http://www.ukoln.ac.

uk/web-focus/events/meetings/bath-facebook-2007-08/

Introduction To Facebook:
Opportunities and Challenges For The Institution
This talk aims to provide an introduction to Facebook by looking at what it is and how it is being used. The potential of Facebook to support various activities within the institution will Email be explored, together with potential B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk problem areas. The talk will lead into general discussion. Resources bookmarked using bath-facebook-2007-08' tag
UKOLN is supported by:
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This work is licensed under a AttributionNonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat) www.ukoln.ac.uk

Brian Kelly UK Web Focus UKOLN University of Bath Bath

Aims of this talk

Contents
Introduction What Is Facebook? Examples of usage Facebook: the opportunities Facebook: the challenges Questions Discussion

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About Me
Brian Kelly: UK Web Focus: a Web advisory post Involved in Web since January 1993, when he helped establish Web service at the University of Leeds (possibly first institutional site in UK HE) UKOLN: A national centre of expertise in digital information management Funded by JISC and MLA to support the higher and further education communities and the cultural heritage centre Located at the University of Bath (Library L4, Wessex House L5 plus home workers)
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About You
How many of you: Make use of Facebook for professional purposes? Make use of Facebook for social purposes? Have heard about Facebook and want to know more? Are new to Facebook?
What do you hope to gain from this session?
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What is Facebook?
Facebook: A social networking Web site Had the largest number of registered users among college-focused sites with over 30 million members worldwide Ranked between top 1020 Web sites Seventh most visited site in the US
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From Wikipedia www.ukoln.ac.uk

Getting Started
When you register you can provide information about yourself: Personal details Contact details Interests Note that I provide public information, but not personal details expertise in digital information management A centre of
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Your Profile Page

Heres an example of a profile page: Your details Access to default applications Access to applications your added Facebook could be used as a personalised portal to various applications

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Your Profile Page

Heres an example of a profile page: Your details Access to default applications Access to applications your added Facebook could be used as a personalised portal to various applications And heres how others may see your profile Boring isnt it!
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Its a Social Network (1)

The strength of Facebook is when it is used as a social network. Here people can see: My updates to my Facebook account Applications Ive installed Groups Ive joined Photos & videos Ive uploaded Blogs posts Ive written Messages Ive sent & received www.ukoln.ac.uk

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Its a Social Network (2)

Heres the page of a former colleague (now at Eduserv). This is valuable to me: Spot friends in common Keep informed of Andys professional interests (of interest to me) Keep informed of Andys discussions with others
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Student Use (1)

Example of groups subscribed by a student: Student society

Facebook seems to be very popular for use with Student union societies (nb is this a threat to similar services provided on Student A centre of expertise in digital information managementUnion Web site?) www.ukoln.ac.uk
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Student Use (1)

Example of groups subscribed by a student: Student society

Notice how the issue of local versus global Facebook groups is being discussed. Would a local-only group act as a barrier information management A centre of expertise in digital to student alumni? www.ukoln.ac.uk
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Student Use (2)

Example of groups subscribed by a student: Student society Social

Facebook is popular for various social activities especially for keeping in touch A centre of expertise in digital information management over summer www.ukoln.ac.uk
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Student Use (2)

Example of groups subscribed by a student: Student society Social

Note that Facebook provides access to videos and photos a way of providing management A centre of expertise in digital information seamless access or a bandwidth hog? www.ukoln.ac.uk
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The Opportunities
Facebook provides great opportunities for the Universities: Its popular Its easy-to-use No need for in-house development or to purchase software Useful for staff and post-graduate students too We can easily integrate our resources into Facebook (e.g. RSS feeds, blogs, etc.) It can provide alternative access to our services cf. MyNewport portal which took a day to port to Facebook
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What Others Are Doing

MyNewport: VLE/portal used by staff & students (course material, news, blogs, forums, etc.) Facebook app allows students to access to MyLearning resources Allows students to create their own personal learning environment in a platform other than the Universitys Facebook targeted as its the fastest growing community If the users like idea but want to work in another environment then that is fine
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Whats The Downside?

Various concerns have been expressed about: Privacy (is Facebook a private or public space?) Is Facebook a space for students or for all? Is Facebook a closed environment? A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk
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The Challenges (1)

Facebook can provide challenges for the institution IT Service departments, for example, are always liable to face criticism These days as well as User Group meetings and online forums, users can create their own discussion groups

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The Challenges (2)

How should the departments respond? Read the posts to gain feedback on areas in which improvements may be needed? Join in the discussions Ban such discussions / people who make inappropriate comments? Ignore the groups
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The Challenges (3)

Note though: Departments may find support being provided on the discussion groups There will always be criticism

Do our (fee-paying) students have a right to watch crap on YouTube What if this slows network down? How does the university engage in discussions on this topic digital information management A centre of expertise in with the students? www.ukoln.ac.uk
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Other Issues
There are also challenges for individuals
What if this group Ive joined isnt about nos. of UK Facebook users, but a BNP support group?

A friend has joined a group which advocates violence!

Note that Facebook isnt a local University service, so it cant easily be banned.A Is this were we digital information management as well as students)? centre of expertise in need education (for staff www.ukoln.ac.uk
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You Can Manage Your Privacy

You have control over the information others can see about you

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You Can Manage Your Privacy

You have control over the information others can see about you But how many users change the default settings?

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And what about what Facebook can do with your information? Note that Wikipedia provides useful A centre of expertiseon Facebooks terms and conditions www.ukoln.ac.uk information in digital information management

Terms & Conditions

Have you read the terms and conditions?

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Terms & Conditions

Have you read the terms and conditions? Its good that they comply with the Safe Harbor Agreement

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Terms & Conditions

Have you read the terms and conditions? Its good that they comply with the Safe Harbor Agreement But how might Facebook reuse your information?

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Terms & Conditions

Have you read the terms and conditions? Its good that they comply with the Safe Harbor Agreement But how might Facebook reuse your information? And how might they share it with others?

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Terms & Conditions

Have you read the terms and conditions? Its good that they comply with the Safe Harbor Agreement But how might Facebook reuse your information? And how might they share it with others? And whats their policy of changing their policy, security, etc?
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What Do My Friends Think?

A question I asked on Facebook: Facebook: (a) institutions need to engage with it as our students like it or (b) its their social space; let's leave it alone?

Responses from my Facebook friends, 1 Aug 2007

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Some Thoughts
Facebook: We cant ignore it! So should we: Leave it for students to use as they see fit? Allow departments to use as they see fit? Make formal use of it? In all scenarios how should we: Address privacy concerns for the students (and staff)? Address the issue of whether the university should respond to criticisms? Address our needs to protect the integrity of the institution? Provide advice, training, etc. on best practices? A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk
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Questions
Any questions?

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