Some people eat, sleep and chew gum, I do genealogy and write...

Sunday, November 1, 2015

The Status of Online Social Networking from a Genealogist's Perspective

I guess I should expect to get all sorts of business promotional requests on LinkedIn.com but I am getting really tired of the blatant pornography requests on Google+. In fact, I am about ready to close down the Google+ site altogether. People who show up wanting to add me to their circles who have no identifying information, few or no followers and a photo of someone who looks like a model are simply fraudulent. I am also getting tired of such requests that originate in the Middle East and appear to be solicitations from terrorist organizations. Mix this with programmers from India and you have a totally dysfunctional media outlet. Google+ was once a promising alternative to Facebook, but it has become almost useless.

We are now watching the rise of Instagram.com. It was once a quick photo site, but has evolved into a major media location for businesses and other organizations. The amount of advertising as increased incrementally with its popularity. I have tried not to use Instagram for genealogy and keep only a few contacts within my immediate family. Earlier this year as I have noted in previous posts, Instagram diverted most of my family from their blogs. Some of the family members who used to post on their blogs regularly, have now stopped and our major contact, other than Facebook, seems to be on Instagram.

Of course Facebook keeps rolling along. It has become a major source of genealogical news as well as the "go to" place to find out what is happening with friends and relatives. I am getting high marks on LinkedIn for Social Networking even though my only contact is through posting what I write on my blog. I have come to the conclusion that most of the people who read my blog, do so from Facebook. It is interesting that the RootsTech 2016 crew has decided to use Facebook as the primary media to communicate with the Ambassadors. It has also turned into a major advertising outlet with unsolicited posts. I stopped watching TV years ago and it wouldn't be too hard for me to stop any one of the social networking outlets. Of the available social networking websites, Facebook is clearly the leader in genealogy related material.

I am not sure that YouTube.com qualifies as a social networking website, but the genealogical content is massive. If you search for genealogy topics and genealogy company names and personalities in either YouTube or Facebook you will find a huge amount of information.

I don't have a dog or a cat or a baby at home any more and there are no plans for any of them, so don't expect cutesy post on Facebook from me. I also make it a rule not to pass on random viral posts, although I do post something unusual from time to time. You will also learn very, very little personal news about me or my wife from Facebook. I still like email and my blogs.

3 comments:

  1. "I still like email and my blogs."

    There is something to be said for the relative simplicity of mostly-text email and blogs.

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  2. I use pinterest to save links so I can find info later. I have boards arranged by topic and surnames. I understand there is a possibility of copy write issues with pinterest due to the fact it pins by a graphic and some photos have copy writes. But it is a great site to save links to find later rather than or in addition to book marking on a personal computer. Plus you can network with what sites other people are finding.

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  3. I've received no porn requests on Google+. Anyone can put you in their circles, but you don't have to put them in your circles.

    I like the Google+ Communities much better than Facebook Groups - they're easier to read and respond to. Then there's the Hangouts which I participate in on Monday morning with DearMyrtle and watch others occasionally, usually on YouTube.

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