CPD23 Thing 6: Online networks

Online networking: there are two sides of my personality clashing here. As a child of the Eighties, when all this stuff didn’t exist and we communicated in person, by letter (oh yes!) and by phone, I’m still a bit wary of all of it. Moreover, my husband and most of my Italian friends are social networking haters or strong sceptics. As and adult of the 21st century, however, I have embraced social networking as I think that, if this is the way to communicate, let it be it. It’s like using a different language: I wouldn’t be speaking Italian to English speakers, expecting them to understand me and reply in Italian; if everyone was just looking at Twitter feeds, I wouldn’t be sending emails to them, expecting them to reply by email. Thankfully, variety is the rule here; I love the idea of having more than one tool to communicate, and being able to choose the appropriate one according to the person I’m trying to communicate with. Also, I don’t think that secluding yourself in a disdainful ivory tower, declaring that new developments and technology are not for you and will never win you over, is a great favour you do to yourself. We would still be riding horses and litting candles if we hadn’t embraced technology and change.

Now, what do I think in particular of:

LinkedIn: I joined in December 2010, abandoned it for a bit, and now looking at  it with re-newed interest. It has put me in touch with some great contacts at Cambridge, which have become real-life acquaintances (friendships, in some cases) after meeting on LinkedIn. I feel I need to make more of it, and the action point is to improve my profile, which is still quite basic at the moment.

Facebook: only for friends and family. I know all the bad stuff about it but, honestly, I think I’m going to survive. When somebody points out that facebook users are matched with adverts, and that facebook users are indeed the stock for sale (brilliant article found on Bobbi Newman's blog:  see item no. 4), although I know and I agree, I still think that it’s not the end of the world. What about adverts in the street? What about adverts on commercial television? When I was a child, I used to watch cartoons every afternoon on the telly, and they were constantly interrupted by adverts targeted and aimed at children. Did anyone shout in outrage? No. We kept dreaming of Barbie’s houses and Goldrake robots and I don’t think we ended up being a soul-less generation because we were “sold” to ruthless advertisers. Anyway, I’m digressing here...

LISNPN: I joined at the beginning of the year and welcomed the change in layout, much more readable and welcoming. I haven’t been on there that much but I am a keen lurker. Sooner or later I will say something on there too...just give me time.