What does it mean to network using social media?
          Networking using social media means that we are more well equipped than ever to build beneficial networks of connections for ourselves to serve our personal and professional interests. Social media allows us to easily maintain these connections and to then activate them as desired (Rajagopal, Joosten-ten Brinke and Van Bruggen). Being on the internet and on specific social media platforms however also means that we make informed decisions about what to post and share (Boyd) and that we understand what will ultimately happen to our online ‘data’. To develop an engaging presence online and readership, however requires a great deal of active participation and vulnerability.

How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?
We are motivated to participate in networked publics by the advantages that being a part of such networks provide. Being situated amidst a well constructed PLN puts one in an advantageous position to keep up to date in one’s professional industry and learn continuously. PLNs also provide ease of collaboration, allow for broader connection and collaboration as well as allow for opportunities and resources to be utilized that could not otherwise be accessed. An effective PLN is a resource we can turn to for information, advice, and answers (Gutierrez). Our connections should suit our personal and professional interests. Our interests can be dynamic, which can cause the structure of our PLNs to change overtime (Rajagopal, Joosten-ten Brinke and Van Bruggen).

What are the risks & rewards of public communications?
          Some of the risks that come with being involved in public communication include privacy concerns as well as possible damage to one’s reputation, if individuals are not cautious about the types of content that they are posting online. In a world that is more connected than ever thanks to social media and other networks, the “implications of privacy” (Boyd), can often extend “beyond the individual” (Boyd). Hence why it is now common practice for example that entire organizations as well as individual employees agree to abide by privacy acts such as FIPPA, PIPA for example, so that confidential information not to be distributed online is not accidentally shared with the public. One’s personal information and data however that does not fall under such legislation can be more difficult to protect. People do not always have the agency, knowledge, and skills to control information or to make informed decisions about what should be shared with whom (Boyd). As well, when individuals sign up to use a specific service, they may not be aware of what personal data they are signing away upon agreeing to the terms and conditions of website, which is why some have suggested it may be more prudent to move to a privacy “model that focuses on [the] usage and interpretation” of data (Boyd).

Some of the rewards of being a part of public communications can include the ability to grow social capital by expanding one’s network, the ability to learn from one’s connections as well as the opportunities that may arise from being strategically connected. Such a network when it is used to support an individual’s learning and professional development can be referred to as a ‘Personal Learning Network’ (PLN). The ability to construct an effective PLN is a skill to behold. A PLN can be made up of “peers, coworkers, supervisors, experts, and other professionals” (Gutierrez). A PLN can also include websites, blogs and social media. The connections formed to others in a PLN can generally be characterized as being either strong, weak, or very weak. There is something valuable to be gained from every type of connection as such. Strong connections “allow for active collaboration on knowledge creation” (Rajagopal, Joosten-ten Brinke and Van Bruggen), while weaker connections can act as “sources for new information, knowledge and ideas” (Rajagopal, Joosten-ten Brinke and Van Bruggen). Our choice in who is to be a part of our PLN depend on a variety of factors. Some common deciding factors include commonality, benevolence, like-mindedness, real potential for collaboration and learning as well as factors relating to the professional environment one is situated within, such as trends.

References
Boyd, Danah. “Networked Privacy.” Surveillance & Society, 22nd December 2012. Web.

Gutierrez, Karla. What are Personal Learning Networks? 21st June 2016. 18th January 2021.

Rajagopal, Kamakshi, et al. “Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them.” First Monday (2012). Web.