New media is steadily becoming a larger and larger part of everyday life. Not only is it becoming the primary communication channel for a larger segment of the population, it is also increasingly becoming big business. Advertising dollars and e-commerce opportunities continue to grow on new media platforms, creating new jobs and new ways to […]
Are Facebook, Twitter Preventing Students from Being “Good Digital Citizens”?
February 6, 2014 By 3 Comments
The digital age demands new competencies in order for us to be fully literate citizens. With information now being created by everyone on various web platforms, we need to critically think about what and how we consume. Today we are also all content curators whether we like it or not, as we decide what we […]
How Facebook Guesses What You Want to See (And How to Tell It Directly)
December 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Ever wonder how Facebook chooses which of your friends pop up frequently versus those who seem to stay buried? The social networking giant employs a carefully-designed algorithm (which used to be called Edgerank) to determine what shows up on your newsfeed. Based on your personal information and click history, this algorithm attempts to guess which […]
The Shift from Tools to Platforms on the Web
May 16, 2013 By 2 Comments
Several weeks ago, Google announced it would shut down its popular RSS service Google Reader on July 1, leading to a mad scramble for alternatives. Some people remarked on how the replacements could not quite replicate their familiar workflow, forcing them to change their news-seeking routines. Others could not even sign up, as the flood […]
The Effects of Social Media on Families
May 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
This is a guest post contributed by Lisa. If you are interested in writing for Social Web Q and A, check out our write for us page. Q: What is the effect of social media on families? It seems like kids these days are glued to their gadgets; should parents be worried? The younger generation […]
Concerns Over Google’s “Search Plus Your World” and the Loss of Objective Search
January 17, 2012 By 4 Comments
Q: I heard that Google just made a big change and it’s generating controversy. What’s going on? Google’s key feature has always been simplicity: a clean, uncluttered search interface that returns the most relevant webpages for any query. The search giant would weigh a variety of factors to measure a page’s authority, most importantly its […]
How to Update Social Networks on the Go Without a Smartphone
October 31, 2011 By 4 Comments
Q: A friend told me you can update Facebook by sending a text message. Is this true? Posting your Facebook or Twitter status while you’re at a restaurant, on the bus, or even in line at the store is all the rage these days. But many people mistakenly think that only those with smartphones are […]
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