Ethics of Social Media | St. Louis Bloggers Guild

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Blogging in the ‘Lou: Episode Four Show Notes

Posted in Blogging, Local blogs, Podcast, Social Media, Twitter on April 15, 2009 by Kelli

We made our return to the ‘airwaves’ after a couple weeks of missteps. My apologies to you all. I expect we’ll be back on track for weekly episodes. This week, I flew the podcast solo and we answered questions about blogging taken from Guild members. Here are the articles I mentioned as well as the questions.

Blogging can be addicting. I’ve heard a good way to increase your blog traffic is to read others’ blogs and comment thereby opening up a dialogue between yourself and other bloggers. I simply don’t have time to read many blogs and I certainly can’t comment on every blog that I read. What are other effective ways to increase blog traffic when you are short on time? – asked by Kelli Stuart

Have you ever felt you needed to revisit (or even rewrite) a blog post after new information (or simply the passage of time) has come to light? – asked by Scott Roberts

Should You Rewrite Your Old Blog Posts

Do negative comments on your blog hurt your feelings, or do you not let them affect you? – asked by Kim

Handling Negative Comments on Your Blog Post

How do you move a blog from a hosted solution (i.e. typepad/blogger/etc.) to self-hosted and what makes this better/worse than the hosted solutions? – asked by Gregg Mueller

Hosted vs Self-hosted Blog Platforms

Is Twitter swallowing blogging? – asked by Marianne Richmond

Is Twitter Killing Blogs and Blogging

What is the best publishing platform out there? – asked by Dana Loesch

WordPress.org

Blogging In The ‘Lou can be found at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/38675
Feedback for this podcast can be sent to me at patd88@gmail.com
I blog at http://www.patricksays.net
You can follow me on Twittter at http://www.twitter.com/patrickd88
You can follow the Bloggers Guild on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bloggersguild
Written by: Patrick

New Restrictions – Better Plan?

Posted in Bloggers' rights, Ethics of Social Media, Free Speech, Media, News on April 8, 2009 by Kelli

This past Monday, The Associated Press announced plans to “aggressively” seek out those on the internet who violate copyright. These plans come amidst other efforts aiming to save money and cut costs in the tide of the social media upswing.

While there is some validity in the AP’s desire to protect their property, one must ask the question: Is this the best way to go about doing that? According to this article, those in charge at the AP are gearing up for a fight. They are “mad as hell” and they are going to stop at nothing to stop what they see as unlawful use of intellectual property.

Exactly how they go about protecting their news is still to be determined, but for now I’d like to pose the question: Should the AP seek out ways to stop the distribution of the news that they put forth and how exactly would they go about doing that without infringing upon fair use? And even more, what exactly is fair use?

The line in this particular situation is a little ambiguous and altogether sticky. On the one hand, the AP absolutely has the right to make sure that the information that they collect, organize and write stays within their realm of control. On the other hand, once that information is put out into the World Wide Web, it is generally seen as public domain and thereby the attempt to somehow prosecute for copyright infringement would seem to be both a waste of time and money.

So what’s the solution? Is there a happy medium? Is the principle of fair use valid protection for those bloggers who cut and paste AP news onto their sites? What say you, oh internets?

Bottom line is this: The AP is a valid and longstanding news tradition. This day and age, however, the news is transmitted in ways that are far broader than any other time in history. It’s not going to get any easier for organizations like the AP to both distribute their information and also protect it. So where does the balance lie? That seems to be the unanswerable question these days.

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Can Facebook and Twitter Save You Money?

Posted in Facebook, News, Social Media, Twitter on April 4, 2009 by Kelli

Most people using social networking sites do so primarily to keep in touch with friends, family, and business associates. However, a newer trend that’s emerging is for businesses to reach out to their customer base and make special offers and discounts to their “fans”. If you become a “fan” of a retail company that you regularly shop, you can get coupons sent to you for online or, sometimes, in-store purchases. This is beneficial to both the customer and the retailer as it connects them in a profitable way during today’s economic crunch.

It is wise of companies to be thinking outside the box in a time like this. Using the innovative technologies that are present before them, companies are building a connection between themselves and their customers that couldn’t have existed otherwise.

As a customer, however, there is one critical point to remember before connecting yourself too closely with a company online: by adding businesses to your friends list, you are giving them access to your profile information. You should think carefully about this before adding, say, The Melting Pot as a friend. Do you really want whoever is in charge of their online activites to see the photos of your vacation to Cancun? And, honestly, how often are you going to eat at The Melting Pot? Does the benefit of adding them as friend outweigh the risk?

The Melting Pot is just an example of course. You should think carefully before you allow anyone access to your personal information. Also, if you’re adding these companies in order to obtain coupons for their services, you need to decide whether the discounts they offer are for items you would normally buy anyway. Because if they’re not, you’re not really saving money.

For a list of companies that are participating in offers like these, read the article “How Facebook, Twitter Can Save You Money.”

The bottom line is this: online social media is extremely beneficial if used properly and with a healthy dose of caution. Read up on the benefits and risks of your actions and make educated decisions. If you do this, you set yourself up for success in the end.

Written by: Scott Wheeler

The Average Jane’s Thoughts on Twitter

Posted in Blogging, Social Media, Twitter on March 27, 2009 by Kelli

I have a confession to make – I don’t really understand the purpose of twitter. I know, the horror! Perhaps I should rephrase that statement, though. I don’t understand why the average person who is not trying to reach out to a customer base or build some kind of a business would want to use twitter. In short, for an average gal like myself, what’s the point?

While I do make use of twitter, I find it to be a daily struggle to figure out what in the world to tweet about. I mean, do people really care what I’m doing? I’m a stay at home mom so what I’m doing on any given day does not vary all that much. I often find myself sitting down at the computer and trying to think of something profound or witty to post. But I’m not really that profound a person and I’m not sure I’m all that witty, so I find myself staring at the screen in complete confusion.

Now, I’ve read this article so I do agree that twitter can be highly beneficial in the world of online social media. It is a brilliant tool if you want to connect personally with employees or customers. And as a blogger, I do see the benefits in tweeting about recent posts, thereby increasing the chance that my blog gets a broader readership. That makes sense to me.

A couple of days ago, I posed the question to my followers on twitter: Why do you use this service? What purpose does it serve for you? I got a few responses, mostly from people who use it to promote business or services. One person specifically told me how he was able to generate a rather large sale for his company simply by his interactions with a customer via twitter. I get that. In the context of promotion and marketing, twitter makes a lot of sense. But there has to be more than that, right? I don’t think I’m wrong in assuming that twitter was organized for more than just shameless self promotion.

My question is simple, why should I twitter? What are people hoping to glean from the tweets that they read? Does anyone really want to know that I just cleaned my kitchen…again? Or that I ate scrambled eggs for breakfast? This is my conflict. I want to take part in this social media tool because it’s hailed so positively. But, truth be told, I am just following the crowd with no real understanding of why I’m following. And that makes me feel, well, kinda lame.

So will I stop twittering? I don’t know. I’m going to keep giving it a try. I’m hoping that at some point I get it and can make better use of it as a social media tool. At this point, what seems beneficial to me is to keep the list of people I’m following relatively small. Otherwise I tend to get lost and overwhelmed by the long row of tweets and I find myself just searching for updates from those people that I know. Again, I’m not sure if that is proper twitter protocol, but clearly I’m not overly twitter savvy.

I am truly curious to hear why many of you use twitter. I would also like to know how the average person could benefit from an online tool like twitter. Just to be clear, I am not at all questioning the effectiveness or validity of twitter and its users. I am simply looking for a little bit of dialgoue. Why twitter? Your comments on the matter would be appreciated – and you don’t have to limit them to 140 characters or less!

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Surviving Unemployment

Posted in Local issues, News, Outreach, Social Media on March 25, 2009 by Kelli

In today’s tough economic times, there are very few who can feel safe in their jobs. With unemplyment skyrocketing, it’s important to be prepared in case you should be forced to join the masses of those looking for work. Here are a few tips and tricks written by Kim from Parachuting Without a Net.

Plan For It: Don’t assume you’re immune. If you have any personal documents on your work PC, copy them to CD, email them to yourself as attachments, or even print a copy. Copy or print out your email contacts. Companies are handing employees a box and walking them out. You may not have a chance to access your information.

File: File your unemployment claim as soon as possible. It may take 4-6 weeks to start receiving benefits, so even if you receive a severance, it may run out before your benefits kick in.

Network: Tell people you are looking as soon as possible. HR departments are being overwhelmed with applications, so if you can bypass the masses and have someone personally deliver your resume, you might have a better chance of being interviewed.

Report to Your Desk: Put a notepad, pen, calendar, file folders, etc. in your home office, so when the phone rings with a potential employer on the other end, you’re not scrambling around writing on the back of envelopes with a crayon. If you don’t have a home office space, use a small tote or basket to keep it all handy.

Get Organized: Those file folders mentioned above? Those are to keep all your separation paperwork, insurance information, unemployment claims, and all the other paper organized. Make a folder for each job application, so when they finally call, you can quickly put your hands on all the pertinent info, making you look supremely professional.

Go to School: Find an online course or tutorial and brush up on or learn a new computer program. Take a summer class at your local college. Visit the library for additional free resources. Keep your skill set sharp.

Put on Pants: It’s tempting to hang out on the couch in your sweats, but I found it helps my mood if I get up, shower, and even just put on some lip gloss. Not to mention, if I were to get a call about an interview, I could be ready a lot faster than if I had just rolled out of bed. Enjoy an occasional sloth day but don’t slack off on personal hygiene.

Seek Medical Attention: While you still have insurance, and while your schedule is relatively free, visit your doctor and dentist, and catch up on any physicals you may have been putting off. Also, if you think you’re starting to feel depressed, please see your doctor immediately.

Be Patient: Remember, you aren’t the only one competing for that job. It may take two or three weeks, if not longer, to get an initial response. Even if you haven’t heard back from the employer, don’t forget to follow up. It keeps your name in the front of their mind and their files.

Be Positive: Take a walk. Visit a museum, the zoo, an art exhibit. Stay healthy. Don’t drown your sorrows in M&Ms. Catch up on your reading. Organize your closet. Even alphabetizing your CDs can give you a sense of accomplishment.

Finally, look at being unemployed as a gift of time. Spend time making contacts, networking (both on and off line), and catching up on all the things that you would have liked to do but didn’t have the time for when you were working. And remember, unemployment won’t last forever. Whether your time looking for a new job is brief or extended, spend each moment wisely. This is perhaps the most important key to surviving unemployment.

Written by: Kim Dorsey

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Outreach = Reach Out!

Posted in Blogging, Events, Local issues, News, Outreach, Social Media on March 6, 2009 by Kelli

Hi there! I’m Kim, fellow blogger and Outreach Director of the St. Louis Blogger’s Guild. I’m the first person in this position, which is good, because I don’t have that “how can I ever live up to my predecessor” anxiety. However, it’s a drawback, because no one left me any guidelines.

I’ve been thinking about what exactly an Outreach Director should do. I decided to start with the obvious – reach out. “But how?” You may ask. Well, here are a few ideas to get us started:

Reach out to fellow bloggers in our area, to invite them to our meetings and events. Not only to add members to our guild, but to share our knowledge and passion for social media with others. Invite the writer of a non-Guild blog (or two) that you regularly follow to a meeting.

Reach out to our communities. Our members are scattered all over the area – from Illinois to West County, and all points in between. I’m sure each member has a local cause that is important to them – let’s hear about it, and figure how we can help.

Reach out to each other. We aren’t just bloggers. Do you need a photographer, a computer programmer, a graphic artist, a website developer, a radio talk show host, a biologist, a patent and trademark professional? We’ve got that, and a lot more. Let’s support each other’s professions, and advertise the skills of our members.

Reach out to the children. Kids are starting to use computers and the internet at younger ages. Sadly, teaching kids “stranger danger” is just as important when they are sitting in their own home, as it is if they are outside. Let’s work with them to teach them not only safe computing, but responsible computing as well.
Reach out to the internet. We may just be local today, but with the hard work and enthusiasm of our members, we could be the encouragement that other cities need to start their own Guilds, which in turn someday might lead to one big nationwide, or even worldwide, Guild.

These are just a few suggestions. I am honored to be the Outreach Director, and will endeavor to do my best on behalf of our organization.

Written by: Kim

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Parenting 101: Your Child’s First Blog

Posted in Blogging, Parent blogging, Social Media on March 2, 2009 by Kelli

I started blogging in September, 2007 and have been blogging every weekday for about a year now. So it shouldn’t have been a surprise to me when my youngest daughter, who is in first grade, stated that “she wants a blog, too!”

Naturally, my knee-jerk reaction to this idea was “no way, little dudette!” This is how I initially handle all tricky parenting dilemmas…or any new idea. It buys me time to think through things, and then makes me seem generous to the kids when I decide they CAN do what they asked. Dr. Spock, eat your heart out! So, once I counted to ten, and thought about it just a little bit more, I thought “why not?”

It seems clear that social media is here to stay, and this is probably something that we should be able to teach our children how to safely do. Chances are, if you have teens, they could run little social media circles around you, so when I’m talking about “Your Child’s First Blog”, I’m thinking of the younger children.

For my daughter, the installation of a large white-board in her bedroom is what really got her interested in writing words and numbers. Now, she writes us notes all of the time…mostly “telling on” her older sister, but that’s a topic for a real parenting blog, and I already told you my number one parenting technique! However, this did get me thinking about what types of benefits my daughter might gain from blogging.

One of the key benefits is that she would be making use of written language outside of school exercises. It’s so easy for kids to think of writing just as “something that is done in school.” If we are interested in getting our kids to use writing for anything more than shopping lists, blogging is one outlet that doesn’t require a publishing deal!

Another benefit is that your child will be learning how to actively use computer technologies to create something new or present an idea. I’m always looking for ways to encourage my children to create, and blogging is another wonderful creative outlet.

Finally, if your child is like my child, a HUGE positive benefit of them spending time blogging is that blogging does not create a mess!

Obviously, if your first grader is starting a blog, this is going to require some help from mom and dad. Here’s where you get another chance to shine as a parent and help your youngster learn how to safely operate in the online world. You will certainly want to control what type of personal information your child shares. Full name, where they live, what school they go to, etc. is all information you’ll probably want them to withhold. While I wouldn’t go so far as to prohibit the posting of pictures, you’ll want to carefully screen their photos for the same type of information in the picture (often the background) that might not be obvious to your child.

As your child gets older, you will not need to spend as much time developing online material with your child, but it will remain important for you to monitor their posts as well as the comments they receive.

Some blogging services offer password protection for blogs, either as a native part of the blog, or as a plug-in. You may consider the investment in a blogging service that offers this type of security to be worth the expense. I blog on Typepad, which does not offer free blogs, but DOES allow you to password protect your blog. A password protected blog will allow your child to get their feet wet with blogging and social media while only allowing friends and family to view the blog.

This summer, my wife plans on working on a blog with my daughter. I’ll keep you updated on any insights gained from this experience!

Written by: Gregg Mueller

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