While it’s become clear that information, to some degree or another, is the currency that social networking sites run on, its also clear that how they use that information can get them into a lot of hot water. Certainly Facebook wouldn’t be getting all the negative press and user complaints if they did a better job of explaining how they use the information. Twitter, on the other hand, has taken a minimalistic approach toward getting personal information, favoring instead an approach that records interaction.
Personally I favor Twitter’s approach because it emphasizes relationships over the collection of information. Instead of having to share what high school I went to or where I work, or any number of other details, the focus is on the conversation and interactions that people have. The way that twitter collects data focuses on the trends people talk about. On the whole, it’s a much more ethical approach to collecting data.
Relationships are also much more dynamic. Your high school and even where you work are fairly static data. There’s not nearly as much information in such stasis, but conversations show changing interests, emerging personalities, and also enable an understanding of how a person has changed over a period of time. Conversations are mutable data and provide snapshots of a person’s life, and can provide some personal details, but nonetheless don’t need to be as invasive.
Interaction is what makes social media successful. Without interaction social media can’t be social at all, and there’s no reason to be on it. But what draws people to different sites is the opportunity to connect with each other, to share information, and also create and maintain relationships with each other. It’s the conversations that keep me on social media. What about you?
