# 21 (Week 9) Get social - MySpace and Facebook

You may have heard of websites such as MySpace, Bebo, Facebook etc. - but have you taken the plunge and joined?

In general, social networking services, such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo, allow users to create a profile for themselves. Users can upload a picture of themselves and can often be "friends" with other users. In most social networking services, both users must confirm that they are friends before they are linked. For example, if Alice lists Bob as a friend, then Bob would have to approve Alice's friend request before they are listed as friends. Some social networking sites have a "favorites" feature that does not need approval from the other user.

Social networks usually have privacy controls that allows the user to choose who can view their profile or contact them, etc.

Discovery resources:

How Stuff Works - Facebook
MySpace safety tips from Australia's Sunrise TV show

Discovery exercise:

• Check out Auckland City Libraries and Rotorua Public Libraries to see how Libraries are using Bebo to let their patrons know what is going on at their libraries or as a social network for staff.
• Visit MySpace and take a look around. Find out about your favourite band, radio station or something of interest.
• Look at Facebook. - As well as connecting with your friends here and overseas, Facebook has groups you can join on topics that interest you, and an event feature that lets you know about social or professional events you might like to attend. LIANZA has set up an event page for Conference 2008, Poropitia Outside the Box. North Shore Libraries has a Facebook Group, so check it out and join if you'd like to.


• Set up another post in your blog and write about your experience with insights into what you've discovered and learned. Feel free to share what worked for you...and what didn't....what surprised you...what frustrated you....what amazed you...or even which of the social networking sites you liked best. As before this post should be at least 3-4 sentences.


• Use your gmail account to email northshorelibraries@gmail.com with a link to your blogpost. Please put Exercise #21 in the subject heading.