Week 2 - Social Media

The social media has made it possible for anyone to share what they think and what they like. People are able to post up their works online for others to see, even if they are not professionals in the area.

For example, Tumblr is an online microblogging platform commonly used by many budding and aspiring photographers to upload and share their photography, creating an online portfolio for themselves and at the same time, gathering “followers” who are their fans. People create blogs to write on different matters, very frequently on their live experiences, as well as their views and opinions on a certain topic (like how I’m writing on the social media now). Some popular bloggers even make earnings through serving advertisements on their blogs (eg. through Nuffnang). Even trivial matters can be brought up and posted on an online platform like Twitter for all to see. This vibrant environment has encouraged an abundance of online content being created, with people being both the producer and the consumer (also known as the prosumer).

Like this. You like this. XXX like this.

This is what i keep seeing under my friends' Facebook photos, comments and statuses. When I like what someone posts on Facebook, I will "like" it. It has sort of become a voting system that is within Facebook. The post that has gotten many "likes" will be shown under the "Top News" news feed tab on you and your friends' Facebook news feed, making it easily visible. "Liking" is what is happening within Facebook itself. So, what if I like something that is outside of Facebook? Now, many of the websites offer the Facebook "Share" button. That is, when you like something on a particular website, you "share" it on your Facebook Wall, which will in turn be shown on you and your friends' Facebook news feed. From there, your friends will "like" it if they find what you have shared nice or interesting. This applies to the sharing of videos too, like those from Youtube, but Youtube has got its own voting or "liking" system as well. This easy-sharing feature encourages people to share their likings and thereby making Facebook a very interactive and engaging social media.

Maybe one day, people will profess their love like this.Which is not really a smart move I would say.