Briefing 14

Briefing 14

Facebook: Opportunities and Challenges

UKOLN: Supporting the Cultural Heritage Sector

Facebook: Opportunities and Challenges

UKOLN: Supporting the Cultural eritage Sector

Why The Interest In Facebook? Why The Interest In Facebook?

Facebook has generated much interest over recent months. Much of the interest has arisen since Facebook announced the Facebook Platform [1] which enabled third party developers to build applications which could be used within the Facebook environment. Since Facebook was developed initially to support students it is not surprising that student usage has proved so popular. his interest has also spread to other sectors within institutions! with researchers and members of staff e"ploring Facebook possibilities. Facebook has generated much interest over recent months. Much of the interest has arisen since Facebook announced the Facebook Platform [1] which enabled third party developers to build applications which could be used within the Facebook environment. Since Facebook was developed initially to support students it is not surprising that student usage has proved so popular. his interest has also spread to other sectors within institutions! with researchers and members of staff e"ploring Facebook possibilities.

What Can Be Done Within Facebook?

Social networks such as Facebook can provide a range of benefits to members of an organisation# Connections with peers# he main function of Facebook is to provide connections between people with similar interests. Friends can then send messages to each other $either closed messages or open for others to read%. Groups# Facebook users can set up discussion group areas! which can be used by people with interests in the topic of the group. &reation of details of events! which allows users to sign up to! is another popular use of Facebook. Sharing resources# Many of the popular Facebook applications are used for sharing resources. Some of these replicate $or provide an interface to% popular social sharing services $such as Flickr and 'ou ube% while other applications provide services such as sharing interests in films! books! etc. An environment for other applications# he opening of the Facebook Platform has allowed developers to provide access to a range of applications. (rtShare [)]! for e"ample! provides access to arts resources from within Facebook. Web presence# (lthough originally designed for use by individuals since *ovember )++, Facebook can be used as a -eb hosting service for an organisational page. .t should also be noted that organisational pages in Facebook were redesigned in )++/ so that they more closely resemble personal pages [0]. 1rganisational pages are now also able to share Status 2pdates.

What Can Be Done Within Facebook?

Social networks such as Facebook can provide a range of benefits to members of an organisation# Connections with peers# he main function of Facebook is to provide connections between people with similar interests. Friends can then send messages to each other $either closed messages or open for others to read%. Groups# Facebook users can set up discussion group areas! which can be used by people with interests in the topic of the group. &reation of details of events! which allows users to sign up to! is another popular use of Facebook. Sharing resources# Many of the popular Facebook applications are used for sharing resources. Some of these replicate $or provide an interface to% popular social sharing services $such as Flickr and 'ou ube% while other applications provide services such as sharing interests in films! books! etc. An environment for other applications# he opening of the Facebook Platform has allowed developers to provide access to a range of applications. (rtShare [)]! for e"ample! provides access to arts resources from within Facebook. Web presence# (lthough originally designed for use by individuals since *ovember )++, Facebook can be used as a -eb hosting service for an organisational page. .t should also be noted that organisational pages in Facebook were redesigned in )++/ so that they more closely resemble personal pages [0]. 1rganisational pages are now also able to share status updates.
his document is available at# 3http#44www.ukoln.ac.uk4cultural5heritage4documents4briefing51647

his document is available at# 3h ttp#44www.ukoln.ac.uk4cultural5heritage4documents4briefing51647

What Are The Challenges?

8eservations about use of Facebook in an institutional conte"t include# !rivac"# here are real concerns related to users9 privacy. his will include both short term issues $embarrassing photos being uploaded% and longer term issues $reuse of content in many years time%. Ownership# he Facebook terms and conditions allow Facebook to e"ploit content for commercial purposes. #isuse of social space# 2sers may not wish to share their social space with other colleagues! especially when there may be hierarchical relationships. Liabilit"# -ho will be liable if illegal content or copyrighted materials are uploaded to Facebook: -ho is liable if the service is not accessible to users with disabilities: Sustainabilit" an$ %nteroperabilit"# ;ow sustainable is the service: &an it provide mission5critical services: &an data be e"ported for reuse in other systems: &esources# he cost implications in developing services for the Facebook platform.

What Are The Challenges?

8eservations about use of Facebook in an institutional conte"t include# !rivac"# here are real concerns related to users9 privacy. his will include both short term issues $embarrassing photos being uploaded% and longer term issues $reuse of content in many years time%. Ownership# he Facebook terms and conditions allow Facebook to e"ploit content for commercial purposes. #isuse of social space# 2sers may not wish to share their social space with other colleagues! especially when there may be hierarchical relationships. Liabilit"# -ho will be liable if illegal content or copyrighted materials are uploaded to Facebook: -ho is liable if the service is not accessible to users with disabilities: Sustainabilit" an$ %nteroperabilit"# ;ow sustainable is the service: &an it provide mission5critical services: &an data be e"ported for reuse in other systems: &esources# he cost implications in developing services for the Facebook platform.

Institutional Responses To uch Challenges

;ow should institutions respond to the potential opportunities provided by Facebook and the challenges which its use may entail: he two e"treme positions would be to either embrace Facebook! encouraging its use by members of the institution and porting services to the environment or to ban its use! possibly by blocking access by the institutions firewall. ( more sensible approach might be to develop policies based on# &is' assessment an$ ris' management# (nalysing potential dangers and making plans for such contingencies. User e$ucation# <eveloping information literacy 4 staff development plans to ensure users are aware of the implications of use of Facebook! and the techni=ues for managing the environment $e.g. privacy settings%. (ata management# <eveloping mechanisms for managing data associated with Facebook. his might include use of Facebook applications which provide alternative interfaces for data import4e"port! e"ploring harvesting tools or engaging in negotiations with the Facebook owners.

Institutional Responses To uch Challenges

;ow should institutions respond to the potential opportunities provided by Facebook and the challenges which its use may entail: he two e"treme positions would be to either embrace Facebook! encouraging its use by members of the institution and porting services to the environment or to ban its use! possibly by blocking access by the institutions firewall. ( more sensible approach might be to develop policies based on# &is' assessment an$ ris' management # (nalysing potential dangers and making plans for such contingencies. User e$ucation# <eveloping information literacy 4 staff development plans to ensure users are aware of the implications of use of Facebook! and the techni=ues for managing the environment $e.g. privacy settings%. (ata management# <eveloping mechanisms for managing data associated with Facebook. his might include use of Facebook applications which provide alternative interfaces for data import4e"port! e"ploring harvesting tools or engaging in negotiations with the Facebook owners.

Re!erences
1. ).
0.

Re!erences
1. ).
0.

Major Facebook Announcement Thursday: Facebook Platform! Mashable! )1 May

)++,! 3http#44mashable.com4)++,4+>4)14facebook5f?47

Major Facebook Announcement Thursday: Facebook Platform! Mashable! )1 May

)++,! 3http#44mashable.com4)++,4+>4)14facebook5f?47

Artshare! @rooklyn Museum @log! ? *ov )++,! 3http#44www.brooklynmuseum.org4 community4blogosphere4bloggers4)++,4114+?4artshare5on5facebook4 7

New Facebook Pages: A Guide for Social Media Marketers! Mashable blog! 0 Mar )++/! 3http#44mashable.com4)++/4+04+64new5facebook5pages47
Mar )++/

Artshare! @rooklyn Museum @log! ? *ov )++,! 3http#44www.brooklynmuseum.org4 community4blogosphere4bloggers4)++,4114+?4artshare5on5facebook4 7

New Facebook Pages: A Guide for Social Media Marketers! Mashable blog! 0 Mar )++/! 3http#44mashable.com4)++/4+04+64new5facebook5pages47
Mar )++/

Produced by 2A1B*# a national centre of e"pertise in digital information management For further information see 3http#44www.ukoln.ac.uk47

Produced by 2A1B*# a national centre of e"pertise in digital information management For further information see 3http#44www.ukoln.ac.uk47