MySpace, Facebook and Social Networking Sites

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MySpace, Facebook and Social Networking Sites

• Applications and Implications for Higher Education

October 23, 2006 Presented by Joe Hardenbrook
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Social Networking Sites

• Most fairly recent, 2002-Present

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MySpace

• Open to anyone over 14
• 120 million users, 230,000 new people sign up
  every day
• 6th most popular English-language web site in the
  world
• Purchased by News Corp. in 2005 for 580 million.
  
• Popular at Millikin
• Customize page look, add music, heavy on ads

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Facebook

• Geared towards college students
• Need .edu e-mail address to join (generally)
• 7 million users, with 20,000 new accounts created
  daily
• Not as customizable as MySpace, less
  advertising, more private
• Facebook up for sale? Rumors that Google would
  buy it for 2 BILLION
• Popular at Millikin
• 3,255 affiliated users students, alums, etc

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Other Social Networking Sites

• Friendster general, 29 million users
• Flickr photos, 2.5 million users
• Match.com dating, 12 million users
• Reunion.com friends family, 25 million users

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Higher Ed Applications

• E-mail is for old people
• Professors with Facebook, MySpace accounts
• Marketing and Outreach
• Allegheny College MySpace page
• http//www.myspace.com/alleghenycollege
• Harcum College MySpace page
• http//www.myspace.com/harcumcollege
• UIUC Undergrad Library MySpace page
• http//www.myspace.com/undergradlibrary

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Higher Ed Implications

• 85 of students use Facebook or MySpace
• Need for universities to monitor bogus accounts
• Students must be aware of what they put online
• TMI! too much information
• Safety
• U. of Michigan asks athletes to sign good
  conduct agreement for social networking sites
• Use by campus security officials
• Use by potential employers

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Lets take a look

• Facebook
• http//www.facebook.com/
• MySpace
• http//www.myspace.com/