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Social Networks – Are They Only Social?

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Social Networks are sure getting a lot of attention these days; and when I read about them in news or in trade journals, I am not surprised to see that the issues about social networks are varied.  But what surprises me the most is when I ask groups of people what their impression of social networks is, the reaction is predominantly negative.  That is exactly what has happened to me twice in the last 30 days.

In two different meeting settings, I asked the audience if their general impression of social networks was positive or negative.  Well over 50 percent of the responses were negative.  So, then I wondered if I am only using a social network for social activities, why is it so negative?  If I am communicating with my children or nieces and nephews and having a good laugh about online games, what could be so bad? I also look for my son’s photos from the past week’s college football game – being the proud mom that I am.  So my perception of social networks is that they are lots of fun, and I get to see lots of photos of family that I would not normally get to see.

Then why the negative – I surmise that social networks are more than social.  Companies are using them to push product information to customers; human resource departments are using them to learn personal information about a job applicant.  People who are using them to be social are finding that their words and personal information are being viewed by companies that are not social. It is true, companies are using personal data that we post on our social networks to screen applicants.  So now a social network is no longer social.  It is a recruiting tool.

Companies collect information about your preferences and push ads that you might be interested in to influence your spending habits.  Companies are using social networks as a tool, by gathering our personal information to affect us and our livelihoods.  Social networks are no longer just social.  But these very same companies can only collect the information about us that we make available.

Be careful what you post.  You cannot control what the recipient does with that information.  Do not write everything you think - once it is shared, information you thought was no longer available may be around for 20 years or longer.   Maybe it is no longer on your Facebook page, but someone may have copied what you wrote and saved it. 

What we write on social networks is not just social any more, it is about business.

Comments

Submitted by John Brunswick November 04, 2010 - 8:07 PM

Helen,

You are spot on.

What you wrote about corporations and their use of the social data for selling is just the beginning. Robert Scoble interviewed Mark Zuckerberg yesterday and Mark is focusing Facebook on the intersection of social information, location and selling
http://scobleizer.com/2010/11/03/great-interview-candid-disruptive-mark-zuckerberg/

Cheers,
John

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Submitted by Helen Streck November 19, 2010 - 4:43 PM

John,

It amazes me that folks always try to put limitations on the "how" to use technology and only after individuals as well as organizations are exploring its many options.

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Submitted by November 23, 2010 - 12:14 PM

Hi Helen,

One of things that always fascinates me about this topic is that so many organizations perceive the potential for time wasting etc. as something new. I can remember working for a high-tech company in the mid-90s that forbade Internet access because it was going to wreck our productivity. And you can see stories in the 1970s that made the same point about computers, and from the early 1900s that made the same point with respect to telephones. There was probably pushback against Gutenburg. :)

Business has always been social - from membership in the Chamber of Commerce, to local open houses and tours, to the basics of the customer relationship. These tools can significantly enhance those relationships - and of course as you note they have some downside potential as well if not done properly.

I don't think of social media as inherently positive or negative - it's just another tool. I can be every bit as dangerous with a cell phone, a microphone, or an email as I can with social networking and other social media. I think the reason so many people are so hesitant about them is 1) they don't understand them, 2) they don't understand their potential within the organization as a legitimate business tool and 3) where they do think they understand them it's to recall pictures of inappropriate behavior, updates from e.g. Mafia Wars or Farmville, or other stuff that isn't of interest to them. To me, that's like ignoring or castigating email because it will be used next month to send silly "Dancing Elves" cards.

Still looking forward to your AIEF paper, too. :)

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