what benefits can you see for utilizing social networking in your own groups?
What are some of the possible challenges?
Consider things like how your writers may view the concept “public space.”
I am majorly uncomfortable with social networking as a whole, in many ways. I mean, in that I am uncomfortable having much information about myself “out there.” My facebook is super locked-down with a fake name and the highest possible security settings, and I still share very little on there aside from lighthearted anecdotes and conversation.
Now I’m imagining if I had been incarcerated, and how that would change my perspective on it even further. I like that question about public space because I don’t think I’d want to share much about my incarcerated time online–I’d rather make decisions about who I disclose that to. I wouldn’t “friend” my institution on facebook–it’s not a friend. Really.
I also see many of the same problems that I outlined in my previous post–the residents don’t have much access.
I’m not dismissing social networking as a tool for an organization like the CLC–I know we can use social networking to do things like invite people to readings, share participant work that is posted on SpeakOut 2.0, and (maybe, depending on access) provide updates to program alumni. We can do community outreach and disseminate information about the program. I have done a couple of these using social networking, actually, and I see the value.
However, I am interested in exploring ways that it could be useful to residents and alumni with limited access to use it as a tool. My question is really about audience. It seems weird to me that Turning Point has a facebook page and that based on the public nature of facebook and the potential lack of access, it is not really something that the clients of TP use–who is it for?