University of Alabama News » Distinguished Professor to Speak at UA on Tracking Social Media

University of Alabama News » Distinguished Professor to Speak at UA on Tracking Social Media

Headline Today

"Social media played a key role in capturing the Boston Marathon bomber."

Do you have any thoughts?

Have you been hearing about social media in the news?

Have you been hearing about social media in the news?

Recent events have US citizens on edge. With the bombing in Boston, many are being more cautious. With all the surveillance cameras that are around now and all the mobile recording devices that are out there who would dare commit crimes. Truth is there are still many people that just don't care or feel they will get away with it anyway.

Federal, state and local authorities use social media tools all the time to help them catch criminals. I have heard in many different forms of media that the authorities are asking if anyone had seen any type of suspicious activity the day of the bombing. They have asked if people may have taken pictures or videos of the areas before the bombs went off. Hopefully, there have been some people come forward to share their pictures or videos even if they think that it is insignificant.

The United States Intelligence Community has been using an internal wiki for many years now to share intelligence with each other. This wiki is called Intellipedia. Using Intellipedia allows them to share accurate information with other agents and other agencies quickly.

There are many other ways that social media can help with solving crimes and threats against the US. Social media can also be used to update people and spread news fast. It can also be used as a warning system and keeping people informed.

I think social media tools help authorities in the sense that they can use it to their advantage like spreading Amber Alerts or images of people that they are looking for. However, I also think that it hurts the media because of all the accusations and rumors that spread so quickly you never know what to believe anymore. With many people having mobile devices do you think it helps or hinders the progress of fighting criminals? Do you think the media have to work harder to make sure they are putting the most accurate information out there? As fast as news travels today do you think that it is all correct information? Or, does it get distorted as it is passed around? Maybe it is just me.

What do you think?

Do you use a phone in church?

Do you use a phone in church?

On Sunday the preacher had to clarify what he said on the previous week about using phones and mobile devices in church. He simply said that you can use them check in, post a verse or thoughts about the sermon or invite your friends. He also said that he didn't want that to be an excuse to play angry birds during church.

Church Sunday was pretty interesting in that it was not traditional. It wasn't someone standing up there reading from the bible and talking about what was just read. The service was much more interactive. The preacher joked about using mobile devices. There were PowerPoint slide with clear points and illustrations and pictures. He also provided a fill in the blank sheet that helped those that needed to be more active. The preacher was able to keep the interest of everyone. He related to everyone in the church and was able to get his points across clearly.

I know that this was unconventional for this church. I think that some of the older people may not be used to this style of preaching, and may have opinions of it. I think with a little time they will get used to this and will like it. It will be interesting to see how things play out. I liked it and would like to see more of this interactive style. I think that it was a pretty good tactic to use to try to reach out to everyone. I would like to see where this leads. Will the preacher keep using interactive tools? How will the crowd react to this? Does this work better than the old style? Maybe it is just me. 

What do you think? 

"If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride...and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards." -Bear Bryant

What is social media?

What is social media?

In my opinion social media is a way that you can connect electronically and communicate with other people. This is a way that people can communicate effectively and quickly using any number of the following tools or devices: Facebook, Twitter, email, texting, Wikis, online communities, video sharing like YouTube and Vimeo, photo sharing like Flickr and Picasa, Skype, Blogs, social bookmarking like Delicious and Diigo, RSS Feeds, LinkedIn, Dropbox, Google Drive, GoToMeeting and various other social media tools, apps, and handle held devices. These are all great tools to use for socializing, to use for work and to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues.

With these social media tools you can follow the most up to date events and news as it is happening. You can share videos, photos and documents quickly and can communicate with coworkers as needed. These tools allow you to be able to work together collaboratively. You can chat with coworkers easier than explaining in lengthy emails or phone calls. These tools also provide you with the ability to share your life experiences with your friends and family. You can easily post Facebook updates and pictures. You can share videos and Skype with friends and family around the world.

Now you have the opportunity access all of this information at your fingertips instantly. You can access this information on your computer or on your hand held devices. We now have more access than ever to do our jobs quicker and more efficient and great ways to work together. We also have great ways to stay connected with people that we love and care about.

I have accounts that are set up for some of these tools for classes, work and personal use. At some point I would like to have one log in name and password to use with all these tools and be able to access all of these tools on one portable device. I have way too many log in names  and passwords to remember and of course they are all one number or letter different or one requires a capital letter. Maybe I just need an app for that.

Unfortunately, having one log in name and password for everything and being able to access everything on one portable device may mean that work, class and personal life starts to merge together. If we are taking care of personal things at work and work things when we are at home, then our lives have become combined and electronic. When do we have time to disconnect, unplug? When do we connect with our children or spouses? When do we have face to face conversations? When I am around friends I prefer to talk to them and connect with them. I don’t want to be looking at my mobile device and dividing my attention. These are my friend and family. I also prefer that they are paying me the same respect. Are we really that busy that we can’t take time to give someone an hour of undivided attention? Do we even know how to listen anymore? I mean really listen. I recall going to check on a friend to see how they were doing. I never did find out how they were doing because the whole time I was there they spent it playing on their phone. Not once did they ask how I was doing.

I think that we can all find ways to live our lives with a balance that we can do our jobs and stay connected with friends and family and at the same time we can give our attention to those that are close enough to spend time with. Spend time with your spouse and kids and spend time with your friends. Enjoy face to face conversations and see their expressions. It is important to learn to read body language. Take time to express yourself and listen. Maybe it is just me. 

What do you think?