Social Media

It's no secret that people are willing to say more digitally than in person. People are much more willing to text someone rather than call them, look up something on the internet rather than ask someone for an answer, or comment on something rather than tell a person their thoughts directly. The Information Age has put all aspects of our lives into the world of social media. We no longer need to send pictures out in the mail - we have Facebook for that. Twitter is used to share our ideas and talk to others, and we have Foursquare to tell our friends where we are, who we're with, and when we're there.

With the advent and wide adoption of social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, journalism and how it is done has begun to rapidly transform. Muck Rack is an online service that recognizes that shift; it verifies journalists who are using social media to enhance their stories, and analyzes what journalists are talking about online. I talked with Muck Rack Co-Founder Gregory Galant over email about the creation of Muck Rack, its acceptance by the journalism community, how technology has changed journalism, and his vision of the future of Muck Rack.

Tumblr is a blogging platform that allows users to share text, photos, videos, links, music, and conversations with people who are following you. Posts of people you're following show up in your dashboard, or your "homepage." The dashboard has a very fluid and simple design that allows users to quickly scroll through various posts. Although Tumblr can be used by people of all ages, there are two specific audiences that Tumblr caters to.

With so many things happening in today’s world and even more ways to follow them using technology, keeping on top of current events isn’t easy. For people curious about which app will help you follow the news, see which of the following three fits your needs the best: Breaking News, Sky Grid and Pulse.

Most of us have trouble sitting alone, quietly, doing nothing. We have the need to do something, to check our inboxes and social media, to be productive. Sitting still can be difficult if you haven’t cultivated the habit.

Since I began using blogging as part of my courses and professional practice, I’ve learned that asking someone to “blog” can be a vague request. Even though we’ve all seen and read many blogs, it can still be difficult at times to explain the characteristics of a blog post, or what kind of information it might include. In an effort to better communicate the best practices I’ve observed, I’ve put together these recommendations to share with my students and clients. Perhaps they will be valuable to other aspiring bloggers as well.

Author's note: This post originally appeared on my personal blog, Social Lux, in January 2011. Since it continues to get a [...]

In this week's update, Professor Scott Nicholson is wrapping up his travels in Asia after visiting Hong Kong to present at a conference. After making a brief stop in China, Nicholson is back in Boston and reflects on his time spent abroad. He presented about gaming in libraries to over 500 librarians! Next up, Nicholson will be giving two talks in Dallas, TX at the Board Game Geek Conference.

I've been slowly integrating more social media tools into my life. This experience has not been without hiccups, and has [...]

Awesome. That's what. It's also how I spent my weekend, after I looked up the definition. 35 other students [...]