to group profiles. Once that is possible the usefullness of a group besides as a status symbol on your profile really opens up.

Ironically, I found a Facebook group being used as a petition to add Applications to groups.

[John Humphries]

Just plugged your slide show on my blog. Hope thats OK.

All the best,
John

[Steve Sherlock]

I have a lot in common with Charlotte's work/home experience and my own. Thanks for sharing this is well done.

[Katrin]

Beth - Facebook is deleting organizational profiles now. Amnesty's was disabled just recently and other organizations have reported the same, enforcing facebook's rule that only individuals can create profiles. Nonprofits can create groups and causes (we have both for NTEN) but of course, as was pointed out, neither can take advantage of the applications and added functionality at this point.

Something to lobby Facebook for, and we at NTEN are in touch with them about this already.

Katrin