24. What shouldn't we say on Facebook?

This week I asked the following question: What shouldn't we say on Facebook?

This is some answers I received:

39) Don't write about stuff you only want to say to your close friends, like very personal things, you normally would share with them.

40) Plus it can be irritating when people write something in their status updates that are totally irrelevant or trivial, and several times a day, like babier (or master thesis projects :-) )
41) I am thinking probably trivial things and TMI. (Too much information).

42) I wouldnt write about vacations and travelling. Not until I am home again.

43) I think it is up to the individual to decide. But only if it is about oneself. Of course it is not ok to write nasty things about other people, so everybody can read it. But I can sometime wonder about all the private things people share, or what trivial things people write about. But then I can just decide not to read it.

23. Change in statusupdates over time

This week I asked the following question:

Have you noticed a change in the content or phrasing of your status updates since you joined facebook? If so, how has it changed?

These are answes I received:

33) Yes, I have noticed a change. As I added new friends I have more "groups" of friends. I do not always think of the exact same group when I update; so, I guess I have a broader range of topics, issues, etc that I post. ...I might think, "my family would enjoy this video"; or, "my high school friends would really get this story"; or, "my church friends would appreciate this funny thing that happened to me", etc.

34) Yes, I also have a broader range of topics. Plus, wen I first joined fb, I was not in a good place in my life, so my updates tended to be very angry and pretty witchy, lol. And since I have friends' children as friends and former students, I make sure updates and stuff are G rated.

35) Yes, from a more narrow circle of friends my list of friends on Facebook has changed, so that it now includes distant aquaintances and colleagues, and it is not all private information I believe is their business.

Question for 35) do you lock your status updates? 

35) No, instead I have several lists of friends, that have various access to my profile. It is mostly party pictures taken of me that I dont think colleagues need to see. I am more aware of the content in my status updates now, than I was earlier, when Facebook was a more private medium. 

36) Yes, before I updated almost every day, and then I had to find something clever or funny to say. Now I just try to find something lasting longer, because I dont have time to spend on creating status updates any longer. And then, generally I dont believe, that I think as much about the content now then what I did previously. In a sense I care less.. if it makes sense. 

Question for 36) You say that You care less now, is it because you think, that since you have been on FB for so many years now, it has just become a comme ils faut, and it is just something "that you do"? Have you locked your status updates from certain people?

36) i think it is a combination of several things: I have less time now physically, so I cant spend time in front of the computer making up quirky status updates. I also feel much more "at home" and "at ease" with FB, kind of like when you know someone or work somewhere, and you get increasingly relaxed. And then as a person, I tend to not care, generally. I have made a conscious decision on turning down the self presentation and turning up the authentic reality, and that applies on FB as well. And then I have cleaned up in my friendlist. I had a shock when I saw somebody I remotely know, that said to me: "Oh, you were in IKEA the other day". Then it occured to me that people actually sit outthere and witness my life, and after that I deleted a lot of "friends". But I haven't locked my status updates from specifik people - no, I more think in the sense that people have to take it or leave it, if they think they are good enough friends with me to not hide me from their news feed. I have however excluded a few from all my status updates.

37) Yes, my status updates are longer. In the beginning I had to sum up the courage to write something, but once I started, I dared to venture more increasingly. Especially when the "like" button arrived, then I really got hooked because your Facebook friends could like your updates.

Question for 37) Do you think it has something to do with getting adjusted to the medium, whereas in the beginning one was having doubts about who "was out there, listening, watching"?

37) No more like a boundary of saying something out loud and how it is received and perceived. You present an image of "what is on your mind", and are telling something about yourself. Thats why it means so much, and you are thinking: "Uh oh, what if they think this.. when I write this..."  

38) Yes, they have! They have become less personal, and more directed to everybody who read along.

Question for 38) Do you then believe that you are considering your entire audience when you write your status updates?

38) Yes, more so now than before. 

 

Theory about concept of audience

These days I am reading and writing theory about imaginary audiences.
One scholar, I am especially inspired by is danah boyd. She has written and co-written two fantastic articles about interaction on social networking sites (Twitter and Myspace) where she touches upon the subject imaginary audiences.

You can read them here:

Why youth heart social network sites

I tweet honestly, I tweet passionately: Twitter users, Context Collapse, and the Imagined Audience.

22. Question about comments on statusupdates, social norms, and surprise comments.

Today I asked the following question:

Does it sometime surprise you, who comments on your status updates?


28) I haven't been surprised by people who have commented. I have been happy, sometimes, to have that little bit of contact, though, with someone that I haven't seen/talked to in a long time.


29) I have gotten surprised a couple of times. For example, if I post something that is of a spiritual/religious nature, and someone who I didn't know about their walk, would comment. It would also please me to see those comments, and to get comments from people I hadn't seen/talked to in a while.


30) Mostly happy - surprised


Question for 30):  Is it because you didnt expect to hear from them?


30) yes.. exactly. But maybe its also because of the Facebook god, that decides who shows up on your homepage.. or something like that?


Question for 30):  Yes it selects in news feed. But I was thinking more in the likes of, when you write a status update, if you have someone in mind, that will think this is funny, or relate to it, and someone you didnt think of at all, comments. 


30): Yeah sure. Because I didnt expect to hear from them, and because I am wondering, why do they comment on this...


31) I get surprised when someone I havent spoken to in a while, suddentle comments on something. But then I am also glad, because I get to thinking, that there is still a reason why we are friends on Facebook. 


Question for 31): Do you also get surprised, because it might be out of context. If you write something that was meant for a particular circle of friends? 


31) Hmm.. it is often the people I am thinking that will comment who ends of commenting. And if somebody unexpectedly comments, I imagine that they are still in that particular segment, but rarely comment because they rarely use Facebook. 


32) Yes. but rarely. 


Question for 32): why?


32) Mostly it is the same people that comment on the status updates. But sometimes a former colleague or classmate, I havent heard from in a long time, will comment. I dont know why, but it is nice. It is typically if I write something out of the ordinary, that doesnt contain what movie I just went and saw, or what I had for dinner. 


Question for 32): So you get surprised because it is people that you dont expect to comment? 


32) Yes exactly.


Question for 32): Have you ever had the experience, where people comment something like: "What are you talking about?" or "I dont know what you are referring to in this status update?"  or did you ever comment somebody elses status update, because you knew you didnt fit into the segment of that status update - that the status update wasnt meant for you as an audience?  


Do you think there is an unwritten rule, that you just dont do that on Facebook? 


32) Under normal circumstances I wouldnt comment on updates that wasnt meant for me as an audience. ( or wasnt written in an open way to everybody). The only exception I can think of, if it is someone I know extremely well, like my husband or a really close friend. Some people have a tendency to write really cryptic updates. On these I will somethimes comment with a questionmark, but mostly because it is disguised - who it is really meant for. 


But yes, just like in real life, you dont answer inquiries that is meant for somebody else, unless it is a person you know extremely well. To me it is the same social norms offline, that apply just as well for the internet.

Question for 32): Did you ever start commenting on something and then have a change of heart, thinking: ahh I am on the outskirts of this circle,  I dont think I am part of the audience for this status update?

32) Indeed, yes many times and often. Primarily it happens when it is the type of person where you are in doubt. It is the kind of person you would have doubts whether or not they wanted to talk to you if you were at the same party.

21. More comments on video sharing.

I recieved a couple of more insights on video sharing:

 Question: Do you share videos on Facebook (such as from youtube etc.) What kinds and why?


27) I share music vidoes. One that the song touched me in some way. With the hopes it helps someone through the day.


Question for 27): when you post a song, do you attach a comment to the song?


27) Depends on the video if it made me cry I'm sure I do. If I know someone is going through something and I think it would help then I do. I guess the answer is yes I do.


28) Much like everyone else on Facebook, I share them if I think they're funny or they involve an issue that I feel passionate about


29) I don't really share them on you tube but I will tell them if I like one. It has to be funny or could be inspiring.


30) Music video's. Yes I do get comments if people them. I share the ones I like the most :)


Question for 30): Does it sometime surprise you, who comment on the videos? 


30) Yes, sometimes people comment on my music taste.  


Question for 30): Do you get surprised by what they comment, or because it is someone who doesnt normally comment? 


30) Sometimes it is someone who comments, who doesnt normally comment my video sharings.   

20. More comments on video sharing.

I received some more comments on video sharing.

Question: Do you share videos on Facebook (such as from youtube etc.) What kinds and why?


23) I do sometimes. If it is something really funny, crazy, or important. I have also shared videos of my kids when they are doing something funny or cute. This is mostly for friends and family who love my kiddos.


Question for 23): what kind of videos do you find important? can you think of a couple of examples of videos you shared, that were important to you?


23) I've shared that silly "Friday" video. I've shared a video about Mitt Romney (important politically). Several of my kids (because they are just CUTE!). I've shared one of a comedian singing about Pachebel's Canon in D.


Question for 23): did your friends comment on the videos? was it the same friends that commented on the friday video as the mitt romney video?


23):  On my videos, most of the same people "like" them; different people comment though. No one commented on the Romney video, but they did share it.


Question for 23):  have you noticed, that since you started posting videos, and it is the same people that comment, those are the ones you expect to comment the next time you post a video? Do you sometimes get surprised if somebody new pops up and comment?


23): I really don't expect comments. I do enjoy reading them, though. If it's someone new, then I guess I'm pleasantly surprised.


24) Normally the videos I share would be either funny, like silly cat tricks, or pertain to my life, such as struggling with infertility, etc.


Question for 24): ‎do people comment on your videos? Is it the same people or is it different network of friends that comment?


24) Martine, it depends on the video. If its something silly/funny, then random people reply. But if it is something pertaining to my life, like infertility, the same people tend to comment.


25) I share videos from You Tube and Vimeo. Mostly it's music videos for songs I enjoy. I like to share my finds with people in hopes that the like the artist also. It's great promotion for a band.


Question for 25): do you sometime get surprised by the feedback (if any) on the videos you post? Or is it pretty much the people you thought would comment that writes to you?


25) I do actually. Example; I'll post a song from a hard rock band only to get a comment/like from someone I always thought/assumed to be a country fan saying how much they enjoyed it. Perhaps I misjudged them, or maybe they just heard and it enjoyed it because it's new to them, but it's always surprising who will comment.


26) The only video I ever posted was of Ethan's first steps. I wanted friends and family back home to see it. And it was faster than creating a whole blog post!

19. An email about concept of audience.

A friend emailed me to give me her standpoint of her conception of audience:

22) When I write status updates, they are at times directed to a narrow group of Facebook friends, who I see offline on a day to day basis. I.e. a kind-of:  "I had a good time when we hung out" or "Can't wait to see you!", when I write what I am doing, or what I am about to do in the near-future.  These updates can be esoteric at times, and when this happens I use tagging. Sometimes it is just outburst, I have to yell out. for those who are inclined to be interested in that.  


Question for 22): Who do you think of, when you make this so called outbursts?


22) No one in particular. I recently wrote an outburst because two boys stood outside my window, taking pictures through the window into my livingroom. It was a kind of "WTF - I just have to tell this to somebody!"  It wasn't directed to anybody in particular. Of course I carry a notion of who will answer, who are the ones I see on a day to day basis, but the status updates are not directed in particular to those people. This random non-directed communication on Facebook is charming, because you communicate to all and no one at the same time, and you only know who you communicated with, when somebody answers. So the answer has to be "no one and everybody". 


Question for 22): How come some of your status updates are in English while other are in Danish? 


22) I rarely execute that. Only within a subject when it makes more sense, or when I am quoting somebody else. The last time I used English was when I stole the mayorship of my apartment from my husband on Foursquare. I quoted what it said in my Foursquare app, when I checked in and become mayor.  

18. Comments about videosharing

The last two weeks I have asked on Facebook about sharing videos. Initially I asked about audience as well, but my instructors have been encouraging to stop obsessing about audience in the questions and ask more freely to gain wider results. Below are both methods and answers revealed:


Question: Why do you share videos (Youtube) and what network comment on them? Is it the same network of friends that comment you imagined would comment, when you posted the videos?


19) Positioning.


Question for 19): According to..?


19) Just positioning in general :-)


20) If I stumble across something funny, interesting, relevant etc. Some things are targeted to a certain group more than others.






Question: Do you share videos on Facebook? Which types of videos and why?


21) Yes! Because its fun and entertaining.


Question for 21): Videos you find fun and entertaining? Do people comment on the videos?


21) Haha I'm teasing you, because you ask something new all the time. I will give you a deeper answer when I see you on Saturday :-)