Status Fibs and Fails

Facebook statuses are little updates to keep everyone informed about what is going on in your life. Since the user has control over what is being sent out, is what we are reading the whole truth? Facebook users only show the world what they want to be shown.  A status can be anything from a quote, a video, or a personal detail about what someone just ate for dinner.  Just because someone posts a status about their day, doesn’t mean it is even true.  A Facebook status is the ultimate impression management.

Although most people are careful about how the social media world views them, there are some that have not quite thought their statuses through. Failbook.com and Lamebook.com are both internet sites dedicated to the dumbest and funniest Facebook statuses.  For instance, a lady’s status was featured on Failbook.com when she expressed her concern for the third world country of Japan after the earthquake.  Her friends quickly corrected her that Japan was in fact a first world country. Even if she wanted to delete this unfortunate status, someone caught it and submitted it in for ridicule to this merciless site.  This just goes to show that what you put out there cannot really be erased, even if you delete it. So they next time you want to show concern for a tragedy, make sure you have your facts straight or you too, could be the next Failbook.com star.

Freeconomy?

The progressive rock band Nine Inch Nails, decided to follow in RadioHead's footsteps in 2008. NIN released their album, The Slip, for free download on their website. Several months later, the band released a physical version of the album for a fee but the free download remained on their site. Lead singer Trent Reznor described the free album as "a thank you to our fans for your continued support." Reznor said, "This one's on me."

Nine Inch Nails did not suffer from the album giveaway. In fact, just the opposite happened. NIN fans were so grateful for the free album that they promoted the album and praised the band. This "free" download got NIN the exact results they wanted. It maintained and even improved their image.

So is The Slip album really free? Well maybe monetarily, but NIN still expected something from the free recipients. They expected their fans to gift them back socially.

Wired editor Chris Anderson explains the freeconomy:

Youtube users might upload content they've created at no cost, but Youtube anticpates viewers, comments, and social interaction around the content in return. Status, prestige or esteem now take the place of cash in Web 2.0. If the users don't live up to their end of the bargain, Youtube could lose their licensing and advertising relationships.

Anthropologist Mary Douglas states, "For all the ongoing commitment, a free gift gesture has created, it might as well have never happened."

*Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor (pictured in the middle of the first photo) was the co creator of The Social Network soundtrack!

Paying Respects Through Posts: Elizabeth Taylor

This morning, the lovely Dame Elizabeth Taylor passed away from congestive heart failure. She was an amazing actress, humanitarian, and animal lover. Some even say that she was one of the last of the real Hollywood movie stars. Some of her larger than life roles were included in the movies - Lassie Come Home, National Velvet, Father of the Bride, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Cleopatra. Taylor devoted much of her time to Aids related charities and also fought against animal testing. These are just some of the highlights of her amazing life.

I found out about her passing listening to the radio on my commute to Atlanta this morning. But for many, they found out through their social media accounts. Having to really pay attention to facebook and Twitter for my Atlanta Humane Society internship, I saw the floods of status updates mourning and celebrating the life of Elizabeth Taylor.

CNN host Piers Morgan even broke the news of Taylor’s death for the venerable cable network on his Twitter account this morning. Among the first celebrities to pay homage to Taylor on Twitter was singer Kylie Minogue, who tweeted: “RIP Dame Elizabeth Taylor…..Like a pure white diamond you’ll shine on and on and on.” I also paid homage to Elizabeth on Atlanta Humane Society's facebook page:

"R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor. She was a wonderful actress, humanitarian and like all of us, loved her animals!"

Taylor was also a tweeter, and kept everyone up to date on what was going on in her life. Here is a tweet from October 2009 after a heart surgery:

Many people love and admire Dame Elizabeth Taylor. She truly is a Hollywood icon and an inspiration for helping others. I believe that her fan base grew through Web 2.0. Her loyal followers probably felt closer to her since she kept up with the social media trends. The numerous facebook and Twitter posts honoring her life are a testament to new new media's ability to connect us all.

Lord of the Fan Pages

If you are like me, then you love The Lord of the Rings books and movies. I have literally been to the midnight showing premiere of all three movies. It was bittersweet to see the last of the trilogy, The Return of the King in 2003. But wait! There is more to look forward to! The director of the LOTR trilogy, Peter Jackson, just started production on the prequel to all three- The Hobbit. Guess what? The movie already has a facebook fan page!

I believe that this is one of the smartest and most cost effective ways to promote a movie that is just now in the principal photography stage. Actually, today was the first day of official production. It is so cool that Jackson has made a fan page to coincide with the filming. The director is providing photos and info about the making of The Hobbit on the fan page. Check out Jackson on the set:

Wouldn't you want to see a movie when you have witnessed the behind the scenes magic? Peter Jackson is really giving his fans as much access as possible into the world of The Shire. He has also released the news about who is playing the coveted role of the young Bilbo Baggins- Martin Freeman. He is best known for his portrayal of Tim (our Jim) on the British version of The Office.

The two film adaptation of The Hobbit is set to release in 2012 and 2013. While that may seem far away, fans can keep up with all of the excitement and show their anticipation through the facebook fan page. People "Like" fan pages to feel like a part of a community. The Hobbit community will have an advantage over others because they can keep up with the production first hand. You know how us nerds are! We "Like" to promote what we love. The Hobbit page already has over 78,000 fans! All Peter Jackson had to do was create a page and the The LOTR fans came running. A fan page really is the newest and best way to market yourself. Here is a note from The Hobbit fan page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/note.php?note_id=191000667602213

Would you follow The Hobbit fan page? Do you even like The Lord of the Rings?

I would like to think that J.R.R. Tolkien would have been proud of the movie adaptations of his masterpieces. But what I really want to know is what Tolkien would have thought about new new media. I wonder if Web 2.0 was around while he was living, if he would have blogged or promoted his books via facebook/twitter? I am sure that someone out there has created a facebook fan page for the author. Oh wait- I found one! http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/J-R-R-Tolkien/17264938053

Tasteless Tweets

My last blog was all about how social media can really help and inform in the face of natural disasters and tragedies. It really is a great way for people to get involved and donate to causes. Unfortunately Web 2.0 does have a dark side. Want to know what I think the real tragedy is? Our society's lack of compassion. It has not even been a week since the eathquake/tsumani hit Japan and parts of the Pacific. Unfortunately the web is filled with hate and ignorance for the people of Japan.





The voice of the Aflac duck is comedian Gilbert Gottfried. I for one have never been a fan of his comedy, but he really pushed the limits with his recent tweets about Japan. Here are some of his tasteless twitter jokes:






Aflac insures one out of four homes in Japan and the insurance company was quick to fire Gottfried from being their mascot's voice. It is nice to know that these big corporations like Aflac have some sense of morality. I think I hear duck voice auditions in the future. Anyone?





Failblog.com has a section called Failbook that highlights the dumb things that are being done or said on facebook. Of course there were plenty of insensitive posts made about the tragedy in Japan. Take a look at a few, but warning: you will be appalled.














I know we live in a free country and can say what we please but where is the love? Do people say things on social networks to get attention? Is social media the perfect platform for the hateful and ignorant? We have to come together in Web 2.0 AND in person to educate away from hate!

In the Face of Natural Disaster, Facebook Can Help.

We all know how beneficial that social media can be when it comes to revolutions. We have seen the results in  Tunisia, Egypt, and other countries fighting for their freedom. But what about when natural disasters strike? What role does Web 2.0 have in helping and informing about tragedies?

Last Thursday night I went to sleep watching the news. The last thing I remember hearing was about the earthquake in Japan. Not being able to keep my eyes open, I said a prayer for Japan and sleep took over. The next morning while I was at my internship I checked facebook. It was then that I realized the severity of the earthquake. 11 Alive was the first post that I saw with actual footage of the destruction. I wondered how many other people were finding out about the Japanese devastation on their social media.

One very unique way that new new media provided information on the Japan earthquake was how students in the United States collaborated with students in Japan. Hours after the natural disaster, students in Boston started gathering information from twitter, facebook and other internet messages to process what and where the major activity was happening. This is called Crisis Mapping. Within 24 hours of the devasting earthquake, over 75 people around the world were researching where the people were, the conditions of roads and safe places to hide. It has basically provided a better picture for response agencies and for concerned citizens to see exactly where the aftermath is affecting the country. Crisis mapping has also been used in the Haiti crisis. Here is a link to the Japan crisis map:

http://tmappsevents.esri.com/EQJapan/index.html

There are many other ways that Web 2.0 provides help for the earthquake/tsunami victims. The Red Cross has a strong social media following. They have also partnered with Apple to try and bring in donations for the victims in Japan. I-Tunes has a link on their site to donate.

If you are a follower of Lady Gaga, you might have noticed the relief bracelets that her team has designed.

There are also "prayer wave" groups forming on facebook and Twitter. Personally, I don't think that the name is totally appropriate but if it gets people to pray, donate or just provides awareness to global events then I think it gets the job done.

Although Japan is half a world away, you have to be naive to think that what happens there won't affect us here. The west coast of the U.S. has already felt the effects of the earthquake. Even if it did not directly cause reactions to our coast, we should still feel compelled to help.

Many people think that Web 2.0 has more negative qualities than positive. When it comes to natural disasters, tragedies, revolutions and various other social injustices, I think we can all agree that it provides information and relief. In the past, we have heard about tragedies through newspapers, radio and television. Now we have more of a way to be interactive and get involved. Donate or share about Japan now!

New New Kitty

I am following the web 2.0 trend of fan pages. I also want to use this trend for my final ethnography report. My new new cat is going to have a facebook fan page! It will be interesting to see who, if anyone, will actually follow her. Who knows- maybe the page will get so many "Like"s the she will have corporate sponsorship from Fancy Feast!

So please be on the look out for a page suggestion for Scarlett O'Hairball. As stupid as this idea may sound, I will try my best to make the page funny, informative, and most of all cute. Here is Kitty Scarlett herself, letting you know the fan page is coming:

Do's and Don'ts for Fan Pages

Wikipedia refers to a fan site as, "A website created and maintained by a fan(s) or devotee(s) interested in a celebrity, thing, or a particular cultural phenomenon. The phenomenon can be a book, television show, movie, comic, band, sports team, game, or the like." Fan pages can also be created and maintained by businesses (profit or non-profit). Fan pages can be found as regular websites, on facebook, twitter, myspace and several other new new media outlets.

 

DO's

1. Focus on the Content

Upload images, videos, texts and other media types around your brand, focusing on the interests of the community you want to build.

2. Encourage Discussions

Try to engage users by asking and answering on various updates. People are more likely to interact to a human tone of voice instead of a cold corporate talking. Tip: Use @ before a user name to mention specific users –like twitter)

3. Setup Contests and games

Be creative! Motivate people to participate and add entertainment value to their online experience.

4. Reward your fans

Why should I hit the “Like” button? Do you offer only information for your company and products? A way to attract more “Like” thumbs is to offer something special for your fans. (Vouchers, special offers, etc)

5. Promote your Fan Page

Add your Fan Page’s link in your website, blog, e-mail signatures newsletters and printed media.

6. Create Custom Tabs

Create custom tabs with compelling images or videos. This could be a presentation of your company, a contest announcement or even an application.

7. Be prepared to respond to negative reviews

These days people are more likely to express their negative reviews and comments straight to the brand. You should always be prepared to respond a negative review and you should not just try to hide it by deleting the post. This requires a specific policy and the right spokesperson to handle kind situations.

 

DON'TS

1. Don’t invite all of your friends

You should not invite all of your friends but only the ones you believe that are interested in the page. It is really annoying to receive notifications and invitations from things you are not interested in or even dislike.

2. Don’t leave the spam posts

Don’t let spam posts and links within Fan Page’s wall. This kind of moderation is not against freedom but it ensures that users will respect the community members.

3. Don’t post from the same source

Don’t keep on posting only your website’s feed, even if you have a news media website.

4. Don’t spam your users

Don’t send promotional notifications every day. It is not effective but annoying.

5. Don’t forget the Privacy issues

Don’t upload images or videos and don’t tag users without a given permission. Privacy is a sensitive part that you must be extra careful.

6. Don’t create fake accounts

Don’t create fake accounts to represent or support brands. Your target in a social media campaign is not to collect tons of fans or friends but to build relationships.

7. Don’t be so serious

For the community managers: Don’t take yourself so serious. People always enjoy a cool attitude.

Check out Conan O'Brien's succesful fan page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/teamcoco?sk=wall



*Tips from Webseoanalytics.com

Charlie Sheen: Duh, Winning with Web 2.0

Some people may think that Charlie Sheen's life is unraveling right before their eyes. It is the train wreck that most can't look away from. Whether you are pro-Sheen or anti-Sheen, one thing is for sure. He is playing all of us and "WINNING". Sheen is manipulating the media and the American public. Don't act like he has not popped onto your screen or in your mind at some point in the past week! Unless you are completely off the grid (clearly you are not if you are reading this blog), Charlie Sheen is everywhere! He is even infecting the LOL Cats with his Charlie-isms!

Most celebrities involved in scandals fight tooth and nail to stay out of the spotlight. Charlie Sheen is not one of these celebrities. After giving his first interview last week, the public wanted more and Sheen is continuing to give it to them. He has been very open about his past behavior, his present sobriety and his unconventional lifestyle. He has even opened up his home for interviews. The more he talks, the more people are talking about him. Even bad publicity is good publicity, right?

A lot of people follow celebrities on Twitter. This past week the Sheen Machine set up a Twitter account and broke a record - the Guiness World Record for the fastest person to reach 1 million followers. He accomplished this feat in less than 25 hours. Take that Lady Gaga!

Here is a link to the Charlie Sheen fan page on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Charlie-Sheen/17799829247

You have to give it to Charlie. He has taken all of this negative publicity and is using it to his advantage. The man really knows how to market himself. Sheen is releasing his own line of official merchandise. He is capitalizing on t-shirts, coffee mugs, decals, etc. If you have been following all of his interviews and social media rants, he is repeating all of his coined phrases: "tiger's blood, trolls, warlocks..."

The only reason that Charlie Sheen is able to successfully market himself after all of the negative publicity is because he knows he can. Sheen knows that we are going to eat it up. We have to ask ourselves- why are we so hungry for it? With all of the other news worthy topics in the world - why is Charlie Sheen at the top of that list? I'll tell you why. Because we are on a drug - it's called CHARLIE SHEEN. We have to dig deeper to understand why we started using in the first place. Celebrity meltdowns are always going to happen, but the real cultural phenomenon is how fiercely we follow them. Here is a 12 step program for curing your Charlie Sheen addiction: http://flavorwire.com/157814/a-12-step-program-for-curing-your-charlie-sheen-addiction

Although Charlie Sheen has lost his job, his son and many people's respect, he is still winning. With our help, Sheen will continue to profit off his bad boy behavior and incoherent sayings. You too can win by marketing yourself through Web 2.0,  but probably not if you weren't born with "Adonis DNA." I will leave you with a parody of Charlie by Jimmy Fallon. "BRING IT!"

Why are we so FANtastic?

Since I "Like" many pages on facebook, I thought it would be interesting to explore the Web 2.0 trend of fan pages. Wikipedia refers to a fan site as, "A website created and maintained by a fan(s) or devotee(s) interested in a celebrity, thing, or a particular cultural phenomenon. The phenomenon can be a book, television show, movie, comic, band, sports team, game, or the like." Fan pages can also be created and maintained by businesses (profit or non-profit). Fan pages can be found as regular websites, on facebook, twitter, myspace and several other new new media outlets.

On my personal facebook page, I "Like" many pages. They range from local bands, restaurants and shops to famous musicians, animal welfare groups and many more. In some way I feel like I am supporting these groups even if I can't financially. Here is an example of a facebook page that I am a fan of:

                                      BLOOD INTO WINE

I went to a screening of Blood Into Wine, an independent documentary about the lead singer of Tool (noticing an obsession?) and his partner making wine in the desert. I loved it so much that I "Liked" it on facebook to keep up with their posts. I also became a fan of the page so that I could promote it to all of my facebook friends.   

    

What do you think it says about our culture that there are so many fan sites available for us to "Like" or join? What does it say about the creators of these fan pages? These are questions that I am going to try to answer in my future blogs.       

Thinking of starting your own fan page? Here's how to do it on facebook:

                         

Rest In Peace Amy

I write this blog post with a heavy heart. This past Saturday,  my beautiful (inside and out) friend Amy Baltimore Watson passed away. She beat breast cancer once, but sadly lost her battle with cancer the second time around. You might ask how I could incorporate this into a blog about new new media, but honestly I have nothing else on my mind. But the truth is, Web 2.0 played a major role in the latter part of Amy's 32 years on this earth.

After Amy's first diagnosis, she was able to utilize a website called The Caring Bridge. This is a free website for yourself or loved ones that are having health concerns. It is a way to connect family and friends and to keep them informed of what is going on medically.

Amy also kept her own personal blog. It was called amywillbeatcanceragainwatson. This was more personal than Caring Bridge and she really kept it up with her beautiful personality.

Amy also started a facebook page that was dedicated to her breast cancer walks and fundrasiers. It was a way to make everyone aware of all the facets out there to help the cause. It also had a link to make donations.

Besides her breast cancer facebook page, Amy had her own personal facebook. I can remember the last thing that she posted. It was a picture of 100 red roses from her husband on Valentine's Day. When her liver started failing last Friday, her facebook page became flooded with prayers and well wishes. It was amazing to see just how many friends and family that cared about her. It was even more overwhelming after her passing on Saturday, when her facebook page blew up with condolences. I thought that it might shut down facebook with all of the traffic. It was a true testimony to my wonderful friend.

Now her facebook page is acting as a tribute. Her family has been able to post her funeral arrangements on there and her brother has asked everyone to upload any pics they might have of her for a slideshow at the memorial service. Although this is a very sad time, I believe that Amy's facebook page has presented a unique opportunity for everyone to share photos and write memories of her. I am glad that her family and friends have this as a testimony to show just how amazing Amy was. We can all scroll back and see her previous posts. It is like a digital diary to look back on.

Amy was and is such an inspiration to me. She is the best example of being a wonderful wife, daughter, sister, friend and doggy mom. I will always cherish her smile, laugh and the advice that she gave me.

If you have any extra money or are thinking of giving to a charity, please donate to this worthwhile cause: http://ww5.komen.org/Donate/Donate.html

Is Your Blog a Blob?

Here are some helpful hints to make your blog the best:

*Write about what you know- If you really know what you are talking about, it will be apparent to your followers.
*Keep up with the times- Incorporating recent news or pop culture will show that you are paying attention to the outside world.
*Make it personal- It's nice to be present in your posts.

*Ask questions- You want comments on your entries but it's really nice to start a dialogue.

*Use colorful language- No, I don't mean profanity.
*Be grammatically correct- Don't ruin your credibility by ruining the English language.
*Have a clever title- If your title is boring, your followers may think your blog entry will be too.
*Make your font larger- Because we spend so much time looking at technology, our eyes aren't what they used to be.

*Pick a great background- Backgrounds should be pleasing to the eye- not too busy and not too dull.
*Add pictures and videos- Nothing illustrates your point more than relevant images or video clips.
*Add links- This is a great way for your readers to see your sources and explore other sites.
*Comment on other blogs- Show others that you are interested in what they have to say.

*Blog often- Don't leave your followers hanging.
*Promote your blog- Tell your friends and family to follow via facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc.
*Follow and promote other blogs- They might just return the favor.
*Have fun with it!

I am sure that I have forgotten some very important tips. Do you have any?

Beware What You Share! Make The Most Of What You Post!

Never think that what you produce in Web 2.0 will go un-noticed. Someone, somewhere will notice! This is why you must be careful what you put out into the world wide web. Make sure that your products are as factual as possible. More than likely, someone will call you out if you are the slightest bit misinformed. And for goodness sake, try your best to be grammatically correct! Nothing will hurt your social media credibility like spelling errors or using the wrong words. I have been guilty of pointing out mistakes on my friend's facebook or MySpace posts. In the same respect, I don't mind if someone corrects me. I feel that we use Web 2.0 so much these days that we have forgotten to put an emphasis on sounding smart. It takes no time to write a quick tweet or update your facebook page, but until you remove your blooper-filled blog, it is out there for everyone to judge.

There are many internet sites that can help you with your spelling and grammar:

http://dictionary.reference.com/

http://thesaurus.com/

http://www.grammarbook.com/

http://www.spellcheck.net/speller/

If you are a part of the new new media community, then you should be aware that employers and potential employers are watching! No matter what you post, you are marketing yourself. Listing where you are employed, where you go to school, or where you go to church, makes you a representative of these organizations. So be careful not to offend or make your company look bad. Don't turn out like this lady!

Don't fret! If you are smart, careful and creative, what you produce on new new media can have positive results too. Take me for example. As many of you know, I am an administrator on the Atlanta Humane Society's facebook page. Last Friday was one of my days to post and I could not think of anything for my first entry. Knowing that Valentine's Day was right around the corner, I decided to upload a cute picture of a kitten peeking out of a paper heart. I asked our facebook fans to click "Like" if their pets were their Valentines. This is what it looked like:

Click "Like" if your pet is your Valentine!

Although it was a short, simple post, it received more "Likes" than any other post I have ever published. I believe it was successful because it was short and had an attention grabbing photo. Many people scroll through posts and ignore text only statuses or long videos. We live in a fast paced world and if you don't provide some rapid, visual stimuli your post might get passed by. It was quick to read, therefore, people were quick to "Like".

Apparently, our Atlanta Humane Society facebook fans were not the only ones paying attention. The ASPCA featured this single post on their 10 Valentine's Day Campaign blog! Click here and scroll down to see my post featured: http://www.aspcapro.org/blog/2011/02/10-valentine’s-day-campaigns/

Remember! Beware what you put out there in the Web! But if you play your cards right, you might just impress someone!

Web 2.Oh Yeah!

In Chapter 2, Jenkins writes, "Once articulated by O'Reilly and his associates, Web 2.0 became the cultural logic for e-business—a set of corporate practices which seek to capture and exploit participatory culture. More than 'pasting a new user interface onto an old application' (Musser et al. 2006, p. 3), Web 2.0 represented a re-organization of the relations between producers and consumers in a maturing Internet market."

Okay, let me put this in everyday terms. The web has been revolutionized. Instead of a one-sided relationship, the internet has become co-dependent. In the past we use to log into the web and were overloaded with whatever information that internet providers, media, and corporations chose to give us. You had to take it or leave it. Now you can take it and make it your own!

The new interactive web has mad us both consumers and producers. User generated content has become the fore-front. With social media sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter our lives are available to the public. It is up to us to reveal what we want and to protect ourselves. Websites like Youtube, Flickr, and Deviant Art allow us to upload our own artistic pieces or other's art that we feel is important to share. For example - unfortunately I did not create the Kool-Aid guy pictured above, but fortunately it was available to me on Photobucket to share!

Blogs are probably my new favorite aspect of Web 2.0. While no one may even care what I think, I can send my thoughts out unto the world. Not every post is great, but I get satisfaction that someone may read them and laugh, cry, or provide them with thought provoking reflections.

The internet now belongs to us! We are now data providers! Watch this short video where O' Reilly gives his definition of Web 2.0:

If you could describe Web 2.0 in one sentence, what would it be?

Thank You Facebook

I saw this photo on NBC Nightly News tonight. The anti-Mubarak protester is holding a sign that reads, "Thank You Facebook" in Arabic. Not only is it a sign of the times, but it represents the hope that new new media has given to Egypt. Even though the Egyptian government managed to black out the internet, social media savvy protesters found innovative ways to get back online. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are being credited with acting as vehicles to mobilize protesters in Egypt against the Mubarak regime.

Here is another pic that shows Twitter being honored in the middle of the riots.

Holy Cow! Chick-Fil-Hate?

If I follow any local news outlet, it would be 11 Alive. Since I can't watch my television all of the time I follow 11 Alive on my facebook page. On Monday, they posted a story about Chick-Fil-A. The chicken sandwich chain is under fire for supporting many family organizations that are openly against the gay community's rights to get married and adopt. It is well known that Chick-Fil-A is a Christian based company. They are not open on Sundays- isn't that when you crave their chicken biscuits the most?! While they are Christian based and support these family first organizations, President Dan Cathy claims that they believe in equal rights for everyone.

In the past, this could have been just another news story aired on tv. Now, it is available on any new new media outlet available. It is also available for anyone and everyone to voice their opinions on the story. As soon as 11 Alive posted the article on their facebook wall, the comment section was flooded with varying views on the fast food restaurant.

Has new new media become just another platform for hate? I am not even talking about Chick-fil-A here. I am talking about the hateful comments that were dominant in 11 Alive's facebook feed. Of course there were some voices of reason, but the majority of comments were either anti-gay or anti-Christian. I am not sure what 11 Alive was expecting when posting this story, but the dialogue between their facebook fans was anything but friendly.

One of the greatest things about the United States is our right to freedom of speech. I believe that social media is a great way to get your ideas and opinions out into the rest of the world. In this Chick-Fil-A story, however, I believe that the hateful comments prevented any type of intellectual dialogue on this social issue. If anything, I believe that it divided people more. Read the article, watch Dan Cathy's video and take a look at all of the heated comments on this 11 Alive post: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/11Alive/posts/160751493975268

While it is important to know what others think about social issues, it is definitely hard to read how horribly divided we still are. New new media provides loads of information at the click of a button, but also provides misinformation and personal agendas that can be harmful.

Then again, I could have chosen to ignore this 11 Alive post about Chick-Fil-A. But if it involves my chicken sandwich and waffle fries, I feel that I need to know!