SOCIAL NETWORKING AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION
LESSON 1: Introduction to Social Networking
SOCIAL NETWORKING
    -   Website and apps that allow users and organization to connect, communicate, share
        information, and form relationship.
    -   Online social network facilitate connection between people based in shared interest,
        values, membership in particular group (friends, professional colleagues, and etc.).
Two online social networks that tend to be used the most by learning professional is 2008
   LINKEDIN
    - primarily a professional network, designed to facilitate linkages between people who are
       wanting to connect for work-related purposes.
    - It is more “buttoned-down” than Facebook with a more formal culture of relationships
       and connections.
    - It is also the network of choice for most professionals.
    - It is designed for professional networking, there’s a greater emphasis on building a
       reputation and connecting to employment and business opportunities.
    - LinkedIn Questions and Answers is a way for people to ask questions and receive expert
       advice. Answers can be rated and people who do this well can improve their LinkedIn
       reputation.
    - There are also employment listings and an ability to receive recommendations from your
       connections that then become part of your profile. You can also create and join groups.
   FACEBOOK
    - originally developed for college students to connect, so it has a more informal, social air
       than you find on LinkedIn.
    - It is the preferred network for Millennials (2008) who see the encroachment of Boomers
       and, to a lesser extent, Gen X into the network as cause for some alarm.
    - Combines the personal and professional.
    - This is the network where you’re most likely to see both pictures of someone’s weekend
       activities, as well as a link to their online portfolio or professional website.
    - Many companies are using Facebook as a recruitment tool for Gen Y, while college and
       university professors are exploring its use for their classes.
    - Members can play games, join groups, share photos, and send each other virtual “gifts.”
    - In this app there is “social air” meaning free to express who you are.
Common Features of Social Networks
  - The ability to create a Profile page–this is your main “home” on the network.
  - Different networks offer varying abilities to personalize your page in terms of look and
    feel.
  - They may also differ in terms of the types of information you would include, such as
    name, location, education, etc.
  - The purpose of a network is connections, so facilitating a members’ ability to find and
    connect to other people is important.
  - Each network offers different types of search capabilities and once you’ve located a
    potential friend, you must send an “invitation” to invite them into your personal network.
LESSON 2: The Role of Social Networks and Social Integration
SOCIAL INTEGRATION
  - When people from different background, cultures, or groups come together and interact
     with each other in a way that promotes unity and cooperation.
  - refers to the attachment’s individuals sustain with the larger society and are typically
     measured in terms of occupational, organizational, and community roles (International
     Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001).
PARTICULAR GROUP refers to specific categories of people within a larger group.
   DEMOGRAPHICS – groups based on age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality.
   INTERESTS – groups of people who share common hobbies, passions or interests.
   SOCIOECONOMIC STATUES – group categorized by their economic situation (wealthy,
    middle class, or poor).
   PROFESSIONS – groups of individuals working on the same field.
   CULTURAL/ SUBCULTURAL – groups of people that identify with a particular culture or
    subculture.
   COMMUNITY – group of residents living in the same area.
   POLITICAL AFFILIATION – group associated with a specific political party or ideology.
   SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS – groups formed around common causes or activities.
   FAMILIES – groups based on family ties.
   ONLINE COMMUNITIES – groups of people who connect and interact through online
    platforms, based on shared interests or goals.
   NOTE:
    - Understanding a community’s social networks is essential because of their potential to
      affect population health.
    - Social networks can also provide access to a community and generate knowledge of its
      characteristics.
    - In today's society, the use of social media has become a necessary daily activity.
    - Social media is typically used for social interaction and access to news and information,
      and decision making.
    - It is a valuable communication tool with others locally and worldwide, as well as to share,
      create, and spread information.
LESSON 3: Social Network Theory
SOCIAL NETWORK THEORY
    -  is the study of how people, organizations or groups interact with others inside their
       network.
    - Understanding the theory is easier when you examine the individual pieces starting with
       the largest element, which is networks, and working down to the smallest element, which
       is the actors.
   The LARGEST ELEMENT is NETWORKS.
    - networks can be thought of as neighborhoods, since networks are comprised of the
       actors and the relationships between those actors.
   The SMALLEST ELEMENT is ACTORS (NODE).
    - these actors, referred to as nodes, can be individuals, organizations or companies.
three types of social networks that social scientists explore
      EGO-CENTRIC NETWORKS are connected with a single node or individual. For
       example, you, the node, connected to all your close friends.
      SOCIO-CENTRIC NETWORKS are closed networks by default. Two commonly-used
       examples of this type of network are children in a classroom or workers inside an
       organization.
      OPEN-SYSTEM NETWORKS, the boundary lines are not clearly defined. A few
       examples in this type of network are America's elite class, connections between
       corporations, or the chain of influencers of a particular decision. Due to the lack of
       clearly-defined boundaries, this type of network is considered the most difficult to study.
Weak versus Strong Ties
    Strong ties are close enough to you that you probably have the phone numbers of these
people, whereas weak ties would be surprised if you called one of them. However, research
shows that the weak ties in your network are, in some ways, more valuable. One study
conducted by John S. Granovetter of John Hopkins University determined individuals who
sought employment most often received more quality job leads from weak links than from strong
ones.
Nodes or Actors
         Nodes can most easily be defined as the individual players -- or actors -- inside the
network. Inside this part, which is the smallest piece of the social network puzzle, is where
scientists, marketers and even politicians, try to analyze the ties a node has with the other
members of the network. As an example of a social network, consider the members of a church.
Despite the fact all of them are connected by the overall network, not all the individuals are
connected with the same degree of closeness. It's these varying degrees of closeness, or
connectedness that determine the value of that node to the network. An actor's location inside
the social network can be an indicator of the strength of the ties associated with him. A person
near the center of the network often has more ties -- or links -- between himself and the other
actors, as opposed to someone on the outer fringes of a network. A person on the outer edge of
the network could be connected to the network by only one link.
Six Degrees of Separation
   -   One of the most fascinating aspects of Social Network Theory is the six degrees of
       separation concept.
   -   This concept was the outcome of a late 1960s social experiment called The Small World
       Problem.
   -   conducted by Stanley Milgram, in which 100 letters were sent to randomly chosen
       individuals with a set of instructions to get the letter to a specific individual who lived in
       Sharon, Massachusetts.
Weakness of Milgram's Claim
   -   One criticism of Milgram's work is the lack of data to support his theory, since many of
       the letters never reached their intended target.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Theory
    Due to the complexity of any social network, using the theory to understand actors and the
relationships between them is crucial to the work of social scientists, theorists, politicians, and
even marketers. These researchers often try to glean a better understanding of the inner
workings of a network so they can further their cause or simply sell a product. The theory,
though, does have some inherent strengths and weaknesses.
            Strengths:
The theory offers an explanation for how random people are connected. It's useful in the study
of large groups and understanding how their members relate to others in the group it provides
insight into viral phenomena, such as viral content, the spread of diseases like Ebola, etc.
          Weaknesses:
It's difficult to scientifically replicate.
Interpreting relationships/ties can be subjective.
Theory in Practice: Social Media
The theory is used to understand everything from high employee turnover to the intricate webs
associated with terrorist networks. In many ways, it’s the math behind social network theory that
explains how a piece of social media content goes viral in relatively few steps. This math, power
functions, shows how a small change in one area can have a huge impact in the overall
network. When a change is initiated at the node level, the change moves first from the node,
along its ties to the various connected relationships, before being pushed out to additional
nodes and their relationships, creating a change throughout the entire social network.
Six Degrees, or Small World Theory
              An early examination of social networks by Travers and Milgram (1969) looked at
the lengths of the paths between individuals, and the question of the probability of any two
randomly selected individuals knowing each other, or how many acquaintances might connect
them in a chain of people. Six Degrees of Separation also became known as the Small World
phenomena, which describes the idea that everyone is connected to everyone else through six
degrees of separation or fewer. The body of work on the topic is examined by Sebastian
Schnettler (2009)
The Strength of Weak Ties
                Taking the Small World Theory further, the type of connections within a network,
and in particular those used to travel across networks, were described as Weak and Strong ties
by Mark Granovetter, in The Strength of Weak Ties (1973). He defined weak ties as contacts
that are less likely to be ‘socially involved’ with each other than strong tie contacts, or close
friends. Consequently, he observed that a network of acquaintances, or weak ties, will be a low-
density network where many of the potential relationships have yet to be made. However, a
strong tie network of close friends is likely to be highly connected, where most people know
each other. The early research by Granovetter (1973) demonstrated that people were more
likely to hear about new job opportunities though acquaintances (weak ties) than through close
friends (strong ties) because acquaintances are more likely to be privy to information that is not
known already by an actor or their close friends.
Structural Holes
Ronald Burt (1992) developed Granovetter’s original theory (1973, 1983) on the ‘strength of
weak ties’ by arguing that the real value in weak ties lies in when they bridge between networks,
and therefore become the conduits of knowledge, information, and value between those
networks. Individuals who bridge what Burt calls ‘structural holes’ between networks act socially
in the same way as a single bridge across a river between two trading communities, and
therefore create value both for the communities and consequently for themselves.
The role of role-sets
                   Rose Coser (1975) explores the concept of role-sets and their place in the
development of individualism in modern society, which explains how individuals need to
segment their behavior to suit different social situations. This variety of social interactions form a
core part of an accelerator. Role-set theory explores the complexity of social interactions,
depending on the time and place, the person, and the circumstances of the engagement. The
interaction of status and complex ‘role-sets’ are explained by Coser using the analogy of a
medical student. ‘Medical Student’ is a single status, but one which has many roles in relation to
others; that of student to teacher, doctor to nurse, student to other student, doctor to patient,
and an array of other role-sets within the wider medical ecosystem.
NOTE:
             Social Network Theory is a large and mature topic which cannot be covered fully in
this review. In particular, the works of Granovetter, Burt, and Coleman, which are discussed
below, form large bodies of work on their own, and have generated an even larger volume of
secondary research and analysis. This review will remain limited to introducing their core
theories, and addressing some of the secondary research in order to give the reader a general
introductory understanding of Social Network Theory, and in particular aspects that impact on
understanding innovation programming.
LESSON 4: Social Networking Concepts and Ideas
   -   Individuals utilize the Internet to share material, opinions, and information, and it has
       quickly developed from a simple information sharing platform to a social networking
       platform.
   -   Social networking is a worldwide phenomenon that has changed the way people
       communicate with one another.
   -   It has an impact on almost all aspects of our lives, including education, communication,
       employment, politics, healthcare, social connections, and personal productivity.
   -   Social networking sites are online communities where people may build public profiles,
       engage with real-life friends, and meet new people with similar interests.
   -   According to anecdotal case study evidence, “addiction” to social networking sites on the
       Internet could be a mental health issue for certain users.
   -   Social networking apps have grown in importance as significant services that give
       Internet-based platforms for users to communicate socially. Computer-mediated social
       interaction, education, business, finance, healthcare, politics, religion, and
       crowdsourcing are all examples of common applications.
Social Interaction: Social networking sites facilitate
computer-mediated social interaction and make it
possible to connect people who share interests and
activities across political, economic, and geographic
borders. They provide a modern form of entertainment.
People use them to meet new friends, find old friends,
locate people with similar interests, and staying in touch
with old acquaintances. They also provide an online
environment for people to communicate and exchange
personal information for dating purposes. Some job
seekers use social networks in their job search
increasing their chances of receiving job offers and
finding gainful employment [3].
        Education: Social networks are impacting the way
students and educators engage in learning. They are
now used for learning, educator professional
development, and content sharing. Scientific
communities use social media to exchange knowledge.
Researchers and librarians use social networks
frequently to maintain professional relationships and
share ideas. Social media can become research and
learning networks. Social networking media such as
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are widely used at
many universities with each university having at least a
page on a site [4]. Privacy, real friendship, time-
consumption, and miscommunication are challenges
facing education through the social networking. On the
other hand, flexibility, repeatability, convenience, and
accessibility are the key benefits [5].
        Business: Social networking between businesses is
another great application. It can be an effective
promotional tool for businesses, entrepreneurs, actors,
musicians, or artists. Companies use social networking
sites in five major ways: to create brand awareness, as
an online reputation management tool, for recruiting, to
learn about new technologies and competitors, and to
intercept potential prospects [6]. Social networking sites
help businesses to advertise their products, recognize
consumer’s needs, and gather opinions on diverse
viewpoints. New opportunities for global finance are
created through the use of virtual currency in social
networks. Social networks allow consumers to share
their personal experience which help early adopters
make informed purchase decision and reduce the risk of
buying a new product.
        Healthcare: Social media enables different types of
social connectivity among different stakeholders such as
doctors, patients, and caregivers. Social networking is an
effective tool for teaching and learning for doctors and
nurses as SNS is used to provide new information from
research and assist in providing quality care to their
patients. Virtually all aspects of healthcare can be
inherently affected by these technologies. Examples of
health-related social networking sites include
healthchapter, Inspire, DailyStrength, ToolsToLife, Health
Care 2.0, LiveStrong, Everydayhealth, revolutionhealth,
MyCancerPlace, Planet Cancer, No Surrender, Prostate
Cancer Infolink, Psych Central, sobercircle, diabetic
connect, and DailyPlate [7].
        Politics: Social networking seems to be impacting
political life and political movements across the globe. It
has influenced voting and induced social changes,
unrest, uprisings and revolutions all over the world.
Social networking will make government to be more
accountable and enable citizens to exercise freedom of
speech [8]. It also helps to engage people in the
democratic process and to get the younger generations
involved in politics. For example, Barack Obama
successfully incorporated social media in his campaign
in 2008, engaging people, empowering volunteers, and
vastly increasing donors. Obama because the first US
president to fully understand the power of social media.
 Social Interaction: Social networking sites facilitate computer-mediated              social
   interaction and make it possible to connect people who share interests and activities
   across political, economic, and geographic borders. They provide a modern form of
   entertainment. People use them to meet new friends, find old friends, locate people with
   similar interests, and staying in touch with old acquaintances. They also provide an online
   environment for people to communicate and exchange personal information for dating
    purposes. Some job seekers use social networks in their job search increasing their
    chances of receiving job offers and finding gainful employment.
   Education: Social networks are impacting the way students and educators engage in
    learning. They are now used for learning, educator professional development, and content
    sharing. Scientific communities use social media to exchange knowledge. Researchers
    and librarians use social networks frequently to maintain professional relationships and
    share    ideas.     Social media can become research and learning networks.              Social
    networking media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are widely used at many
    universities with each university having at least a page on a site. Privacy, real friendship,
    time-consumption, and miscommunication are challenges facing education through the
    social networking. On the other hand, flexibility, repeatability, convenience, and accessibility
    are the key benefits.
 Business: Social networking between businesses is another great application. It can be an
    effective promotional tool for businesses, entrepreneurs, actors, musicians, or artists.
    Companies use social networking sites in five major ways: to create brand awareness, as an
    online reputation management tool, for recruiting, to learn about new technologies and
    competitors, and to intercept potential prospects. Social networking sites help businesses to
    advertise their products, recognize consumer’s needs, and gather opinions on diverse
    viewpoints. New opportunities for global finance are created through the use of virtual
    currency in social networks.     Social networks allow consumers to share their personal
    experience which help early adopters make informed purchase decision and reduce the risk
    of buying a new product.
 Healthcare: Social media enables different types of social connectivity among different
    stakeholders such as doctors, patients, and caregivers. Social networking is an effective tool
    for teaching and learning for doctors and nurses as SNS is used to provide new information
    from research and assist in providing quality care to their patients. Virtually all aspects of
    healthcare can be inherently affected by these technologies.
 Politics: Social networking seems to be impacting political life and political movements
    across the globe. It has influenced voting and induced social changes, unrest, uprisings and
    revolutions   all   over   the world. Social networking will make government to be more
    accountable and enable citizens to exercise freedom of speech. It also helps to engage
   people in the democratic process and to get the younger generations involved in politics.
   For example, Barack Obama successfully incorporated social media in his campaign in
   2008, engaging people, empowering volunteers, and vastly increasing donors. Obama
   because the first US president to fully understand the power of social media.
LESSON 5: Social Network Analysis
Social Network Analysis
   - The aim of social network analysis is to understand a community by mapping the
       relationships that connect them as a network, and then trying to draw out key individuals,
       groups within the network (‘components’), and/or associations between the individuals.
   - A network is simply a number of points (or ‘nodes’) that are connected by links.
   - Generally in social network analysis, the nodes are people and the links are any social
       connection between them – for example, friendship, marital/family ties, or financial
       ties.
What can social networking analysis do for me?
   -   Social network analysis can provide information about the reach of gangs, the impact of
       gangs, and gang activity.
   -   The approach may also allow you to identify those who may be at risk of gang-
       association and/or being exploited by gangs.
   -   PRACTICALITY: The approach provides an objective, replicable representation of the
       community which is described in the intelligence data. It does not need those
       undertaking it to have knowledge of a gang or extensive analytical training.
   -   WIDER APPLICATIONS: It also provides a systematic understanding of local gang
       issues and the relationship with those who may be seen as gang-associated. This has
       potential applications for producing community impact statements and particular
       interventions (e.g. gang injunctions).
   -   TARGETING RESPONSES: The process of mapping a gang may allow action to be
       more closely tailored to specific individuals – for example, differentiating between ‘core’
       gang members and peripheral members. This may increase the effectiveness of work to
       tackle gangs and gang culture.
   -   MULTIPLE USES: The data collection process can be completed centrally and the
       overall network analysis provided to local teams. The networks can then be examined /
       manipulated to answer particular local questions as required. This may be more efficient
       than producing different analytical products for each local issue.
APPROACH
Step 1: Define your focus
   -   Identify what you want to study (e.g. a specific gang)
   -   Consider the following:
           o   Who is in the gang?
           o   Which individuals within the gang are most important?
           o   What time period do you want to look at?
          o How large of an area do you want to cover?
Step 2: Decide what data
   -   Social network analysis can be applied to any data that shows relationships between
       things (e.g. people, objects, events)
   -   For gangs, it's best to use data that includes both non-criminal and criminal links
   -   Police intelligence data can be useful, but you may need to decide what level of detail to
       include.
Step 3: Collect data Resource
   -   Search through intelligence logs for names of individuals
   -   Code the information according to set categories
   -   Input the data into a spreadsheet to create the core dataset
   - Make sure not to include individuals twice (e.g. due to slight differences in names)
Step 4: Analyze your findings
      Explore the network to investigate your questions
    There is no set way of doing the analysis - it depends on what you're trying to learn.
LESSON 6: Social Media and Political Communication
Social Media and Political Communication
   -   New media channels have emerged as a result of technological advancements, and
       classic media logic has been supplemented by network and social media logic.
   -   social media is the new form of public and political communication.
   -   Companies or organizations are no longer the exclusive proprietors of consumer
       relationships with their products or services; instead, the organizations' survival is
       dependent on the effective use of social media.
   -   Anyone can now easily make and distribute their own material thanks to new web
       technology.
   -   Advertisers don't have to pay publications large sums of money to incorporate their
       messages because a tweet can be seen by millions of people for free. Consumers are
       using social media in greater numbers than ever before, and every second a firm is not
       participating is a missed opportunity.
   -   The Internet is playing a significant role in providing information to the public on political
       events, engaging its users and encouraging them to get involved in offline political
       activities. The Internet has become vital for political discussions and political
       participation.
   -   Social media is one of the biggest sources of information for billions of its users;
       however, it also has huge potential for disinformation to manipulate public opinion.
   -   . The Internet encourages its users toward politics and strengthens offline political
       participation which shows the dual effect of Internet on information and participation
       toward politics.
   -   The role of new media in providing a venue for political involvement and changing their
       political efficacy was highlighted by Bimber and Copeland (2011).
   -   According to Schulz's (2005) research, new media users are engaged in politics and
       political dialogue. The Internet has increased consumers' interest in politics and boosted
       their political efficacy, resulting in their online and offline political activities.
   -   The use of Internet and all other e-activities improves the knowledge of online users
       about politics and spurs political engagement and participation.
   -   The internet has created channels of communication that play a key role in circulating
       news, and social media has the power to change not just the message, but the dynamics
       of political corruption, values, and the dynamics of conflict in politics.
   -   Through the use of social media in election processes, global conflict, and extreme
       politics, diplomacy around the world has become less private and susceptive to the
       public perception.
   LESSON 7: Different types of Social Media
1. TWITTER
      o www.twitter.com
      o Short text updates, 140 characters
      o Updates often delivered to mobile devices for immediate notification
      o Estimated 1 billion users by 2013
      o A searchable database of what’s happening now.
2. YOUTUBE
      o www.youtube.com
      o Founded in February 2005
      o Google purchased in 2006 for 1.6 billion dollar
      o World’s most popular online video community
      o People watch and share originally-created videos.
      o YouTube is the number 2 search engine in the world.
3. BLOGS
    o www.blogger.com
    o Online journal or diary with social collaborations
       o The word blog is
        derived from the word
 weblog. A blog is a
 webpage where an
o individual or group
 can share information
 or ideas with a large
 group of people via the
 internet. It
o is not uncommon for
 a person to start a blog
 and then never update
 it again. Some of the
 most
o successful blogs are
 updated on a regular
 basis so the followers
 of the blog can know
 when to
o expect new entries.
 Blogs cover a wide
 range of topics,
 including political
 issues of all kinds. A
o common feature to
 blogs is a feedback
 forum where, after
 reading an entry,
 people can interact
o with both the blog
 author and others who
 have commented.
    o  The word blog is derived from the word weblog.
    o  A blog is a webpage where an individual or group can share information or ideas with a
       large group of people via the internet.
    o It is not uncommon for a person to start a blog and then never update it again.
    o Some of the most successful blogs are updated on a regular basis so the followers of
       the blog can know when to expect new entries.
    o Blogs cover a wide range of topics, including political issues of all kinds.
    o A common feature to blogs is a feedback forum where, after reading an entry, people
       can interact with both the blog author and others who have commented.
4. PODCASTING
      o Multimedia content (audio, video) syndicated over the internet via a Web fee
      o For use on portable media players (iPod, Mp3 players)
      o Not just an audio or video file, podcasts are syndicated or subscribed to
      o Downloaded automatically when new content is added using an aggregator or reader
5. MASHUPS
      o Combine content from multiple sources for an integrated experience
      o Examples are: Microsoft virtual earth, Google Earth, Google Maps
        o Email. Probably the
         most common form of
         social media used in
         everyday life, email
        o (short for electronic
         mail) involves users
         logging into an
 account in order to
 send and receive
o messages to other
 users.
o Email. Probably the
 most common form of
 social media used in
 everyday life, email
o (short for electronic
 mail) involves users
 logging into an
 account in order to
 send and receive
o messages to other
 users.
6. EMAIL
     o Probably the most common form of social media used in everyday life, email (short
         for electronic mail) involves users logging into an account in order to send and
         receive messages to other users.
       o Connection sites.
        Online dating is
        another form of social
        media. Users
        approach online
       o dating sites—some
        that require paid
        membership and
        others that are free of
        charge—and create a
       o profile that tells who
        they are and what
        they seek in a
 relationship. Some
 may be skeptical
 about
o how honest some are
 about the information
 displayed in an online
 profile, but research
 shows
o that people are
 generally honest. The
 stigma placed upon
 online dating sites has
 continued to
o diminish as more
 people continue to use
          them in order to meet
          dating partners.
7. CONNECTION SITES
     o Online dating is another form of social media. Users approach online dating sites.
     o Some that require paid membership and others that are free of charge and create a
       profile that tells who they are and what they seek in a relationship.
     o Some may be skeptical about how honest some are about the information displayed
       in an online profile, but research shows that people are generally honest.
     o The stigma placed upon online dating sites has continued to diminish as more
       people continue to use them in order to meet dating partners.
      o Games and
       entertainment. Online
       games and
       entertainment often
       carry a social
      o dimension. Puzzle
       games like Bejeweled
       or Words with Friends
       allow friends to
       challenge each
o other for higher
 scores, send gifts that
 will allow for advanced
 game play, or even
 collaborate to
o beat a game
 together. Other games
 such as Farmville carry
 social dimensions
 where people can
o build a virtual farm,
 town, or business and
 fellow players can
 patronize or lend a
 helping hand to
       o each other.
8. GAMES AND ENTERTAINMENT
     o Online games and entertainment often carry a social dimension.
     o Puzzle games like Bejeweled or Words with Friends allow friends to challenge each
       other for higher scores, send gifts that will allow for advanced game play, or even
       collaborate to beat a game together.
     o Other games such as Farmville carry social dimensions where people can build a
       virtual farm, town, or business and fellow players can patronize or lend a helping
       hand to each other.
       o Apps. Short for
        mobile applications,
        apps are not
        necessarily social
        media oriented; but
       o many times people
        can connect through
        apps via another form
        of social media
        (typically
       o Facebook) and many
        times apps in and of
        themselves have
        some kind of social
        dimension.
9. APPS
     o Short for mobile applications, apps are not necessarily social media oriented; but
        many times people can connect through apps via another form of social media
        (typically Facebook) and many times apps in and of themselves have some kind of
        social dimension.
       Other types of social media
     Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, with a clear advantage over other
social media, though it has similar audiences to others like Twitter and Instagram. The figures
for the most popular social media websites as of January 2021 are as follows:
     o Facebook (2.74 billion users)
     o YouTube (2.29 billion users)
     o WhatsApp (2 billion users)
     o Facebook Messenger (1.3 billion users)
     o Instagram (1.22 billion users)
     o Whatsapp (1.21 billion users)
     o TikTok (689 million users)
     o QQ (617 million users)
     o Douyin (600 million users)
     o Sino Weibo (511 million users)
LESSON 8: An Approach to Social Media
   1. Start Big: Define your company's goals and identify your target audience.
   2. Get Specific: Create specific marketing goals that align with your company's goals.
   3. Go Social: Research which social media platforms your target audience is using and
      create a list of the most effective ones for your brand.
   4. Analyze: Use analytics tools to track your performance, assess what's working, and
      make adjustments.
    5. Build a Credible Reputation: Establish a strong brand identity and values before
       posting on social media.
    6. Attract Potential Clients: Research your current customers, identify their interests, and
       find out where they're active online.
    7. Drive Traffic to Your Blog or Website: Share relevant and informative content regularly
       to attract visitors to your website.
    8. Nurture Relationships: Build genuine relationships with others on social media by
       sharing their content, providing feedback, and showing interest in their endeavors.
LESSON 9: Fake News and Scandals
   False information is news, stories or hoaxes created to deliberately misinform or deceive
    readers.
   Scandals- a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions
    or disgraces those associated with it (Merriam Webster, 2021).
   According to Martina Chapman (Media Literacy Expert), there are three elements to fake
    news; ‘MISTRUST, MISINFORMATION AND MANIPULATION’.
Types of False Information
    1. Clickbait
             These are stories that are deliberately fabricated to gain more website visitors and
    increase advertising revenue for websites. Clickbait stories use sensationalist headlines to
    grab attention and drive click-through to the publisher website, normally at the expense of
    truth or accuracy.
    2. Propaganda
      Stories that are created to deliberately mislead audiences, promote a biased point of view
or particular political cause or agenda.
    3. Satire/Parody
       Lots of websites and social media accounts publish fake news stories for entertainment
and parody. For example; The Onion, Waterford Whispers, The Daily Mash, etc.
    4. Sloppy Journalism
         Sometimes reporters or journalists may publish a story with unreliable information or
without checking all of the facts which can mislead audiences.
    5. Misleading Headings
       Stories that are not completely false can be distorted using misleading or sensationalist
headlines. These types of news can spread quickly on social media sites where only headlines
and small snippets of the full article are displayed on audience newsfeeds.
   6. Biased/Slanted News
       Many people are drawn to news or stories that confirm their own beliefs or biases and fake
news can prey on these biases. Social media news feeds tend to display news and articles that
they think we will like based on our personalized searches.
How to spot False Information?
   o    Take a closer look
   o    Look beyond the headline
   o    Check other sources
   o    Check the facts
   o    Check your biases
   o    Ask yourself or check if it is a joke?
Misinformation
   -    classified as “false or misleading content including hoaxes, conspiracy theories,
        fabricated reports, click-bait headlines, and even satire.”
   -    not deliberately intended to deceive. Instead, it aims to shape or change public opinion
        on a given topic.
Disinformation
   -    can be spread using many of the same tactics as misinformation—hoaxes, click-bait,
        fabricated reports.
   -    Disinformation is created to deceive.
LESSON 10: Cyber Communities
CYBER COMMUNITIES
  - a virtual community that includes one or more groups of people. Virtual communities
     allow people to interact with each other using different types of computer messages.
  - it can be open to anyone or to a select group of people, but they often fulfill a need
     people have to form friendships and romantic relationships or to talk with others about
     certain issues or topics.
LESSON 11: Social Networking and Social Media Apps
SOCIAL NETWORKING
  -    is defined as the creation of both personal and organizational relationships in an
      interactive environment, with the aim of building a network.
  -   It is also the use of Internet-based social media sites to connect with family, friends,
      colleagues, audiences, or customers. Social networking allows you to build relationships
      with common interests or goals via sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and
      Instagram, and others. Social networking has become an effective way for marketers
      seeking to reach customers.
  SOCIAL MEDIA
  - known as the use of web-based technology as an interactive means that facilitates the
    sharing and consuming of ideas, opinions, and information through the building of virtual
    networks and communities.
  - Content that users share on social media platforms includes personal information,
    photos, videos, and documents.
  -  Users access social media via computers, tablets, mobile phones on web-based
    software or web applications.
  SOCIAL NETWORKING VS. SOCIAL MEDIA: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?
SIMILARITIES?
  -   both of them focus on online activities.
  -   both depend on viral marketing to become truly successful.