Nominees: Most Effective Users of Social Media

Who is your nominee for most effective user of social media? Who wields the blogosphere -- or Facebook -- or Twitter -- with the greatest effectiveness? How does this person/organization reach a wide audience and energize their followers? How are they able to create a "brand" identity? How would you describe that identity? How are they able to increase their audience and effectively engage a wide range of people? What makes them a success? How broad is that success -- and what can we learn from them?

Facebook Fan Pages

All of us who have a Facebook (and don’t) have seen and heard their friends discussing the latest fan pages that have everyone talking. It’s easy to join and become a fan of a group and sometimes some people become fans of too many pages. We all know that one person who shows up in our newsfeed about 5 times a day stating that so and so has become a fan of at least 21 new profiles. With this in mind we begin to think, “why would anyone ever become a fan of this many things?” or maybe “they are really annoying and need to stop joining all the fan pages and taking up my whole newsfeed” whatever your thoughts on Facebook Fan Pages may be, there are others out there who feel the same way as you do. Some questions that have left me confused are why people choose to join and become fans of such random profiles. Do these ‘fan pages’ really describe the type of person they are? By looking at our own ‘fan pages’ could we say that people viewing our profile for the first time may get or may not get a good understanding of the type of person we are? Are these ‘fan pages’ necessary? After looking and grappling with these few questions, I’ve also been thinking about the fact that anyone can create and manage a fan page. In which instance, who establishes the ‘sense of authority’? Could we say that the person in charge of the fan page creates the authority, or the people that become fans of the pages and leave their own comments about the topic on the fan page? And why is it that some fan pages are more popular than others, whether it be because of the ‘eye-catching’ image on the home of the fan page or maybe the description, what is it that catches the viewers attention enough to make them become a fan of that specific ‘fan page’?

"Facebook Ruined my Relationship"

What do you think of this local news story about how Facebook ruins relationships?

Does new media create new problems -- or opportunities for them -- or is this just scapegoating for old problems? Would you say anything online that you wouldn't say in person?

Do you know people who have gotten into difficulties because of the ease of anonymous interaction on the web?

Facebook

Facebook is something we all know quite a bit about. Most of us have one ourselves. It has become such a huge part of our culture and a major part of the internet. Just a few years ago, no one had heard of such a place. Now it's even talked about in everyday life to the point where it's unavoidable.
After reading the articles about founder Mark Zuckerberg, I began to think and reflect a little bit more about Facebook. What do we really know about this site where we spend so much time and share so much with the world? After all, what do we really know about this mysterious computer "genius" who started it all?
Think about what you currently share on your Facebook (if you don't have one, think about what you would put out there if you did). Think of how your Facebook represents you as a person. What would you think if your parents saw your information, photos, etc.? How about a potential employer? Do you represent yourself in a way that is professional? Do you care what your Facebook says about you to those who view it? Are you worried at all about the security of your information?