Social Networking Policy and Philosophy
I like Web 2.0. It makes connecting with others easy and fun. Since I’m beginning to use social media more often, I have taken a cue from my tweep, @RobMcNealy (visit his website here), and formulated the following policy. Note that this is my personal policy. Though some of the ideas are his, many are not. If you take issue with anything you read here, take it up with me.
1. Reasons I Use Social Media Services
Different people use social media services for different things. Some are there solely for marketing purposes. Some are there just to make themselves heard. Some want little more than to make friends.
I believe social media services are a good outlet for making your thoughts, feelings, and opinions known. They are a good means of spreading news or other information items in which you are interested. They provide a useful means of marketing your own goods and services. And they are often well suited to meeting people with whom you share commonalities–friends of sorts.
I believe that the best use of social media are the interactive uses that engage people on a personal level. If you have a blog, Twitter account, or other site or service, I see no problem in using it for marketing, spreading news, or just plain ranting. But if you do these things without engaging people, without responding to their comments or actively and sincerely soliciting their thoughts, feelings, and opinions in return. I use social media for all the reasons mentioned above, in the following ways:
1. Marketing
I am a writer. As such, I want people to read what I write. I often post my work on my WordPress blog site and on MySpace. I provide links to sites where my work can be found online. I also provide links to the sites and works of other writers I enjoy. I hope, if people like my work, they do the same. Word of mouth is the still the most important form of advertising. I don’t pay for ads, and I don’t accept payment for advertisements. I endorse the people and products that I personally enjoy or find useful. If there are paid advertisements on any of my social media sites, it’s because the owners of the site have chosen to put them there. This allows them to keep their services free, and I accept this. I have no problem with others using paid marketing services, but I expect full disclosure of this fact.
2. News, Info, Etc.
I have many interests. I enjoy sharing my interests with others. If I come across a news item, an informational website, or even a quote or joke I like, I will probably provide a link for others. I do this as a service. On occasion, I will ask that others forward something that I feel particularly strongly about. I would appreciate it if you followed the link and decided for yourself whether it is something you agree with and wish to forward. You are not required to do this; I will not hold it against you. On the flipside, if you provide such news, info, etc. for me, I will follow those links which look interesting. If you ask for a forward, I will take the time to look over the information and decide if I wish to provide an endorsement.
3. Opinions, Thoughts, Feelings, Etc.
I am an opinionated person. I like a good debate. Open-minded debate causes thought and broadening of one’s horizons. It’s a good thing. I reserve the right to offer up my opinion at any time. If asked about a subject, I will be honest–often, brutally honest. I try to be a nice person, but see no use in mincing words. I may use strong language, but I will do my absolute best not resort to name-calling and personal attacks. Please confront me if I do, and I will apologize. I expect the same of you. I will most definitely not tolerate hateful and derogatory speech that attacks a person based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, etc. There is room in this world for all beliefs; it is a person’s words and actions that determine how I feel about them. My basic beliefs on politics, religion, society and all that good stuff are publicly available on other sections of this site. It might do you well to familiarize yourself with them. If you have questions, please feel free to ask.
4. Socializing
It’s social media, right? So, let’s chat. I am a busy person. I’m sure you are too. But if you want to talk about everyday minutiae, I’m okay with that. It’s good to take time away from work. “How’s the weather?”, “What’s up?”, “How’s the novel going?”, “Noticed that you went to a concert/the beach/dinner at [insert restaurant]. How was it?”, “What did you think of [book/movie/TV show]?”. These are not worthless questions. If I have the time, I’ll engage you in conversation. If not, I’ll politely let you know. I will also let you know if a question is too personal. I’m pretty open about a lot of things, but everyone has their boundaries. Please respect mine. I will respect yours.
2. Interaction
I will do my best to respond to everyone who sends me a message or leaves me a comment, if a response seems necessary. Occasionally, something will escape my eye. I’m only human. It happens to everyone. Please do not be offended. If I miss something you feel is extremely important and you absolutely desire a response, prompt me politely, and I will do what I can to remedy the situation.
3. Adding and Deleting Contacts
I add people to my social network based primarily on common interests. Often, I will add people who can provide me with useful information, career opportunities, etc., or for whom I think I may be able to do the same. I research potential contacts. If you ask me to add you on a social networking service, I will read your profile. If it is not immediately clear that we have anything in common, I will look at your homepage, if you have one. I may ask why you sent your request. I may ask you how you found me. Please answer honestly. Odds are, I will add you, unless something indicates that one of the following applies:
1. If you claim to be a social media expert, marketer, or life coach of any kind, I will assume you simply want to engage me on a professional level that benefits you more than it does me, and I will not add you unless you specifically point out commonalities and wish to connect on a personal level.
2. If you provide a link that points to a porn site, dating site, advertising, or anything else that I find utterly useless, I will not add you.
3. If you are obviously a bot, or even appear to be one, I will not add you. If the link to your homepage in your profile is unreadable—for example, a shortened URL such as those provided by tinyurl.com or bit.ly, I will assume the link takes me somewhere I do not want to go. I will not open it to research you and I will not add you. Such URLs are fine in texting, tweeting, etc., but there is room in your profile for a full web address.
4. If, after researching you, I have come to the conclusion that your beliefs are so radically opposed to mine that more conflict than benefit will come out our interaction, I will not add you.
Sometimes, I may miss an add request or mistake an honest-to-god attempt at real connection as marketing or spam. Please contact me if you feel I have mistakenly ignored or denied your request.
If I add you, I reserve the right to delete you from my contacts at any time. I will certainly do so if it turns out you are spam that I didn’t catch. I will also do so if the content you provide is uninteresting or not useful to me. I will also delete you if, after multiple attempts to engage in a two-sided exchange, you continue to ignore me, because social networking is a two-way street. I will delete you if you treat me or others with disrespect. I will delete you if you proselytize or evangelize without opening your mind to differences in opinion or lifestyle. I may delete you for other reasons as I see fit.
If I don’t add you, or I delete you after adding, and wish to know the reason, just ask. I’ll let you know.
4. Privacy, Crediting Sources, and Other Miscellany
Social media services allow for communication both public and private. I will assume that if you send me a message that is not publicly viewable–this includes e-mail–then you do not want me to share it with others. I expect you to do the same for me. If I find something of value in a private message that I would like to share, I will ask your permission to do so. Again, please treat me with the same courtesy.
If I reuse information you have provided or quote your words, I will do my best to credit you as a source. Please reciprocate. If I somehow forget to do this and it matters to you, let me know. I will definitely correct the mistake. If I make the same request of you, I expect that you will also correct the mistake. Where my writing is concerned, proper credit affects my livelihood, so this issue is quite important to me.
I reserve the right to change this policy at any time.
Now, having said all this. I am available at the moment on the following networks, though I am more active on some than others. If you wish to get in touch, please do so. I look forward to connecting with you.
My Social Networks
Twitter is tops for me these days. If you’re so inclined, please follow me there. My username is travisking.
I have a page on MySpace: quiscustodiet. I keep a blog there, The Stream of Consciousness. It’s got some content you won’t find here. I’m not as active there as I used to be, but I’m making an effort to check in at least a couple times a week.
For fellow iPhone/iPod Touch users, I have an account on iRovr under the name of grailseeker. If you use the service, feel free to get in touch. My activity there fluctuates, but it’s a possibility we’ll make a connection.
I keep a blogroll on the sidebar here, but if you want to, you can go ahead and check out my Technorati profile under the username grailseeker. I have not updated it in a long time, so I doubt you’ll find it of any worth at this point.
If lists are what you’re into, check out my 43 Things, 43 Places, and 43 People. I rarely update them, but they’re still pretty current.
I’ve also got an AIM account, because that seems to be where most people do their chatting. If you think you can catch me while I’m online and you wanna chat with me, go ahead and add me. My username is MalaclypseJunior.
For those of you who use Yahoo! rather than AIM, my username is twking42.
