Top 21 Social Media Highlights in 2012

As 2012 closes, the TSMRI board members and interns created a list of the top social media events, news and hashtags for the year. Let the countdown begin:

21.  A couple names their baby Hashtag.

20.  Oprah Winfrey endorsed the Microsoft Surface via a tweet. However, the tweet came from Microsoft’s rival ~ the Apple iPad

19. We begin to see promoted tweets for political candidates.

Is iPhone-o-graphy a viable art form?

Since the release of the iPhone in 2007, and the release of the smartphone in general, mobile photography has exploded.

iPhoneography is the concept of taking photos with your iPhone. The term was first coined by Glyn Evans when he began the iPhoneography blog in November 2008. He is the founder and editor of the blog (http://www.iphoneography.com/.

The explosion of this type of photography is due, most assuredly, to the convenience of taking pictures with your cell phone. You always have it with you, and some moments just scream “photo op!”

But true photographers (those who still find it important to carry their DSLR with them) probably have mixed feelings about the issue.

I own a Nikon D5100 at the moment and use it for any and every event, but when I don’t have it and I see an opportunity to take a photo, you’ll see me whip out my iPhone 4S and snap the moment.

An example of when an iPhone may be used to snap a quick photo.

Though it is preferable to use a “full-blooded” camera, I find it acceptable to use an iPhone from time to time.Because of the ability to edit pictures using apps on the iPhone, posting timely pictures to social media has become easier than ever. Services such as Instagram allow users to apply a filter to their photo and then post it not only to their Instagram feed, but Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or Foursquare as well.

As social media continues to become more interactive, and as photos are published faster, taking photos with the iPhone is increasingly popular.

Even news organizations are starting to use mobile photos to get photos to their viewers/readers faster. (Check out NBC’s Instagram at instagram.com/nbcnews). 

What do you think, is the 8MP camera on the iPhone good enough, or should photographers stick to the DSLR?

Landon Haston is a junior agricultural communications major from Jacksboro, Texas. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @landonhaston.

Instagram Changes Spark Outrage

If you spend much time on social media, you've probably noticed the furor that has erupted recently over Instagram's upcoming change in their terms of service, which take effect January 16, 2013 (and do not apply to pictures taken before then).  You may know that Instagram, once a private company, was purchased by Facebook last summer for the cool sum of a billion dollars.  This much-discussed change allows users' photos to be used in ads--without the users' consent, and of course with no compensation to them.

Some of the photos hash tagged with #tsmri in Instagram.

Many users are excoriating Instagram (and by extension, Facebook) for running rampant over user rights and privacy. The actor Wil Wheaton brings up several interesting points, including the fact that many celebrities have Instagram accounts. "If [a celebrity] uses Instagram to share a photo of [him or herself]," Wheaton muses, "Does that mean that Instagram can take that photo and use it to advertise for something silly without compensating them for what becomes a use of their likeness for commercial purposes?"

Others, most notably the author of a Gizmodo post entitled, "Stop Whining About Your Personal Data on Instagram You Little Whiny Baby," takes a more cynical view.   Instagram is a free service, Biddle points out, and users should simply accept that when a service is free, then they "are the product." Furthermore, Instagram has to make a living, which it can't do currently since it is a free service. Finally, one shouldn't expect privacy for photos that are posted online.

What do YOU think? Will this change cause you to delete your Instagram account--or possibly keep you from getting one in the first place?

UPDATE, 12/19: According to Mashable.com, Kevin Strysom, one of Instagram's co-founders, has "vowed Tuesday to remove language from the service's privacy policy that seemed to say Instagram was going to allow user pictures to be employed in advertising."

UPDATED AGAIN, 12/19: Fast Company has posted a terrific comparison of the Terms of Service agreements of Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Instagram.  Definitely worth a look.

Pinterest & the perfect gift

Those of you who have not yet succumbed to the lure of Pinterest may want to reconsider, especially during the holidays.  As of April, Pinterest was the third most popular social network. Pinterest can be used for numerous things from new recipes to hair styles, or for education, genealogy, or even law enforcement. It has made it easier for people to plan events and give gifts.

Results for a board search for the word "gifts" on Pinterest.

Many people use Pinterest to find ideas for their dream wedding, or fun ideas for a themed party. For example, Caitlin Aaron, a Tarleton State University student,  married in September and was able to plan her reception using ideas from Pinterest.

 Ben Schafer, another TSU student, was searching for the perfect gift for his girlfriend for their year anniversary. “I wanted to get her a nice piece of jewelry but couldn’t decide what she would like the most," he explained. "So, I asked my friend to go onto Pinterest and look at my girlfriend’s pins to see if she had anything specific pinned on her site."  Voila! He found the perfect gift.

TSMRI party attendees brought Pinterest-inspired crafts.

TSMRI recently held a Pinterest party at Tarleton State University.  Attendees discovered how to maximize their Pinterest accounts (including the new secret boards), and discovered dozens of DIY (Do it yourself) gift ideas.  One attendee compared the Pinterest search box to Google: "You can find almost anything," she reported.
What about you? Have you used Pinterest for gift-giving ideas yet? Share some of your favorite pins and boards below, and don't forget to follow TSMRI on Pinterest.

Kendra Lowery is a Junior Public Relations and Event Management major at TSU scheduled to graduate in May 2014. You can find her on Facebook.

TSMRI Launches The Journal of Social Media in Society

It is with great pride that the Texas Social Media Research Institute announces the release of its first issue of The Journal of Social Media in Society. For the past few months, a dedicated team of reviewers and editors were overwhelmed by the response we received for scholars tackling research on social media. Articles from various disciplines sought answers about social media’s connections and implications in our world.

In the first issue, you’ll find two peer-reviewed articles. Stephanie Black and Andrew Johnson, both at the University of Texas at San Antonio, look at how employers use social networking sites in the employment selection process. And, Nancy Foasberg, a humanities librarian at Queens College, City University of New York, analyzed online reading communities through three case studies. Rounding out the journal are three reviews of current texts focused on social media.

The Journal of Social Media in Society is open access and available for free at www.thejsms.org. If you have research on social media and its intersections with society, please consider submitting to JSMS. We are open to all research paradigms and disciplines conducting research and analysis on social media and mobile technologies.

On a personal note, I’d like to thank our editorial team for the time and effort they devoted to launching this journal. Thank you to Credence Baker, Antony C. Edwards, Jennifer Edwards, Yvonne Mulhern, Cristi Horton, Kayla Peak, Alana Hefner, and Justin Carrell. And to two fabulous interns, Hannah Miller and Maylee Friemel, for their talents and willingness to learn on the job.

Look for the next issue of JSMS spring 2013. Stay tuned for our call for manuscripts.