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#5Things Edition 7

  1. Facebook: Friend or Foe?

    There’s been quite a bit of buzz over the past few weeks regarding the discovery that Facebook purposely manipulated the newsfeeds and emotions of almost 700,000 users. Why would they do such a thing? Apparently the practice is not as foreign as one might think. In fact, Cliff Lampe, Associate Professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan, shared an article recently that highlights the long history of such experiments. So should we be offended? Virginia Senator Mark Warner thinks so, and he’s asked the Federal Trade Commission to “fully explore the potential ramifications” of the intrusion.

Tell us what you think. Is this simply the world that we now live in after we agree to a platforms term of service or should companies be reprimanded for using our online information? #5Things

  1. Could Twitter be the downfall of your job search?

    You polished up your resume, wrote an epic cover letter, and aced the interview; job should be yours right? Not so fast. A new study shows more than half of all employers who use social media for background information are finding things that cause them to NOT hire potential candidates. Up from 43% last year and 34% in 2012. Reviewing your digital footprint is more important than ever. While discussing this topic during orientation at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, a wise young student offered a helpful pro tip. She currently using the popular app Timehop, not only as a source of great content for throwback Thursday, but also as a helpful way to get a glimpse of old postings she may now feel are an improper reflection of her as a young professional. Genius right?

What other tips do you have for sprucing up your online persona? #5Things

  1. Crisis Communications in the age of Social

    I had the honor of watching a large-scale emergency response training exercise take place earlier this week and it was nothing short of magnificent. The power of social in these instances, both for message dissemination and evidence collection is enormous. Take the proper steps ahead of time to ensure your organization has a game plan that takes into account the fast paced nature of digital communications, as well as, political sensitively and privacy concerns. In 2012, Twitter CEO and University of Michigan alum Dick Costolo spoke specifically about the role Twitter played following global emergencies like Hurricane Sandy and the Tohoku, Japan earthquake.

Have a plan already in place that you’re particularly proud of? Share it with us using #5Things!

  1. #OtherPeoplies

    Let’s be honest, the social sphere is saturated with selfies. The inspirational Internet phoneme Kid President is challenging people across the world to change that. His latest effort calls for more #OtherPeoplies, or images that showcase how we are contributing to making the world around us more awesome rather than just our own. While the concept of social good, or using social media platforms to make a difference has been prevalent for some time, something about a 10-year-old calling out billions of people globally always seems to pack a punch.

How have you used your social channels to turn your audience into advocates? #5Things

  1. Dust of that Vine Password

    While Vine still makes second swipe as a primary icon on my iPhone, I’ll admit it’s been some time since I’ve filmed a six second video. In fact, while watching Super Bowl XLVII I was more intrigued by Audi’s Snapchat audience interactions, than Tide’s creative Vine usage. Researchers impressed with the platforms introduction of “Loop Counts” disagree. In fact, the new metric seems to be what may have been holding the network back from being taken seriously in the digital marketing space.

Does your brand Vine? Why or why not? #5Things