Social Media Presentations

I think my fellow classmates all did a great job on their social media presentations for our Emerging Technologies class a couple of weeks ago.  Here are my thoughts on the different social media websites that were presented:

LinkedIn:  I thought that this website would be a great professional tool to look for job opportunities and to get a professional profile to businesses seeking new employees.

Instagram:  I think that Instagram is a very successful social media app, but I believe it's more focused on younger clientele.  However, it makes sharing photos easier for mobile devices.

Patients Like Me:  Before the presentations, I had never heard of Patients Like Me, but I think that it would be a great tool for people who are going through medical issues or family members of those who have them.  From the description in class, it seems like they ask for a lot of personal information, but it makes sense that the information is for research purposes dealing with the medical issues you claim to have.

Google+:  Before the presentation, I wasn't sure whether I liked Google+, and after, I can say that I probably won't make an account.  I understand the purpose behind the account, but I don't like the way that Google stores personal information of the users.  It's also been said that the controls are difficult to set up, which I agree is a common aspect of Google's other online sites as well.

SlideShare:  I think that SlideShare could be a useful tool for teachers who want a place to store their PowerPoint presentations, or those who create presentations for business affairs.  However, I don't think that it would benefit the average student who only makes about 1 to 3 PowerPoints per semester (unless they're in CIT). 

Twitter:  I like the fact that you can follow the accounts of different celebrities/businesses, but I don't see the purpose in Tweeting about every single activity that you do in a day.  I had a Twitter account for a day, and decided to deactivate it the next day for that reason.  I also think that it is geared towards younger people, and I found that it is a place where most kids go to "rebel" against their parents and other adults because they think that they will not be able to see it. 

Facebook:  I think that Facebook is one of the best and most influential social media sites.  During the presentation, I found out that you can also look for job opportunities through the site; that was a feature that I did not know existed on the website, even though I've been on the website for three years. 

MeetUp: This social media site seems useful for large events such as charities, benefits, marathons, church events, etc.  However, I think it's a little too public for "meet ups" in smaller areas, because someone outside the designated group could decide that they want to impose on the group and cause trouble. 

Pinterest:  I think that the presentation accurately depicted everything that Pinterest has to offer.  I'm glad that the presentation did add that the site isn't just for women (though it is geared more towards females).  I think that guys can enjoy different aspects of Pinterest, such as the categories about home improvement, technology and cars/motorcycles, just as I enjoy pinning pins about clothes, Disney, books, etc.

Path's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service

Path's Privacy Policy

When you create a Path account, the social networking app collects the following personal information:  name, profile picture, e-mail address, phone number, (if you choose to display the following) zip code, gender, birthday, etc.  If you have linked your phone's contact list and/or your e-mail contact list, Path collects that information as well.  In addition, Path also collects more identifiable information, such as your GPS coordinates (if you enable the feature), a device identifier, IP address, MAC address, OS system, browser type, your activity on the site, etc.  Path also collects information via cookies that are placed on your device's browser.  Path's purpose in collecting this information is to make your account more personal and to share with your close friends who already know most of this information.  The  information that is shared with third-party companies is considered "aggregated and non-identifiable" information that is used to analyze the site's standings.  Regarding the event of a security breach, Path only says that they take "reasonable measures" to keep their user's information secure, but, "despite our efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable." 

Link to my source (Path's Privacy Policy): https://path.com/privacy

Path's Terms of Service

Path's Terms of Service agreement is fairly simple:  do not post false data about yourself, do not impersonate others, do not provide an offensive/vulgar username, etc.  By posting to Path's service, users agree to allow the app to use the content they provide by means of reproducing, displaying publicly and modifying the posts.  However, users can delete previous posts and deactivate their account if they wish.  In addition, users must promise to not do the following things on Path:  violate a third party's proprietary rights, publish false information, publish someone's personal information, publish obscenities, post advertisements, and harvest usernames. 

Link to my source (Path's Terms):  https://path.com/terms