• What does it mean to network using social media?

To network using social media is to form connections with people across space and time zones with the help of social media platforms (Gutierrez). Networking using social media serves many aims, including accessing information, locating resources, finding support and forming groups (Rajagopal et al.). Each individual forms different network in order to serve different means, and each network people form may change over time (Gutierrez). It is noteworthy that the network we form on social media is generally composed of three layers. The closest layer is made up of people we personally know and have close relationship with (Gutierrez). The outer layer is made up of people who share some common aspects with us, but are not necessarily our closest friends and families (Gutierrez). The final layer is composed of people who we may not personally know, but will refer to for information, such as celebrities and professionals in certain areas (Gutierrez).

• How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

We are motivated to participate in networked publics for different reasons. Firstly, people participate in networked publics for information, especially if they can form groups. Instead of referring to printed literature, there are always people available in networked publics for information and ideas, which provides a much more effective way to acquire information (Gutierrez). Secondly, people participate in networked publics as a way to support their learning. Networked publics is an integrated part of people’s online learning environment (Gutierrez). Through participation in networked publics, people could interact with people who share common purposes, goals and interests with themselves (Gutierrez). Participation in networked publics is also an important way to support life-long learning. People stay updated by communicating with other people in the same professional field, where they could elicit knowledge by reflecting on conversations and experiences (Rajagopal et al.). Last but not least, participation in networked publics help people to gain support in both their professional realms and their social life. While connection with other professionals supports people through their career development, social interaction in groups also supports people in socially significant ways (Rajagopal et al.).

• What are the risks & rewards of public communications?

Rewards of public communications could also be viewed as factors that motivate us to participate in public communications. As mentioned earlier, people participate in public communications for information, support, and resources for life-long learning. One of the major risk of public communications is the potential to compromise our privacy. It is virtually impossible to control what information about ourselves we want to put onto social media, because when communications are highly networked, it is impossible to monitor and control what others put out there, which may contain information about ourselves (Boyd). Also, since social network platforms could access the data generated through our interaction with others, algorithms are able to make predictions about us, which poses great threat to our privacy (Boyd).

Works Cited

Boyd, Danah. “Networked Privacy.” Surveillance & Society, 22 December 2012. https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveillance-and-society/article/view/networked/networked. Accessed 20 January 2021.

Gutierrez, Karla. “What are Personal Learning Networks?” SHIFT, 21 June 2016. https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644. Accessed 20 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).