MySpace sells users’ data to make a few quid from a dying website’s death throes
photo credit: Sam Cockman
So, ReadWriteWeb have written a story about MySpace selling users’ personal data for paltry amounts of cash. Now we know that MySpace is a dying site that hasn’t been able to keep the momentum of Facebook or even twitter. But I must admit that even I didn’t realise just how pathetic Murdoch’s NewsCorp were and what they would be prepared to give up just to squeeze the last few pennies out of this weary old lady of a website.
It’s currently trying to make a few quid out of its death throes by selling users’ information such as status and mood updates, photos, blog posts and even names & zipcodes (I’m not sure if that includes postcodes). I’m not a particularly private person, I gladly share my real name regularly (it’s so distinctive that I’m pretty easy to track down anyway) and I know that any semblance of privacy on the web is just that – a semblance only – but I don’t like knowing that my personal information is going to be shared with all and sundry as a commodity by an organisation that wasn’t in that business when I signed up for it.
Just to get this straight – I’m not bothered about the privacy aspect (I’m near enough an open book as it is) but I am bothered about being treated as a piece of meat to be branded and sold. So I’ve gone through my MySpace profile and “updated” it. I don’t intend to get rid of it (there are a few websites where someone else already has my username… twats!) but will keep it as a place holder. I have however deleted my blog (there wasn’t much on there anyway) and the couple of photos I had too. I’ve also added a new profile picture which you’re free to use yourself if you feel like it: 
And if you’re interested in the text, it’s clause 6.1 of their terms and conditions of use!
6.1 MySpace does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, applications, or any other materials (collectively, “Content”) that you transmit, submit, display or publish (“post”) on, through or in connection with the MySpace Services. After posting your Content on, through or in connection with the MySpace Services, you continue to retain any such rights that you may have in your Content, subject to the limited license herein. By posting any Content on, through or in connection with the MySpace Services, you hereby grant to MySpace a limited license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, and distribute such Content solely on, through or in connection with the MySpace Services, including, without limitation, through the MySpace Services to applications, widgets, websites or mobile, desktop or other services which are linked with your MySpace account (collectively, “Linked Services”), including, without limitation, distributing part or all of the MySpace Services and any Content included therein, in any media formats and through any media channels, except that Content marked “private” will not be distributed by MySpace outside the MySpace Services and Linked Services. This limited license does not grant MySpace the right to sell or otherwise distribute your Content outside of the MySpace Services or Linked Services. After you remove your Content from the MySpace Services we will cease distribution as soon as practicable, and at such time when distribution ceases, the license will terminate. If after we have distributed your Content outside of the MySpace Services, you change the Content’s privacy setting to “private,” we will cease distribution of such “private” Content outside of the MySpace Services as soon as practicable after you make the change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you understand and agree that once Content is distributed to a Linked Service or incorporated into other aspects of the MySpace Services, MySpace is under no obligation to delete or ask other Users or a Linked Service to delete that Content, and therefore it may continue to appear and be used indefinitely.
So, it’s up to you what you want to do, but I know what I’m doing. I hardly ever use it anyway, and this just reminded me that I’d left a little bit of myself behind from 2006.
A mother’s milk
OK, I want to start with full disclosure, just in case anyone stumbles on this post and hasn’t read any of my other posts, or has never met me. I’m gay and have NO sexual interest in breasts whatsoever. I do however care very much for a friend of mine – Gill.
Gill is an administrator over on a Facebook group called “Hey Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene” which has nearly 250,000 members – that’s 1/4 million people!
With just a cursory glance at the wall of this group, as well as the huge variety of topics discussed in the discussions it’s easy to see that this is a hugely supportive network that has developed in an organic way. But the problems have started, I recently saw an update by Gill that mentioned Facebook were starting to block the accounts of the admins.
To be truly honest, my opinion on the breast v bottle debate is that I couldn’t care less (sorry Gill!) actually, it’s not that I don’t care, I do however feel that it is entirely a mother’s choice, and that this should be an informed one. But the discussion is seen as unsuitable in general company, whereas the internet is the perfect place for this sort of discussion – the group can reach and help millions of people, linking to resources and make a one-stop place for anyone with questions.
Looking at the way that Facebook is handling this group I wonder if they realise just how much power that they wield? Google, MySpace, Microsoft, AOL – all these companies have had to face up to scrutiny because of the way that they have approached the information age. Facebook wasn’t originally designed for the huge numbers of people that use it daily and the recent changes to its interface and privacy policies just show how the team are desperately trying to keep up with the huge expansion. But they seem to be concentrating more on monetising the platform at the moment, making it more of a challenger to twitter and Google than allowing the community (which is the heart of the site) to develop the networks that they need.
Facebook, be very careful with the way you’re handling this, 250 THOUSAND people is a lot of voices. And we’ve seen difficulties before, the mighty have fallen and been replaced – just as you replaced MySpace – there’s another social network out there. It might not be big, it might not even be beyond the concept stage just yet, but it’s out there. And you need to be ready for it. You need to work out a way to balance the needs of your users with the money of your sponsors and advertisers.
But most of all – you need to listen!
Photo: Alexander Tundakov
National Bullying Week
www.areyoubeingbullied.com
So, a little Birdie tells me that this week (16-20 November) is National Anti-Bullying Week. This little birdie is called Percy the Pigeon and he supports the fantastic BullyingUK in their hard work to help people who are affected by bullying. Now there has been a lot of discussion in the media about cyber-bullying over the past couple of days and I’m no expert, but I just wanted to say. If you read this (I know there’s not many people that do, but if you fall on this post by accident!) and you’re being bullied then know that you’re not alone.
There are a load of resources available online and offline for you. If you’re a member of a social networking site and feel intimidated or bullied then remember that most sites have a safety policy or some way to deal with harassment. Bebo‘s report button has been quite widely publicised but, while Bebo’s big, it hasn’t got the same coverage as the big three. So, if you want to know what Facebook, MySpace and twitter do about this sort of thing then the links above will take you straight to their safety pages.
But we know that bullying often doesn’t just take place online. It’s not uncommon for bullies to bully a target in person and then carry this on through new technology. This can be through your mobile phone, and BullyingUK has a great article about what to do if you’re being bullied by phone. The thing to remember though is this:
It’s not your fault. You don’t deserve to be bullied and have every right to feel safe.
If you, or anyone you know is being bullied then speak to an adult who you trust. This can be a parent, teacher, another family member, school counsellor, police officer, anyone that is there for you. If you feel unsure then remember that Childline is available throughout the UK. If you call from a landline then the calls are free. The number is 0800 1111. Remember though, you are never alone. There are lots of people out there who’ve been bullied at some point in their lives. I talked about my experiences a few months ago. But do you know what? We got through it and made a success of our lives – and so can you!
But bullying doesn’t only happen to young people. Adults can experience it too, at work, at home, out with friends. And it can sometimes feel even more difficult. But there are resources available for adults too. BullyOnLine have some great resources for adults so, if you’re being bullied have a look. And if you don’t know whether you’re being bullied then have a look at this list.
To sum up I have to quote my little feathered friend because: Percy Says “Stay Safe in Cyberspace”
Download the widget stay safe in cyberspace – National anti-bullying week 2009
more widgets at Widgadget at widgets community!
Email to Paul Dacre et al
Dear Mr Dacre
I am aware that you have received a number of emails from people about the awful homophobic, disrespectful, badly researched and ill-conceived article written by Jan Moir that the Daily Mail decided it was appropriate to publish on Friday 16 October 2009 – the day before Mr Gately’s funeral! I know that many of these are extremely well worded and clearly make a number of points. I’m not sure that my verbosity allows me to be as concise as those people but I must make myself clear.
Don’t get me wrong. I have never, and will never, buy a Daily Mail in my life. Your stance on immigration, homosexuality, crime, gender differences and your general politics jars the very core of my being. But – and I think even you must agree with this – the article written by Jan Moir was distasteful at best, and at worst it was a clear and shrewd act designed to make the author a martyr to the “heavily orchestrated campaign” that she mentioned in her clarification.
It has been 4 days now since the article was written, and yet still the feelings that I have about this piece scream out to me that I cannot stand by and let this lie. And nearly 30,000 other people on Facebook, and goodness knows how many on twitter and out in the real world feel the same. Contrary to what Ms Moir may think, I have indeed read the article that she wrote, both the original (“Nothing ‘natural’ about Stephen Gately’s death”) and the slightly sanitised “A strange, lonely and troubling death…”
It seems clear to me that you, as the head of the Daily Mail, seem to have decided to revel in the further notoriety that the article has gained you. It is disappointing that – despite what is clearly a feeling that is shared by much of the general public (and indeed it seems, a large proportion of your own readership) – Neither you, your publication nor Ms Moir have seen fit to publish even an apology. Personally I feel a full an unreserved retraction is in order. I have seen that you have however decided to mobilise Janet Street-Porter and Suzanne Moore to try to mitigate the damage. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but IT HASN’T WORKED. We’re still here, we’re still appalled by the article and we’re still angry.
If you want to know what to do it’s simple. Stand beside Jan Moir and apologise – both of you – apologise for the timing of the publication (come on – even you can’t agree that the day before the man’s funeral was appropriate! Was this a time-sensitive piece that simply couldn’t wait two or three days? I think not!) and the distress that it could have caused for a grieving family. I understand from more reputable and thoughtful publications that it seems many of the family have chosen not to read the article – you should be very grateful for this.
Ms Moir’s apology should then continue to apologise to the family, the medical professionals who performed the post mortem, the public and her profession for the incorrect, ill-informed and baseless allegation that she made when she said “Healthy and fit 33-year-old men do not just climb into their pyjamas and go to sleep on the sofa, never to wake up again. Whatever the cause of death is, it is not, by any yardstick, a natural one.” As I am sure you are more than aware, the results of the post mortem confirmed he died of “natural causes by acute pulmonary oedema”. A court reporter confirmed, “Stephen’s death has nothing to do any alcohol he drank that night, it has nothing to do with drugs and he did not choke on his own vomit,”.
This would also be an excellent opportunity for Ms Moir to use her notoriety to raise the profile of the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (c-r-y.org.uk) who use their freedom of speech to raise the profile of this sort of situation. In fact, according to the charity, twelve apparently fit and healthy young people die in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions every single week.
Of course, once the personal apology is out of the way, I would then expect you both to apologise to those people who have been justifiably outraged at the underhanded assault that Ms Moir made against the Gay Community. The article insinuates that Gay men have ‘dark appetites’ and ‘private vices’. This, combined with the idea that if a partnership of consenting adults choose to invite someone home (whether it be for a game of canasta or even for sex), and that partnership is Gay then the circumstances become “more than a little sleazy” is a direct and blatant attack on the Gay community.
I have seen a number of people discuss this part of the article, and many of them state that most Gay couples don’t involve themselves in threesomes and more. Personally I think that the argument is a moot point and entirely irrelevant. What consenting adults choose to do in the privacy of their own homes is their business. And I think that even your readership will have to agree with me as it is them that discuss the use of male escorts in your own Femail forums: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/chat/r/t-10008606/index.html?threadIndex=13.
But of course, the attack on the Gay community doesn’t stop there. She chose to continue with “Another real sadness about Gately’s death is that it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships. Gay activists are always calling for tolerance and understanding about same-sex relationships, arguing that they are just the same as heterosexual marriages. … Yet the recent death of Kevin McGee, the former husband of Little Britain star Matt Lucas, and now the dubious events of Gately’s last night raise troubling questions about what happened.”
I have read this section a number of times and I still do not understand what questions that a suicide by the FORMER husband of Matt Lucas and the unfortunate tragedy that affected Stephen Gately may raise. The only question that these two disparate deaths raise in my mind is “how on earth can anyone link the two?” But of course it did allow Ms Moir (who is allegedly on the record as supporting Partnership Registration you know!) to explode the “happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships”. She is however correct, equal rights activists (not just the gay ones Jan!) are always calling for tolerance and understanding about same -sex relationships because they are just the same as heterosexual ones. We laugh, we cry, we argue, we make up – we even (believe it or not) raise well ajudsted and supported children who turn out to be heterosexual! Certainly sometimes Gay men and Lesbians stray, sometimes the couples choose to do something to “spice up the relationship” – in exactly the same way that heterosexual couples do. But one thing that we have not said is that Partnership Registration is a ticket to happy-ever-after.
I understand that the PCC will investigate the matter in response to the unprecedented number of complaints received about the article. In recognition of this, and of the fact that this article was at best ill-judged and at worst, malevolent, I urge you to consider your position and retract the article in advance of that investigation.
Yours sincerely
Ethan Kristopher-Hartley
Please note, I have published this email on my blog – you can find it at http://efan78.com/140/JanM2. I will also publish any response that you send to this email.
Jan Moir – A more in-depth opinion
Taken from http://www.nmauk.co.uk
There’s probably very few people who would possibly read this who haven’t heard about the furore caused by Jan Moir’s article “Why there was nothing ‘natural’ about Stephen Gately’s death“. Granted, The Mail then decided to rename the article to “A strange, lonely and troubling death” but haven’t changed the copy text in any way, shape or form. I was in a training course on Friday so, although I had seen some sketchy info on twitter and facebook on my mobile, because 3G isn’t ideal I didn’t read the article until I got home.
I was gobsmacked. In the 21st Century the idea that someone could write such vitriolic bile in the name of journalism is disgusting. Now, I just want to make something clear – I am not, nor have I ever been, a Boyzone or Stephen Gately fan. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of bubblegum pop and boyband-y type stuff so I like their music but (unlike my Kylie collection) I have one Boyzone album and A New Beginning – One of Stephen’s solo singles. However I do believe wholeheartedly that unwarranted personal attacks on a person, disagreeing with the official announcement of the cause of death, and using this unfortunate tragedy to further a homophobic cause, is wrong. I wrote an Open Letter to Jan Moir over on my Posterous blog (as it’s where I put the less detailed posts) which is nowhere near as insightful and witty as Charlie Brooker‘s fantastic response (the man is a legend!) but it was the most polite response I could give at the time.
Of course, when the stars got wind of the story they too waded in and were able to make sure that the story reached even more people to allow them to make their own decisions. Stephen Fry, Darren Hayes, Gok Wan, Antony Cotton and Pam Ann along with many others. This however led to what Jan Moir said in her apology/clarification was a “heavily orchestrated internet campaign I think it is mischievous in the extreme to suggest that my article has homophobic and bigoted undertones.”
Image from www.pinknews.co.uk
Now, come on – heavily orchestrated? Is it not possible that Jan Moir’s story actually hit home with a number of people who wanted to make their voices heard? No, it seems that the gays have been “mischievous in the extreme” and decided to rally together to fight her, because they simply haven’t read or they have misunderstood her fair and balanced article.
A few of the people that I’ve come in contact with on twitter and facebook have also commented on this. I think everyone’s probably heard about the “The Daily Mail should retract Jan Moir’s hateful, homophobic article” facebook group but I’ve also seen one of my twitter friends (Snedwan) who updated his blog with this opinion piece as well as JaeKay who has just written this excellent and thoughtful piece decrying the community’s lack of focus until this comment. But I think that’s kind of the point – The huge swell of support against this article and also (whether right or wrong) against Ms Moir herself – has had the effect that we’ve been noticed. If this sort of concerted effort happened all the time then there would be a couple of issues, firstly most people wouldn’t be able to keep up a concerted effort for very long, it’s not only emotionally draining, but can be mentally and physically too. And of course it wouldn’t get the rest of the press to sit up and take notice, it would simply be a *sigh* “Look at what the gays are whining about again…” moment.
I can however see why Snedwan may have mistaken the homophobic nature of the article, Ms Moir has certainly worded her comments in such a way as to cause the very “misinterpretation” that she decried. Personally, I think this is because she doesn’t have the courage of her convictions and so she felt it necessary to give herself a way out in case those “mischievous” gays decided to orchestrate an internet campaign against her. But Snedwan, if you read this I can show you exactly why we’re offended. And exactly why this piece is homophobic…
The original title of the article was indeed a suitable one for the type of article that Jan Moir wrote. By using the term ‘natural’ in inverted commas she manages to remind her Daily Mail readers that the gays aren’t natural. The words that she chose to open with also clearly show her agenda. After the coroner clearly stated that Stephen Gately died due to fluid on the lungs caused by a congenital heart disease she starts by comparing this tragic death of a young man to those of Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson (both of whom died as a result of drugs) but just in case we don’t quite get what she’s saying she decided to ram home her point by talking about the “dark appetites” and “private vice” of the stars.
Later in the article she shows her support with the phrase “In the cheerful environs of Boyzone, Gately was always charming, cute, polite and funny.” - How could she possibly be using this story to forward her own agenda? She called him charming, cute polite and funny! But of course she then goes on to say that “he could barely carry a tune in a Louis Vuitton trunk.” She seems to forget that he not only played Joseph in Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The New London Theatre but also The Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at The London Palladium. Of course anyone can get a leading role in the West End so this doesn’t in any way suggest that she was wrong, does it?
Then, as Snedwan mentioned, she talks about the fact that Stephen was “smoked out” of the closet instead of choosing when and how to come out himself. But did she use this opportunity to show that sexuality is irrelevant? Or did she instead decide to state how reluctant he was to be a beacon for those scared gay people out there?
Taken from www.whatsonstage.com
Of course the warm and welcoming way that she decided to discuss Stephen’s relationship “In 2006, Gately entered into a civil union with internet businessman Andrew Cowles, who had been introduced to him by mutual friends Elton John and David Furnish.” wasn’t in any way a clinical and dispassionate description designed to skim over the fact without all those awful emotive adjectives in the way – really! She’s even on record as supporting partnership registration!
But then we get to the detail of the story – her opinion on the reasons that Stephen Gately’s death was not ‘natural’. This is where her journalistic skills can come to the fore, where she can show – in support of what is obviously going to be a controversial article – her true mettle. Where she can demonstrate her skills in collecting and presenting information. She decided to start this part of her article with the phrase “All the official reports point to a natural death, with no suspicious circumstances. The Gately family are – perhaps understandably – keen to register their boy’s demise on the national consciousness as nothing more than a tragic accident.” This is an excellent opening line, throwing doubt into the readers mind without actually stating that they were wrong. Surely her expert medical training and access to hidden information will be able to blow this myth completely out of the water…
But no, there’s no hidden information, no evidence to the contrary, only a snide aside about how quickly the family had stated how they thought that Stephen’s death was due to natural causes. (No inverted commas here strangely.) Followed by Jan’s opinion that this was all spin. And then we get to one of the most confusing points that she decided to make, “Healthy and fit 33-year-old men do not just climb into their pyjamas and go to sleep on the sofa, never to wake up again.”
Wait a moment, what was that? That’s great news, I think Jan should take her vast medical knowledge across to the people over at C-R-Y (Cardiac Risk in the Young) so that they can be aware of this and ensure that they can leave their misguided charity work and do something more suitable. But she does go on to say “Whatever the cause of death is, it is not, by any yardstick, a natural one.” OK Jan, what yardsticks are you talking about, because the phrase “natural causes” is a clearly defined medical term meaning that the cause “was a naturally occurring disease process, or is not apparent given medical history or circumstances.” (from Wikipedia). But we don’t have to wait too long to find out what yardstick she’s using – it’s “that the circumstances surrounding his death are more than a little sleazy.” Ah, there we go – we’re reading the Daily Mail – I just wanted some confirmation and thankfully Jan has been able to remind us of this.
And what was so unnatural about the death? Why the fact that Stephen and his partner had met a man and decided to take him home. Now Jan seems to be a little squeamish – she doesn’t want to say the word threesome to her bigoted, close-minded readers, so instead she simply states that “a game of canasta … was not what was on the cards”. So? What consenting adults choose to do in the privacy of their own homes is entirely up to them! And this isn’t just something that affects the gays – in fact, if you Let Me Google That For You, you’ll see that the primary responses are for heterosexual threesomes. But that doesn’t phase our Jan, oh no! She finishes her skirting around this issue with the phrase “What happened before they parted is known only to the two men still alive. What happened afterwards is anyone’s guess.” That’s absolutely true Jan, it’s also COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT to the cause of death.
Taken from www.disneystore.com
But now that she’s picked apart the poor man’s demise she decides to attack Partnership Registration. Now this is obviously a subject that worries the Daily Mail’s readership – I mean it almost gives the gays the same rights as “Normal Folk”! But thankfully this tragedy along with the recent death of Kevin McGee (the former partner of Matt Lucas) “strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships.” The Happily ever after myth, which one is that Jan? I’ve never heard this one I must admit, maybe you could provide us with the source of this myth? If not then surely, as someone who is on the record as supporting partnership registration (read “throwing a scrap of perceived equality to the gay community”) you should be showing that this is no better or worse than the thousands of marriages that have problems?
But, as Jan helpfully pointed out – before Stephen Gately was even buried – “the ooze of a very different and more dangerous lifestyle has seeped out for all to see.”
Why am I so quiet? Posterous of course!
Just in case you were wondering why I’ve been so quiet recently, it’s quite simple. The difficulty with blogging is that it needs dedication and time. When you’re looking at this big white box that’s just screaming “fill me!” it’s quite daunting.
But I’ve recently found Posterous. Yes, I know that there are loads of people out there who already know about it but it’s been a new discovery for me, and it’s great – I can publish short posts, photo’s and excerpts from web pages from my mobile easily.
And the best bit?
They can be really short!
So, if you want to see what I’m posting about then have a look at my Posterous account, or just follow me on twitter, my Posterous posts get sent there automatically without me having to think or worry about it!
And if you want to get yourself an account just send them an email to post {at} posterous [dot] com (you don’t even need to sign up for an account!)
#Sunday7 Week 4
Right, twitter’s fucked, it’s well known now and I seem to be hitting it just at the wrong time at the moment ‘cos I keep getting timed out whichever way I access it! I am not a happy bunny!
But that doesn’t mean that I should scrap my #Sunday7 suggestions goddammit! It just means that I’m stuck with leaving my suggestions here. Grrr!!!!
Any hoo, here we go…
- I still say @karmadillo‘s a bad influence after our #twibbon competition! But she’s worth following! #Sunday7 (And on a seperate note, sign up for your @BullyingUK Twibbon while you’re there!)
- Did you know that @edwardclarke is officially the best cook on twitter? TWO awards already! Showoff! #Sunday7
- Scathing wit, timely comebacks and a great guy (for a frenchman!) ;-P It must be @zefrog! #Sunday7
- Handbag house never died, it just became more cultish. With an L! Just ask @Yorksville when you follow her! #Sunday7
- He’s big, he’s new to twitter, and deserves a huge… Following! @BigNige1977 is well worth a #Sunday7 to break him in gently!
- He’s in Paris at the moment so he won’t get a big head if I suggest that you follow @anthonyjh as a #Sunday7. He’s a Mac too, bless ‘im!
- And my final #Sunday7 suggestion this week has to be @TheFuckingQueen, G’awd bless ‘er! Remember, Mam like ham not Ma’am like farm!
So, when twitter pull their finger out I’ll hopefully be able to get these actually posted up. Grrr! >:-|
#Sunday7 Week 3
I bet you all thought I’d forgotten to post them didn’t you? But no, I named my #Sunday7 this morning!
Just in case you’re wondering what I’m wittering on about, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with the whole #FollowFriday thing so I’ve decided to pick out one person each day throughout the week for whatever random reason and then let you all see them in all their glory on Sunday. So, it’s like #FF but with restrictions – a bit like twitter!
You see, 7 people, 7 days, 7 tweets – it’s so easy even I can do it!
So here are my choices for this week for your delectation:
- Have you met @Fudgecrumpet yet? He’s plucking great! #Sunday7
- He seems to think #Barrowman’s a good thing, but I can’t hold it against him too much. @Gazebow #Sunday7
- Fight #chocolatediscrimination @edwardclarke is! #Sunday7
- She should be NHS Tzar, we’d have no more of the #swineflu panic! @EmmaRhoyds #Sunday7
- He’s not a car, the brum stands for Birmingham… @benjibrum‘s my next #Sunday7
- She wrote Element of Risk and knows about the Bigg Market, I think that deserves a #Sunday7 shoutout for @authorchristine
- And finally, she gives me a warm fizzy feeling and is just my cup of tea! @FizzyDuck‘s my final #Sunday7
#Sunday7 – Week 2
Last week I started my special recommendations, #Sunday7.
I decided that, although I love #followfriday, it has one huge problem, information overload, as my #followfriday page shows. So I decided to start a special set of reccomendations on a Sunday and pick out seven special tweeps through the week for a shout out.
All week I’ve been checking my twitter stream and picking out one person each day to recommend, as well as one person (for Sunday) who sums up the whole week. So, without further ado, here’s this week’s #Sunday7:
- Photographer, Cumbrian and woman living in interesting times, @PinkPebs #Sunday7
- Statistics, funnies and general banter your thing? @delmonfieth is your guy! #Sunday7
- He says what we wish we could! Vote for @AngryBritain #Sunday7
- She might not know the difference between Thursday and Friday but @nik_kee_dee definitely knows how to light up your twitterstream! #Sunday7
- A little ray of sunlight in a sometimes desolate day @Yorksville is a star too! #Sunday7
- If you want to follow a genuinely nice guy (with a lizard called Gibbs) @JaeKay ‘s your man! #Sunday7
- She’s challenged me to a #twibbon contest – it’s so on! @Karmadillo – just you wait! #Sunday7
#Sunday7 – A different way of recommending!
#FollowFriday can be a fantastic thing, it’s nice to be able to suggest that people who’re interested in what you have to say might be interested in others. This is how our twitter networks grow. But it can feel like information overload.
Well, I’ve decided that, on Friday, I’ll stick with my followfriday page but I’m going to have my #Sunday7, seven tweeps who’ve informed, entertained or educated in the week before. Or maybe they’ve just lightened my twitterstream and made me smile…
Seven days in the week, seven tweeps to be suggested, choose carefully!
So, here’s my first #Sunday7:
- @PembTeaCo – The nicest tea I’ve had is grown in Pembrokeshire, in Wales! By these guys. #Sunday7
- @Qikipedia – The QI elves drop a quite interesting tidbit into your twitterstream every day. #Sunday7
- @BullyingUK – Did you know that up to 4 suicidal pupils contact them every day? Show your support! #Sunday7
- @9Swords – I’m always amazed by the stuff he finds, fun, educational and just generally random! #Sunday7
- @TechnologyGeek – Want the latest tech tweets but can’t be bothered following all the big names? TG does it for you! #Sunday7
- @SapphyNo1 – Saph is a friendly, welcoming and lovely tweep. If I had a sister, she’d be her! #Sunday7
- @FizzyDuck – twitter’s punniest rubber bath accessory, witty, friendly and generally gorgeous! #Sunday7
