Computer Fundamentals: Module 9: Digital Communication
microblog
A blog that allows users to publish short messages, usually between 100 and 200 characters, such as Twitter.
blogging network
A blogging site that uses the tools of social networking.
Social Curation
A business blog or website often provides links to relevant websites in their field, a practice known as aggregating content. However, this can be an enormous task, given the sheer volume of information on the Internet. In the early days of the Internet, social bookmarking sites allowed users to mark (or bookmark) websites to which they wanted to return. But to help find the most relevant, high-quality information, collect it, and share it with others, businesses now use social curation sites and tools. Social curation sites let users share and save links to websites on selected news topics to target the most relevant, useful, and high-quality information. For example, a human resource manager might want to share media content about interviewing techniques with other department managers to ensure that they can best match candidates with company needs and requirements. A social curation site lets them collect this information in one place and share it. In addition, automated social curation software tools can help filter, analyze, and rate content using keywords to make the job easier, faster, and more efficient. Digg and Slashdot collect news stories on science, politics, and technology. Personal social curation sites include Pinterest, where users can "pin" links to digital images and videos into collections called pinboards, similar to bulletin boards. Users can "like," "repin," and add comments, and "follow" pinboards on topics that interest them.
Video chat
A face-to-face conversation held over a network such as the Internet using a webcam, microphone, speakers, display device, and special software; also called video calling.
video calling
A face-to-face conversation held over a network such as the Internet using a webcam, microphone, speakers, display device, and special software; also called video chat.
video podcast
A file that contains video and audio, and is usually offered as part of a subscription to a podcasting service.
email attachment
A file, such as a photo or document, that you send with an email message.
clips
A media file, such as a graphic, sound, animation, or movie that you can add to documents and web pages.
web conference
A meeting among several geographically separated people who use a network or the Internet to transmit audio and video data; also called a video conference.
video conference
A meeting among several geographically separated people who use a network or the Internet to transmit audio and video data; also called a web conference.
Discussion forum networks
A network that lets you have online conversations on any topic; one example is Quora.
Crowdsourcing
A practice that uses the Internet and the "intelligence of the crowd" to accomplish a task or solve a problem for the benefit of all.
webinar
A presentation an audience accesses over the web that shows a shared view of the presenter's screen and may also include audio and video of the presenter and allow for audience participation.
A product manager who needs to send company newsletters, launch an online marketing campaign, or send project specifications to a team will likely use email to communicate that information. One of the earliest forms of digital communication, email (short for electronic mail) is a system used to send and receive messages and files using the Internet. Once sent, an email message can arrive at any destination in the world within seconds. Email is now an essential part of both personal or business communication and has largely replaced paper memos and letters. By 2022, it is expected that the number of email users worldwide will grow to over 4 billion people, about half of the world's population; the number of emails sent and received per day is expected to reach over 300 billion.
email server
A server on the Internet that manages email accounts and messages.
Social shopping networks
A social network that brings together people interested in buying similar kinds of products.
Interest-based networks
A social network that is targeted to a particular audience and subject, such as cat lovers or book lovers.
Social Networks
A social network, also called a social networking site, is a website that encourages members in its online community to share their interests, ideas, stories, photos, music, and videos with other registered users. Social networking was made possible by the growth of social media. Popular online social networks include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. A news or activity feed on the site provides a listing of the most recent content posted to the network. Businesses use social networking to learn more about their customers, by collecting their feedback in the form of comments and experiences. A company's social networking site might advertise its products, services, and events. Nonprofit organizations use social networking to promote their activities, accept donations, and connect with volunteers.
A system used to send and receive messages and files using the Internet; also called electronic mail.
Electronic messaging
A system you use to send and receive messages and files using the Internet; also called email.
crowdfunding
A type of crowdsourcing in which individuals come together on the Internet to provide funding that will support others in an endeavor.
vlogs
A video blog consisting of video clips.
webcasts
A video broadcast of an event transmitted across the Internet.
voice mail
A voice message, a short audio recording sent to or from a smartphone or other mobile device.
Consumer review networks
A website or social network platform that lets product users post reviews of a product or service, such as TripAdvisor or Yelp.
media-sharing network
A website that enables members to manage media such as photos, videos, and music.
Content aggregators
A website that gathers, organizes, and then distributes web content.
chat window
A window used to send typed messages among participants during a web conference.
hashtag
A word(s) preceded by a # symbol that describes or categorizes a post.
Don't Include These in Professional Messaging
Abbreviations TTFN BRB Abbreviations such as TTFN ("ta-ta for now") or BRB ("be right back") are too informal for professional communications. Emoticons/emojis An emoticon is a symbol for an emotional gesture, such as a smile or frown, that you create using keyboard characters or insert as an image. An emoji is an image that expresses an idea or concept, such as a picture of clapping hands to mean congratulations. Emoticons and emojis are very informal, so you should use them only in casual messages. Personal information "I've never told anyone this, but I really don't like our boss." Avoid revealing personal information in Internet forums. You can't verify the identities of the participants, and you don't know how they might handle personal information.
posts
An article in a blog.
The Email Communication Process
An email message can consist of only text or it can include an attachment, such as a document, a picture, or an audio or video file. An example of an email message in the Microsoft Mail application. Any computer or mobile device that can access the Internet can connect with an email system, which consists of the computers and software that provide email services. The main computer in an email system is an email server, which routes email messages through the Internet or a private network.
social network
An online community where users can share their interests, ideas, stories, photos, music, and videos with other registered users via a social networking website, such as Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat.
online communities
An online group of people with common interests or goals, with whom you can discuss ideas and share content.
metadata
Another name for document properties that includes the author name, the document subject, the document title, and other personal information; used by Windows in document searches.
Evaluate Social Media and Social Networking
As you have learned, social media refers to the many ways computer users receive and share information and interact using the Internet. It includes web and mobile technologies such as videos, blogs, online forums, news sites, file sharing, gaming, and crowdfunding. Social networking is an important part of social media. In the last 20 years, social media and social networking have changed how we live, with both positive and negative effects.
live blogs
Blogs that comment on an event while it is taking place, usually in the form of frequent short updates.
Dos and Don'ts for Using Social Media in Business
Do: Create a profile for your business connections apart from your personal ones. In the professional profile, use your full name and a photo of yourself (not a pseudonym or photo of your pet, for example). Don't: Invite visitors to play games or join other activities that could waste their time. Do: Offer information that visitors to your page will find valuable. Understand who visits your page (such as colleagues or clients) and adjust the content for these visitors. Don't: Post anything that you don't want a future or current boss, colleague, client, or other professional contact to read. Do: Learn about the people who want to follow you or be your friends. Doing so is good business and helps you avoid an embarrassing connection. Don't: Publish posts or comments when you are not yourself, such as when you are tired or angry. Do: Post photos, messages, and videos that reflect a professional image and appropriate online reputation. Don't: Publish posts or comments about controversial subjects that others might find offensive.
Typical Features of Email Software
Email software can be located on your computer or on a web server (for webmail). Such software provides the form for the message and includes buttons for formatting text, setting a priority for the message, and attaching files. Using a client email program on a local computer lets you aggregate email addresses and store email offline, providing you access to your emails when you are offline and providing a valuable backup. A file, such as a photo or document, that you send with an email message is called an email attachment. If you receive a message with an attachment, you can save the attachment on your computer or open it to view its contents. Most email programs let you send an email to the intended recipient and CC (send a courtesy copy) or BCC (blind courtesy copy) to others. All recipients can see those who are CC'd on an email, but only the sender can see the addresses that received a BCC. When you send an email message, your email address is included as the return address so your recipients can respond to your message by using the Reply or Reply All feature. Reply sends a response only to the original sender, while Reply All sends a response to the sender and anyone who received courtesy copies, but not blind courtesy copies. Use care when choosing a reply type. You may accidentally send a reply to a long list of recipients that you don't want to receive your message. After you receive an email message, you can forward it and its attachments to other recipients. Email software also includes built-in folders for managing messages. For example, the Inbox folder is for messages you have received and the Sent Items folder is for messages you have sent. Most email software also provides a Trash or Deleted Items folder for storing messages you want to delete. To prevent the accidental loss of important messages, you usually keep the messages in the Trash folder until you permanently delete them. You can also create your own folders to help organize messages by topic. If you want to remove older messages without deleting them, you can archive the messages. Archiving moves email messages, usually those older than a specified date, to a file or folder separate from your active email.
The Significance of Email
For businesses and organizations, email is the standard for written communication and has largely replaced paper letters, memos, and reports. You may use email to correspond with your manager, coworkers, friends, and family. Every time you send or receive an email, your messages undergo a similar process to get it from the source to the recipient.
Impact of Digital Communication on Everyday Life
From email to social networks to online purchases, our lives are filled with digital communications of all kinds, and we feel their impact every day. While newer industries may thrive due to the spread of digital communication, some older industries suffer, affecting entire communities and countless lives. Some digital tools, like email and video conferencing, make it possible for people to work with others in remote locations, bringing people closer together. Yet others will say that digital communication, in fact, isolates us by decreasing face-to-face interaction. As you become familiar with digital tools, evaluate how you want to use them in your life to match your personal and professional goals.
Examples of Interest-Based Networks
Home design Houzz Connects homeowners to professionals to help them with design and repair projects. Idea sharing Pinterest Lets you post, search, and follow linked images you share with others, in interest areas such as food, technology, or decorating. You click pins, images representing links, to learn more. You can also save and share pins. Sports Fancred, Rooter Connects sports fans; lets you check scores and chat live with other fans. Fitness Fitocracy Lets you set and achieve workout goals while getting support from others. Social causes Care2 Joins users in a community that works toward social progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Interest areas include green living, animal rights, civil rights, and environment and wildlife. Books Goodreads Connects readers who find and share books that interest them.
Podcasts
If you miss a lecture or your favorite business news program, or if you're just looking for entertainment, chances are you'll find them on a podcast, a popular way to distribute audio or video content on the web. A podcast is recorded media that users can download or stream to a computer or mobile device and listen to at any time. Examples include lectures, radio shows, news stories, and commentaries. Podcasts are also useful tools that can help you learn more about practically any field, such as sports, music, politics, personal development, or investments. A video podcast is a file that contains video and audio; it is usually offered as part of a subscription to a podcasting service.
Blog Guidelines
If you participate in blogs as someone who posts entries or makes comments, you should be aware of blog guidelines for both roles: As a blogger, you're publishing information online that others might rely on to make decisions. Make sure the information you post is accurate and up to date. Acknowledge any connections you have with companies and people you endorse. If you review travel destinations, for example, and a hotel gives you a free vacation, disclose that information when you post a review of the hotel. As a commenter, read the commenting guidelines on the blog, which usually encourage you to use good judgment and basic courtesy. In particular, don't engage in flaming, which is posting hostile or insulting comments about another online participant.
Types of Wikis
If you've ever used a search engine to look up a definition of a term or the meaning of a phrase, you've probably visited Wikipedia, one of the largest wikis on the web. Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia with millions of articles. Thousands of users contribute to Wikipedia by writing, editing, and reviewing articles. You can edit articles by creating a Wikipedia account and then signing in. Wikipedia is open to the public, but some wikis restrict access to members only. For example, students and teachers often use private educational wikis to collaborate on projects. Researchers use wikis to share findings, offer and receive suggestions, and test their work. Businesses also use wikis, especially when employees are not all in the same physical location. As with blogs, people use wikis to share their knowledge, experience, and point of view. With businesses increasing their global reach, communication is more important than ever, and more challenging. How can a business with locations all over the world ensure that all employees have access to the same knowledge and information? How can they benefit from ideas and suggestions from employees across the company? One way is through wikis. Businesses use wikis in the following ways: Distributing information: Departments that make company-wide policies, such as human resources, can use wikis to make policies available company-wide at any time. Providing a central repository of information: Project teams that are geographically isolated can access schedules, specifications, and procedures posted on a company wiki to ensure consistency throughout all stages of a project. As a communication tool: Employees at all levels can contribute to a wiki, making it a useful way to exchange ideas and encourage participation from people in all departments and positions.
tags
In HTML, codes used to identify or "mark up" the content in a webpage such as, <p>....</p> tags to markup a paragraph.
Internet Etiquette Guidelines
In any of your interactions on the Internet, follow these guidelines: Treat others as you want them to treat you. If you wouldn't say something to a person's face, don't write it in an electronic message. Be polite in your online communications. Avoid wording that might seem offensive, passive-aggressive, suggestive, or argumentative. Take care when using humor or sarcasm, which can be misinterpreted easily. Take a neutral stance on controversial subjects, especially political ones. Read your messages before sending them and correct errors in spelling, grammar, and tone. Consider email as public communication, because people might forward your message to others without your knowledge. Remember that a human being is at the other end of your communication.
online reputation
Information about you that others can find on the Internet.
disinformation
Intentionally-released inaccurate information designed to influence or harm the reputation of others, especially in a highly charged political environment.
Use Interest-Based Networks
Interest-based networks are similar to social networks but are targeted to a particular audience and subject. You can find interest-based networks on any topic
Digital Communication Following Netiquette Guidelines
Knowing how to use digital tools is critical but learning how to use them effectively is equally important. This section begins with general netiquette guidelines for various types of digital communication, followed by basic information on how to use these digital tools in your personal life and career.
video messaging
Leaving a video message for a recipient to pick up later.
Messaging Applications
Many business communications are short, such as changing an appointment time, verifying a fact, or confirming a project detail. Electronic messaging is a popular technology for communicating with others, especially when exchanging short messages. Electronic messaging technology can be part of larger applications such as Facebook, part of webpages, or separate applications. Popular messaging apps include WhatsApp, Skype for Business, and Slack. Most messaging apps, whether on smartphones or Internet-connected computers, include the following features, which allow for a variety of communication types: Text messaging, or sending short text messages. This feature allows you to send messages to a person or group quickly. Participants do not have to be online at the same time. Chatting, or holding real-time typed conversations by two people who are online at the same time. Multimedia messaging, or sending photos, videos, or links to websites, allowing participants to quickly share content. Messaging apps can even include custom animated characters you can create, using apps such as Animoji, which feature face-tracking technology to apply your voice and facial expressions to animated characters. These are best used in personal rather than business communications. Voice messaging, or recording and posting digital messages for another person. Often referred to as a voice mail, it's a message recorded using digital technology. Once digitized, the voice mail is stored in the phone's voice mailbox. With visual voice mail, users can view message details, such as the length of a call and a time stamp showing when the message arrived. Voice-to-text (also called speech-to-text) or converting incoming or outgoing voice messages to written text, for use in situations where typing messages is impractical and hand-free operation is required. Voice-to-text technology can also be used in visual voice mail, where it can translate voice messages into typed text.
Negative Effects of Social Networking
Many people avoid social networking altogether because of its well-publicized risks. Loss of Privacy: Your social networking profile may contain a wealth of personal information, such as your name, location, contact information, educational background, profession, and names of family members. These details are visible to friends you select but may also be available to businesses that can use your information to send you intrusive targeted ads. Your photographs might reach places you don't intend. Some social networking sites do not have adequate safeguards to prevent other companies from harvesting your information and sending it to other companies, who might steal the data and use it for illegal purposes. In 2018 Facebook announced that one of its app developers had illegally shared personal app data with researchers and third parties without user consent. Such practices can erode confidence in social networking platforms. Some social network users inadvertently put themselves at risk by (1) not becoming familiar with the privacy controls on the social networks they use, and (2) oversharing (sharing too much information about their lives). Exposure to Illegal and Criminal Activities: Data harvesters may track your online activity and use the information for advertising or for illegal purposes. Hackers may use your personal information to steal your identity. Fake social media sites may entice you to "friend" them, so they can hack into your information and publish it elsewhere without your permission. Online acquaintances might misrepresent themselves using false identities. When you use the check in feature on social networks, you broadcast that you are not home at the same time you identify your whereabouts. And repeated use of such features may reveal patterns of your behavior without you intending it. This may put you, your loved ones, and your home at risk by anyone who wishes to do you harm. Loss of Information Control: Once your content is posted, you lose control of it. A photo or comment can make its way across the world and be replicated millions of times in a flash. Someone could send your personal details to audiences you may not have intended. For example, an American couple was surprised to learn from friends traveling overseas that a family photo they had posted on social media was being used in a grocery store poster in Europe, without their knowledge or permission. Sharing inappropriate personal information can increase the risk that this information is misused in a public space and that it will impact your professional and personal relationships long into the future. Your digital footprint, the records of everything you do online, is nearly impossible to erase. Information about you can be forwarded, captured in a screenshot, or archived in a database. Decreased Employability: Once an inappropriate photo or a thoughtless comment has been released on social networks, it can be difficult or impossible to undo the damage. Employers routinely search the web and social networks for job candidates' background information. Hiring managers may form unfavorable opinions of job candidates who have posted unprofessional images and language in the past. A recent CareerBuilder survey of over 1,000 human resource professionals found that 70% of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates and over half discovered content that caused them to eliminate a candidate from consideration for a job. Downsides for Businesses: By having a robust social networking presence, many businesses inform everyone—including their competition—of their upcoming plans. Hiring notices on social networking sites can tell competitors about potential, but unannounced, products. And if a business has problems with products, services, or employees, social networking can magnify them by unleashing unflattering public responses. Consider both the positive and negative effects of social networking and determine what platforms and usage level are right for you, for your personal safety, privacy, and employability.
Use Social Networks
Most social networks are open to the general public, and only require that you provide a name and password and complete an online form to create a profile, information about yourself that forms your online identity. You can provide as much or as little information as you like in your profile. You can expand your profile to describe your interests and activities and invite friends to visit your page. Friends can leave messages for you and you can keep in touch with them by including links to your blog or by sharing media such as photos and videos. Online social networks let you view profiles of other users and designate them as friends, or contacts. Some sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, require friends to confirm a friendship, while others, such as Twitter, allow users to follow one another without confirmation. You can expand your online social network by viewing your friends' friends and then, in turn, designating some of them as your friends. Friends of your friends, and their friends, form your extended contacts. Extended contacts on a personal social network, such as Facebook, can introduce you to others at your college or from your hometown, or enable you to stay in touch with those who have interests similar to yours. Extended contacts on a professional network, such as LinkedIn, can introduce you to people who work at companies where you might seek employment. You can share employment history and skills in your profile, enabling potential employers who look at your profile to learn about your specific skills. Personal uses of online social networks include sharing photos and videos as well as status updates to inform friends about what you are doing. You can like, or show appreciation for, the posts of your friends. When you do, people who see the content will know that you like it and the person who posted it is notified. All your updates, likes, posts, and events appear in your account's activity stream. Activity updates from friends may appear on your news feed. (Note that these streams are usually permanent unless you explicitly remove them or delete your account, meaning things that you posted or liked even years ago can still be found.) Many social networks allow you to include hashtags to identify topics. A hashtag is a word(s) preceded by a # symbol that describes or categorizes a post, such as #cengageunlimited. Users can search for posts on a topic by searching for a hashtag. Some social networks list trending topics based on popular hashtags. Many television broadcasts, advertisements, and businesses post hashtags to encourage viewers and customers to share comments on Twitter or Facebook.
upvote
On a discussion forum, to promote an answer that you find useful.
profile
On a social networking site, information about yourself that forms your virtual identity.
flaming
On social media, posting hostile or insulting comments about another online participant; to be avoided.
oversharing
On social networking, the sharing of too much information.
activity stream
On social networks, a listing of all your updates, likes, posts, and events.
extended contacts
On social networks, friends of your friends and their friends.
like
On social networks, to show appreciation for.
friends
On social networks, your contacts.
news feed
On the Microsoft Edge Start page, a collection of live headlines, images, and information from various websites.
Positive Effects of Social Networking
Opinions of social networking vary widely: some people use it regularly and can't imagine life without it; others are suspicious and avoid it completely. What are the effects of social networking? Is it a positive force in our lives or a negative one? You can find support for both sides. Social networking offers many benefits to individuals, businesses, and other organizations. Keeping in Touch with Other People: Social networking is an efficient way to stay in touch with your social network, including family, close friends, and acquaintances. You can share life details using status updates to keep others posted on what you're doing, including important events, opinions, pictures, and stories. You can share links to news sources. Many people use social networking to revive relationships with people from their past. Interactivity: Not only does social networking let you share your information with others, but you also receive feedback from others. You can ask the people in your network for ideas and information, and converse with them about proposed solutions to problems. Social networking tools let you flag topic categories and notify others when you post. You can join online communities, groups of people who share a particular background or interest and interact on the Internet. For example, you might join a Facebook group called [Your State] Wildlife, where users contribute pictures of animals that other wildlife lovers in your state would appreciate. Whether you're in a remote location, or away from others due to illness or other circumstances, the interactive features of social networking can help you feel connected to, and less isolated from, the world. Growing Your Career: In the same way that networking with others over the phone or in person can help you get a job, social networking on the Internet can help you grow professionally. Surveys have found that more than three quarters of recruiters use social media to find qualified candidates. You can use a LinkedIn or AngelList profile to post your resume and then use its tools to develop extensive contacts in your field of expertise and be informed of new job opportunities. Sites like Career Builder and Monster can help you learn about careers and find jobs. You can like or follow any companies that interest you and learn about their products and available job openings. Participating in forums can establish you as an informed resource in your field. Following a company's social media posts will keep you informed on hiring trends. Immediacy: Social networking lets you share information instantaneously. With one mouse click you can communicate with one or a thousand people and receive feedback just as quickly. Information Control: Using social networking to stay in touch doesn't always mean your life is an open book. Smart users control what they share with others by using privacy settings in social networking programs. A Privacy Settings page on Facebook, you can limit who sees your posts to only selected friends; you can withhold personal information from your profile and prevent strangers from seeing your posts. Businesses and Social Networking: Businesses use social networking to promote their products and services. They count on people to check in to promote their museum, activity, restaurant, hotel, or other venue. Businesses can communicate easily with customers and hear their reactions. Newspapers and news programs use social networking to post breaking news and receive contributions of news items from their audience. Some businesses use live broadcasts on Facebook to display their expertise and educate their customers. For example, a research hospital might use a broadcast to explain the advantages of a new procedure or vaccine. If a business has a public relations issue, such as a product flaw or service outage, it can use social media to send immediate status updates and communicate the company's position. Social media gives it an opportunity to inform its users and to help communicate its goals and control its image.
Professional Messaging Guidelines
Originally, text messaging and chat were a new way to take advantage of emerging technology to exchange messages among friends. Because they're now valuable business tools as well, you need to follow the professional guidelines, when sending instant messages at work or participating in company chat rooms.
Chatting
Real-time communication through the Internet between two or more people who are online at the same time.
podcast
Recorded media that users can download or stream to a computer or mobile device and listen to at any time.
blog
Short for web log, an informal website consisting of date- or time-stamped articles, or posts, in a diary or journal format.
Gather Support with Social Media
Social media has become a major way for individuals and organizations to gather knowledge, support, or contributions from a worldwide audience. Such support might include physical labor, data collection, research, or financing. Crowdsourcing uses the Internet and the "intelligence of the crowd" to accomplish a task or solve a problem for the benefit of all. Project leaders put out a public request on the Internet, sometimes called an "open call," and motivated people respond. Examples of crowdsourcing include: Community projects, such as a beach cleanup or electronic petitions to accomplish community change. Nextdoor.com facilitates information sharing among neighbors. Creative projects, where people contribute ideas such as designing a new public building or a new state license plate. Skill-based projects, in which people donate skills such as editing, translation, scanning, or data transcription to create or improve publicly available data (census information, databases, or historic newspapers). Wikipedia uses crowdsourcing in its use of volunteer writers and editors. Location-based projects, such as wildlife counts or language use surveys; a NASA website recruits citizen astronomers to help locate asteroids that may pose a threat to the earth. A particular type of crowdsourcing is crowdfunding, in which individuals come together on the Internet to provide funding that will support others in an endeavor. An example of a crowdfunding project on GoFundMe. Other popular crowdfunding sites include Indiegogo and Crowdfunder. Kickstarter specializes in funding creative projects such as those in design, music, and publishing.
Positive Effects of Social Media
Social media has revolutionized how we learn and communicate, enabling personal growth and real-time interactive communication. Enabling Learning: Social media makes it easy to learn anything you want at any time. You can find a YouTube video for almost any purpose, whether you need to maintain your computer, learn yoga, play an instrument, or take better pictures. Consumer review sites such as Yelp can help you make informed buying decisions. TripAdvisor and Airbnb can help you plan personal and business travel with built-in ratings. Free online learning sites let you improve your math skills, learn a language, or learn economics; you can even watch free university lectures online. Using social media tools, you can learn at your own speed and check your progress with online evaluations. Keeping in Touch with the World: You may already use social media tools to read or watch news and find information on your career, hobbies, and interests. You can learn about new products, social trends, weather, and emergency information. For example, you can choose to have your laptop, tablet, or smartphone alert you to imminent flooding danger or storm warnings in your area Social media is gradually replacing traditional media such as newspapers, TV, and radio for broadcasting such events to help keep you informed and safe. Interactive Communication: Social media can turn communication into an interactive dialogue. You can post a video on YouTube that others can comment on and share. You can play online games with friends or strangers, anywhere in the world. Social media lets you collaborate and share ideas with others, whether it's sharing a proposal to develop a business strategy or discussing topics of mutual interest.
Social Media
Social media refers to the many ways individuals and businesses share information and interact using the Internet. The information they share ranges from stories, photos, news, and opinions to complete diaries, daily life updates, professional networking, and job searches, as well as sophisticated games. Social media differs from other forms of communication because it is immediate, interactive, and widespread. Estimates say that there are over 2.5 billion social media users worldwide. Social media helps us form online communities with users with similar interests around the world.
Types of Social Media
Social networking Share ideas, opinions, photos, videos, websites Personal and business networking, chat, video chat and video conferencing, instant messaging, online dating, social memorials Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Microsoft Skype, Google Hangouts Blogging and microblogging Create and update an online journal that you share with readers Personal journals, expert advice, information on special areas of interest Twitter, Blogger, WordPress, Tumblr, Pinterest Media sharing and content sharing View and distribute pictures, videos, audio files Photo and video sharing, podcasting, news sites, online learning, distance learning YouTube, Break, Dailymotion, Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa Collaborative projects Read, add, and discuss articles about topics of interest Online encyclopedias, forums, wikis, message boards, news groups, Wikipedia, WikiAnswers, Wikia Social curation, bookmarking, and social news Tag (mark) and search websites; share websites, articles, news stories, media Tagging; knowledge management Delicious, Reddit, Digg File sharing Send and receive files from others on an Internet location Free or paid access to file storage locations on the Internet Egnyte, ShareFile, Hightail, Dropbox, WeTransfer Virtual social worlds Play games with others; create a simulated environment Virtual reality games World of Warcraft, Xbox, Steam Crowdfunding Raise funds for a project, cause, or business Websites that let anyone contribute; site takes a percentage of funds raised GoFundMe, Indiegogo, Kickstarter, Startsomegood
Use Social Shopping Networks
Social networking tools are useful not only for keeping in touch with customers, friends, and family; they can help you obtain needed items as well. Social shopping networks bring together people interested in buying similar kinds of products. Sites let shoppers share ideas and knowledge about products and prices. Shoppers may recommend products or hold product-related conversations. Some sites let users buy and sell merchandise. For example, Etsy connects buyers and sellers of creative, unique handcrafts and vintage items. Groupon is an online marketplace where users and groups can share product information and purchase products at wholesale prices. Fab.com features unique accessories, accent pieces, and eye-catching technology products created by artists and designers.
Types of Blogs, Social Networks, and Wikis
Social networks, blogs, and wikis are now used by large segments of the population worldwide. As they have grown, they have become more specialized to suit the needs and interests of their users.
Types of Social Networks
Some online social networks have no specialized audience; others are more focused. You have probably viewed an online video, and chances are it was posted to YouTube. YouTube is the best-known example of a media sharing network. A media-sharing network lets users display and view various types of media. With photo-sharing sites such as Instagram, Flickr, Photobucket, and Shutterfly, you can post photos and then organize them into albums, add tags (descriptive text) to categorize them, and invite comments. Photos and other posts on social network sites also include information that generally does not appear to site users, called metadata, which is data that describes other data. Metadata for a picture includes the GPS location coordinates where it was taken, when it was posted, and who posted it. Video-sharing sites such as YouTube and Vimeo let users post short videos called clips. You can set up a post so that anyone, or only people you invite, can view or comment on your clip. On Instagram, followers "like" photos. Other social networks focus on the types of connections you can expect to make on the site. For example, with the professional networking website LinkedIn, you can keep in touch with colleagues, clients, employers, and other business contacts. LinkedIn is also a valuable social network for businesses, especially those that want to market a product or service. Businesses can create a company page and build connections to customers and clients. They can also join groups, post answers to user questions, advertise, and write articles. LinkedIn also offers online training courses for professional development. Some social networks target more specific audiences around shared interests. For example, Behance is an online platform that allows those with creative talent to showcase their work. Like a more general-purpose social network, Behance supports profiles, media sharing, and activity feeds. With the growth of online shopping, users need a way to evaluate products before they buy. Consumer review networks let purchasers post online ratings and reviews of practically any product or service. For example, TripAdvisor helps travelers choose accommodations, flights, experiences, and restaurants by providing price and feature comparisons and customer ratings and reviews. Yelp helps consumers find professionals of all kinds, such as dentists, hair stylists, or mechanics, while Angie's List helps people search for service professionals, such as contractors or plumbers, in their area. Shopping sites such as Amazon also feature review capabilities to help users decide what products to buy. Discussion forum networks let you have online conversations on any topic. For example, Quora features discussions in 10 areas, including literature, technology, science, writing, health, and books. You can follow topics you select, and post questions, opinions, and links. You can also receive notifications when others post to a topic that interests you. The site lets you upvote, or promote, answers that you find useful.
Online Conferencing
Suppose you're working on a business project with a team that includes people in different cities or countries. To collaborate on the project, you can have a web conference (also called a video conference), a meeting among several geographically separated people who use a network or the Internet to transmit audio and video data. Web conferences typically are held on computers or mobile phones. Participants use web conferencing software to sign into the same webpage. To speak to each other, participants can either join a conference phone call or use their computer microphones and speakers. One user acts as the host and shares his or her desktop with the group. During the online session, the host can display a document that participants see at the same time. Most web conferencing software features a whiteboard that the presenter and participants can annotate. If the host edits the document, everyone sees the changes as they are made. Participants can use a chat window to send typed messages to each other during the meeting. Participants can also share files. Conferencing programs generally allow a meeting "wall" with the host company's logo and profile photo. They may also feature automatic language translation, instant captioning for the hearing impaired, and braille translation for those who are visually and hearing impaired. Popular business video conferencing programs include Zoom, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, and ConnectWise. A webinar, short for web-based seminar, is a presentation an audience accesses over the web that shows a shared view of the presenter's screen and may also include audio and video of the presenter and allow for audience participation. It's often used to present lectures, demonstrations, workshops, or other types of instructional activity. Talking over a live video connection with a person at another physical location used to exist only in futuristic science fiction. Video chat, also called video calling, is a face-to-face conversation held over a network such as the Internet. Video chat is used in businesses and education for webcasts (video broadcasts of an event transmitted across the Internet). It is also a popular way for people to stay in touch with friends and relatives who live far away. You can use smartphones for video chatting as well as desktop, laptop, and tablet computers with an Internet connection, microphone, and webcam. Video chatting software lets you control the images that appear onscreen, voice and sound volume, and other features. Chatters without a webcam can participate in the chat but won't be seen on screen by other chatters. Some video chat applications are now going beyond flat 2-D displays to develop holographic images, using beams of light to create patterns that appear as 3-D images. Such advancements will bring the tools of virtual reality into everyday communications. Popular video chat apps include Skype, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Amazon Alexa. Some apps also allow video messaging, in which you can leave a video message for a recipient to pick up later. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) refers to voice communications over the Internet and is sometimes called Internet telephony. In the past, voice communications travelled only along phone lines. Communications or telephone companies charged for phone calls. With the Internet, voice can travel through the same network lines that carry webpages and other Internet services. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) now offer phone services; if you have a phone number through your ISP, you are using VoIP. VoIP providers include Vonage, Skype, Grasshopper, Google, and others. Often calls from one country to another are included in your monthly Internet fee. VoIP allows you to receive calls on your computer from home or cell phones and to place calls from your computer to these phones. You can use different devices to make VoIP calls, including home phones, smartphones, laptops, tablets, and even desktop computers. If you have a webcam, VoIP technology lets you include video in your calls.
Voice-to-text
The convering of incoming or outgoing voicee messages to writteen text.
Personal Social Networking Guidelines
The fundamentals of netiquette apply to social networks just as they apply in other online communications: Respect other participants. Introduce yourself and get to know other members before adding them as friends. Don't overshare; show consideration for their time by keeping your messages short and focused. Before posting a comment, ask yourself how readers will react to it. If it is offensive, don't post it. Do not take an online discussion in a different, unrelated direction (called "hijacking a thread"). Stay on the current topic or start a new discussion on a different one. Do not post annoying or unwelcome messages or other information that may be considered harassment, or cyberbullying. Do not use social networks to monitor or keep track of a member's activities or whereabouts, which could be considered cyberstalking. Protect your online reputation, which is information about you that others can find on the Internet. Make sure your posts won't embarrass you someday.
Social media
The many ways individuals and businesses share information and interact using the Internet; includes stories, photos, news, and opinions to complete diaries, daily life updates, professional networking, and job searching, as well as sophisticated games.
Archiving
The practice of moving email messages, usually those older than a specified date, to a file or folder separate from your active email.
Voice messaging
The recording and posting of digital messages for another person.
digital footprint
The records of everything you do online; can be nearly impossible to completely erase.
netiquette
The rules of Internet etiquette.
Multimedia messaging
The sending of photos, video, or link to websites with your messages using desktop or mobile devices.
Text messaging
The sending of short text messages, usually over cellular networks using mobile phones.
Digital communication
The transmittal of data, instructions, and information from one computer or mobile device to another, often via the internet.
cyberstalking
The use of technology to stalk another person through email, text messages, phone calls, and other forms of communication.
Types of Blogs
The worldwide collection of blogs, known as the blogosphere, varies by media, length, and purpose. Many blog authors post entries consisting of mostly text, though authors of video blogs, or vlogs, such as YouTube, mainly post video clips, and authors of photo blogs mainly post photos. Content aggregators are sites that locate and assemble information from many online sources, including blogs. Examples of content aggregators include Flipboard and Reddit. A microblog allows users to publish short messages, usually between 100 and 300 characters, for others to read, making it a combination of text messaging and blogging. For example, Twitter allows messages up to 280 characters. News media use microblogs to broadcast short messages, including headlines, to their readers. Cities and other municipalities use microblogs, wireless emergency alerts through cellphones, and systems such as Nixle, to send alerts about traffic, severe weather, and missing persons, such as Amber Alerts. Businesses create blogs to communicate with employees, customers, and vendors. Personal blogs often focus on family life, social life, or a personal interest or project, such as building a house or planting a garden. Other blogs can include commentary on news and politics and are an outlet for citizen journalists, members of the public who report on current events. Citizen journalists often produce live blogs, which are blogs that comment on an event while it is taking place, usually in the form of frequent short updates.
blogosphere
The worldwide collection of blogs, which vary by media, length, and purpose.
Common Types of Digital Communication
There are many types of digital communication, including blogs, wikis, email, electronic messaging, podcasts, online conferences, and various forms of social networking.
Blogs
Traditionally, a news writer could tell the world about events using a newspaper or television broadcast; an author would communicate content through a book publisher; and an academic writer would publish articles in a professional journal. A blog allows a writer to upload and publish text, images, or other content, directly to an audience in a less formal way. A blog, short for weblog, is an informal website consisting of date- or time-stamped articles, or posts, in a diary or journal format. Blogs can contain text, photos, video clips, and links to additional information. A blog is more efficient than older publishing forms because a writer can communicate directly and immediately with an audience, without traditional gatekeepers who select and edit content. The audience for a public blog only needs its web address to access it. For a private blog, they need permission from the blogger to read entries. Visitors can read and comment on blog entries, but they cannot edit them. Popular blogs include the news blog Buzzfeed, technology and digital culture blog Mashable, and the technology blog TechCrunch. Businesses use blogs, along with email and other forms of social media, to build their online presence and increase sales. They also use blogs to communicate with employees, customers, and vendors. A sales department might encourage blog readers to sign up for a free product to develop sales leads. A corporate blog might show the company's expertise in their subject area, such as an employment firm creating a blog post on tips for job interviewing. A large company might use a blog to publicize its corporate mission and values, as well as its products. The most popular blog creation site is WordPress, a free, easy-to-use site that lets you create a blog containing text and media, or a complete website. A blogging network is a blogging site that uses the tools of social networking. For example, Tumblr lets users post not only text but also photos, quotations, links, audios, and videos. Bloggers can tag their entries and chat with other bloggers. Bloggers can share each other's posts on Tumblr or on other social networks.
feed
Verbal and nonverbal oral and written messages that listeners send to a speaker or writer.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Voice communications over the Internet; sometimes called Internet telephony.
Internet telephony
Voice communications over the Internet; sometimes called Voice over Internet Telephony.
Professional Social Networking Guidelines
When you create blogs posts, webpages, and social media posts in business, you should follow all netiquette guides. If you are using social media on the job, keep in mind the dos and don'ts.
Digital Communication and Its Purpose
When you send a photo and text message to a friend from your smartphone, add a restaurant review to a rating site, or learn how to improve your business writing while attending a webinar (an online educational web conference), you are using digital communications. Digital communication is the transmittal of data, instructions, and information from one computer or mobile device to another, often via the Internet. In the last 25 years, the rise of digital communication has transformed the ways people work, interact, and spend leisure time. Paper communications such as memos, letters, and reports have been replaced with emails and other electronic documents. Voice communication via telephone and face-to-face interaction has largely been replaced by emails and electronic messages. Physical bookstores have been replaced by online books and other online publications. Traditional telephones and cell phones have been replaced by multipurpose smartphones. Practically all business transactions, including orders, invoices, contracts, meetings, and presentations, are now performed almost solely using digital communication. Social media and social networking have transformed cultures worldwide. Remote cultures, once isolated, can now use mobile phones to follow and participate in worldwide events. The speed, efficiency, and immediacy of digital communication in personal and business interactions has become the norm, so it's important to understand the types of digital communication, their purpose, as well as the basics of how to use each one.
Importance of Netiquette
When you're meeting friends, interacting with family, and working with colleagues, you're guided by rules for acceptable behavior, or etiquette. Even if much of your communication is now online, you still need to follow similar dos and don'ts that help make your online interactions civil and productive. As you use digital communications of any kind, it is vital that you follow the rules of Internet etiquette, known as netiquette, to protect yourself, your family, and your career. The Internet is full of stories about people who made poor decisions in their digital communications and suffered drastic consequences in their lives as a result: Some have discovered that personal photographs and videos transmitted via email or other electronic means are likely to be shared in unexpected locations, causing untold loss of reputation, personal privacy, and employment. Numerous people have posted unflattering, false, or confidential comments about their employers and have lost their jobs as a result when the employer found the post. Others whose electronic missteps "went viral" have had their personal information spread online and have had to relocate. Individuals and businesses have values to protect and generally will not risk their reputations due to the bad choices of their friends or employees. Public shaming by ordinary citizens can spread quickly and such damage can be difficult or impossible to undo. One poor decision can affect an entire lifetime. Later in this module, you'll learn guidelines for using social media and social networking platforms. It is in your interest to follow such guidelines to protect your reputation and your future.
Negative Effects of Social Media
While social media has allowed us to communicate in unprecedented ways, it also entails risks. Inaccurate information: Not all the information on social media is current or correct. While traditional news outlets have standard procedures for verifying the news they publish, social media sites let anyone post ideas, information, points of view, and instructions, without anyone else verifying it. Some people intentionally release inaccurate information, called disinformation, to influence or harm the reputation of others, with worldwide implications. The recent rise of "fake news" shows how inaccurate information can be used to influence and manipulate people. Scams: Unscrupulous people often use social media to try to take advantage of others for their own gain. They may seed websites with malware that tries to gather the personal information on your computer, such as your passwords or bank account information. Predators with fake profiles on social networking sites may take advantage of legitimate users. Technology Addiction: Some technology users become obsessed with computers, mobile devices, and the Internet, and may feel great anxiety if they are not connecting using a device. They may choose interactive technology over interaction with people, even if others are present. Technology may take over someone's entire social life. Addiction is a growing health problem, but it can be treated through therapy and support groups. Technology Overload: People suffering from technology overload feel stressed and overwhelmed with the amount of technology they need to use. Both addiction and overload can have a negative impact on work and relationships.
Wikis
While websites make large amounts of information available to the general public and allow people to comment on their contents, it's not always possible for users to modify the website content itself. That is the job of a wiki, a collaborative website that lets users create, add to, change, or delete content using their web browser. A wiki (from the Hawaiian word for "quick") can include articles, documents, photos, or videos. As with blogs, people use wikis to share their knowledge, experience, and point of view. Contributors to a wiki typically must register before they can edit content or add comments. Wikis can include articles, documents, photos, or videos. Some wikis are public, accessible to everyone, such as Wikipedia Anyone can edit Wikipedia entries and add new ones. Although Wikipedia rates well on many surveys of accuracy, it is possible for inaccurate content to be posted, in spite of its quality standards and the efforts of its volunteer editors. When reading or using Wikipedia content, check its sources carefully. Other wikis are private so that content is accessible only to certain individuals or groups. Many companies, for example, set up wikis as an intranet (an internal network) for employees to collaborate on projects or access information, procedures, and documents. Wikis are useful in education for students working together on projects; they can post online portfolios, share research notes, and give feedback to group members.
