Briefing 14
Facebook: Opportunities
and Challenges
UKOLN: Supporting the Cultural Heritage Sector
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. This interest has also spread to other sectors within
institutions, with researchers and members of staff exploring 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: The 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. Creation 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 YouTube) while other applications provide services
such as sharing interests in films, books, etc.
An environment for other applications: The opening of the Facebook Platform has
allowed developers to provide access to a range of applications. ArtShare [2], for
example, provides access to arts resources from within Facebook.
Web presence: Although originally designed for use by individuals since November
2007 Facebook can be used as a Web hosting service for an organisational page.
It should also be noted that organisational pages in Facebook were redesigned in 2009
so that they more closely resemble personal pages [3]. Organisational pages are now
also able to share status updates.
This document is available at:
<http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-14/>
Briefing 14
Facebook: Opportunities and
Challenges
UKOLN: Supporting the Cultural Heritage Sector
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. This interest has also spread to other sectors within
institutions, with researchers and members of staff exploring 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: The 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. Creation 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 YouTube) while other applications provide services
such as sharing interests in films, books, etc.
An environment for other applications: The opening of the Facebook Platform has
allowed developers to provide access to a range of applications. ArtShare [2], for
example, provides access to arts resources from within Facebook.
Web presence: Although originally designed for use by individuals since November
2007 Facebook can be used as a Web hosting service for an organisational page.
It should also be noted that organisational pages in Facebook were redesigned in 2009
so that they more closely resemble personal pages [3]. Organisational pages are now
also able to share Status Updates.
This document is available at:
<h ttp://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-14/>
What Are The Challenges?
What Are The Challenges?
Reservations about use of Facebook in an institutional context include:
Reservations about use of Facebook in an institutional context include:
Privacy: There are real concerns related to users’ privacy. This will include both
short term issues (embarrassing photos being uploaded) and longer term issues
(reuse of content in many years time).
Ownership: The Facebook terms and conditions allow Facebook to exploit content
for commercial purposes.
Misuse of social space: Users may not wish to share their social space with other
colleagues, especially when there may be hierarchical relationships.
Liability: Who will be liable if illegal content or copyrighted materials are uploaded
to Facebook? Who is liable if the service is not accessible to users with disabilities?
Sustainability and Interoperability: How sustainable is the service? Can it provide
mission-critical services? Can data be exported for reuse in other systems?
Resources: The cost implications in developing services for the Facebook platform.
Privacy: There are real concerns related to users’ privacy. This will include both
short term issues (embarrassing photos being uploaded) and longer term issues
(reuse of content in many years time).
Ownership: The Facebook terms and conditions allow Facebook to exploit content
for commercial purposes.
Misuse of social space: Users may not wish to share their social space with other
colleagues, especially when there may be hierarchical relationships.
Liability: Who will be liable if illegal content or copyrighted materials are uploaded
to Facebook? Who is liable if the service is not accessible to users with disabilities?
Sustainability and Interoperability: How sustainable is the service? Can it provide
mission-critical services? Can data be exported for reuse in other systems?
Resources: The cost implications in developing services for the Facebook platform.
Institutional Responses To Such Challenges
Institutional Responses To Such Challenges
How should institutions respond to the potential opportunities provided by Facebook
and the challenges which its use may entail? The two extreme 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. A more sensible approach might be to develop policies based on:
How should institutions respond to the potential opportunities provided by Facebook
and the challenges which its use may entail? The two extreme 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. A more sensible approach might be to develop policies based on:
Risk assessment and risk management: Analysing potential dangers and making
plans for such contingencies.
User education: Developing information literacy / staff development plans to
ensure users are aware of the implications of use of Facebook, and the techniques for
managing the environment (e.g. privacy settings).
Data management: Developing mechanisms for managing data associated with
Facebook. This might include use of Facebook applications which provide
alternative interfaces for data import/export, exploring harvesting tools or engaging
in negotiations with the Facebook owners.
References
1.
Risk assessment and risk management: Analysing potential dangers and making
plans for such contingencies.
User education: Developing information literacy / staff development plans to
ensure users are aware of the implications of use of Facebook, and the techniques for
managing the environment (e.g. privacy settings).
Data management: Developing mechanisms for managing data associated with
Facebook. This might include use of Facebook applications which provide
alternative interfaces for data import/export, exploring harvesting tools or engaging
in negotiations with the Facebook owners.
References
Major Facebook Announcement Thursday: Facebook Platform , Mashable, 21 May
1.
2007, <http://mashable.com/2007/05/21/facebook-f8/>
Major Facebook Announcement Thursday: Facebook Platform, Mashable, 21 May
2007, <http://mashable.com/2007/05/21/facebook-f8/>
2.
Artshare, Brooklyn Museum Blog, 8 Nov 2007, <http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/
community/blogosphere/bloggers/2007/11/08/artshare-on-facebook/>
2.
Artshare, Brooklyn Museum Blog, 8 Nov 2007, <http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/
community/blogosphere/bloggers/2007/11/08/artshare-on-facebook/>
3.
New Facebook Pages: A Guide for Social Media Marketers, Mashable blog, 3 Mar 2009,
<http://mashable.com/2009/03/04/new-facebook-pages/>
3.
New Facebook Pages: A Guide for Social Media Marketers, Mashable blog, 3 Mar 2009,
<http://mashable.com/2009/03/04/new-facebook-pages/>
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
Mar 2009
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
Mar 2009