Social networking

I now have a number of social networking tools in which I participate. We used to just use a phone or wrote letters. These are also social networking tools, we have just transferred much of it into the digital medium. Is this necessarily a "good" thing? Now if you make a faux pas it can be seen by all who have access to your social networks. I find myself sharing less of consequence on my digital social networks and still keeping my other networks for important conversations.

This does not denigrate those with whom I have networked online, perhaps it shows how careful we have become due to the loss of privacy. Some may see this as no issue, but for me, there is a need to have a private life. I spend time with colleagues and friends both on and off line.

I have found that IM works really well, you can keep track of the conversation if you want, discuss items and also provide links to interesting items. This is a much undervalued resource for study and networking, I could, and have had, a conversation across the globe at odd hours to find out the information required for a research paper.

Overall, I like meeting people, I find that some digital mediums provide opportunities to expand my networks, others have the capacity to make things difficult.