Yesterday I was a lost soul looking for information. I had trawled the internet (well, maybe not the whole internet) [...]]]> I’ve had an interesting time on Twitter over the past few weeks which inspired me to write a post about good and naughty tweets and twitterers. I’m a positive person so I’ve started with ‘Good Twitter’!

Yesterday I was a lost soul looking for information. I had trawled the internet (well, maybe not the whole internet) via Google, throwing out long and short tail queries like my life depended on it. I found a few useful bits and pieces but the going was tough and it was a subject I’m not an expert in. I found myself thinking, “If only I had access to an expert in the field who I could ask for help and guidance.”

As I was sat in front of my screen lamenting my woeful lack of real-life connections I remembered someone I’d found on Twitter a few weeks ago. “Hang on a cotton picking minute” (as my partner would say) “wasn’t she an expert in this very subject?” I checked her profile and it was true. I sent a couple of DMs (because one DM is never enough) and within an hour I had a response which led to a very useful DM conversation.

Fast forward a couple of hours and there’s me, grinning like a hungry person at a chip shop with my super useful web links courtesy of my new favourite Twitterer. (If that is a real word)

This is Twitter being very good and helping me find useful information fast!

Cut to ‘Naughty Twitter’

A few weeks ago I witnessed (along with many others) an argument happening live on the Twit-stream. And when I say argument I don’t mean a discussion with raised voices and emphatic hand gestures. I mean a proper fight! I think if these people had conducted the argument face to face there would have been actual hair pulling, pushing and possibly even raspberry blowing.

At the time I was tempted to write a much fuller post going into all the ridiculous details but I didn’t want to get drawn into the fight which seemed utterly pointless. It was also terrible PR, especially for one individual who seemed to be totally nuts and has since been unfollowed.

I will not be mentioning any names – many people will have witnessed the fight anyway and I leave them to draw their own conclusions about who should be on the naughty step!

(Note to audience: That’s right! I really am prepared to let you have your own opinion! If you disagree I will not harass you.)

That is Twitter being naughty, clogging my updates with playground style rants.

Of course, Twitter isn’t really good or naughty. It’s down to the people that use the service and it can become a playground, a boxing ring or even a University library (my current favourite).

However you use it, Happy Tweeting!

This is a guest post by Ian Randall

How many posts per day are too much? How can you find the valuable content from amongst the noise? These questions are becoming more relevant with the continued growth of social media and services. Facebook, Foursquare, Yelp, Posterous, Twitter -all great examples [...]]]>

Are you saying too much online?

This is a guest post by Ian Randall

How many posts per day are too much? How can you find the valuable content from amongst the noise? These questions are becoming more relevant with the continued growth of social media and services. Facebook, Foursquare, Yelp, Posterous, Twitter -all great examples at the cutting edge of the technology that’s changing how we communicate and interact with each other, and all capable of cross-posting between them.

A Google search shows widely differing opinions on how much is too much. It does seem to be a very personal thing as everyone’s needs are different. Personally, I have no products to sell and no customers to attract. I am purely a consumer of all this digital content so if someone is monopolising my timeline or continually reposting the same things I’m afraid that’s as easy to fix as clicking ‘unfollow’.

Would you follow a person on Foursquare if all the information is replicated on Twitter? Would you follow someone on Twitter if every tweet is republished to Facebook? There is so much new content out there to filter through, can you really spend your time reading and dealing with duplication? There is a real danger that anything of value you have to say can become swamped in the noise generated by everything else, and unfortunately the message becomes lost.

The answer lies with careful curation. This blog has already touched on the subject of using separate accounts for personal and professional tweets, that’s a great start. If I’m interested in your business, products or services I may not really care what you had for tea. If I’m interested in you personally then I’ll follow that account as well (unless they RT every tweet from the other account).

It’s really exciting to see the growth of these services in Gloucestershire, and some of the novel ways to take advantage of this new technology has been great to see. I’m excited for the future of what these can bring, but this is dependent on finding a way to be able to filter out what is relevant to me and what gives me personal value. Maybe this will become a feature of the next generation of these services, but it will become increasingly important as the amount of data grows.

Ultimately, those who post too much, those who just replicate from other sources and create noise become like the loud obnoxious guy at the party. They may think they’re the centre of attention, but the real and interesting conversation is going on in a corner, away from them and their noise where others can hear themselves think. And just like that, the conversation has passed them by.

If you’d like to sumbmit a guest blog post email csmc@cheltsocialmediacafe.org.uk or tweet us a short pitch! We like to support local interests and new technological or social media ventures so don’t be shy.

At first, I thought it must be some kind of joke but with treatment centres’ opening in the UK, US and China it’s clearly [...]]]> Whilst sitting in the hairdresser’s today reading a magazine I wouldn’t normally look at twice I came across an article about Facebook addiction – part of Internet addiction – a growing epidemic.

At first, I thought it must be some kind of joke but with treatment centres’ opening in the UK, US and China it’s clearly more of a problem than I’d imagined. Further research shows that studies indicate increasing levels of internet addiction in a number of other countries such as Italy, Pakistan, Iran, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Net addiction expert Dr Kimberly Young poses the following questions to help diagnose Facebook addiction.

Are personal relationships taking a backseat to Facebook? Do you think about Facebook even when you’re offline? Do you use Facebook to escape problems or homework? Do you stay on Facebook longer than intended? Have you ever concealed Facebook use?

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’ you might be a borderline addict.

Is the lure of instant social gratification or entertainment too tempting? Are people turning to the internet en masse after losing their jobs in the recession? Whatever the reason, people are getting desperate for treatment, either for themselves or for loved ones.

In China, worried parents send their teenage children to training camps. Until July last year some Chinese clinics also offered electric shock treatment although this has now been banned.

In the US and UK, cognitive-behavioural talk therapy is the norm at special ‘cold-turkey’ rehabilitation centres.

So far the UK only has one centre and it’s aimed at helping teenagers (also known as ‘screenagers’). As well as providing afflicted teens with the opportunity to ditch their internet habits the treatment also focuses on teaching them traditional face-to-face social skills at the residential unit. It’s offered by the Capio Nightingale Hospital and you can find out more here.

Ironically, many sources for internet addiction are available on Facebook and Twitter. I guess they have to be wherever their best customers are!

The major resource used for this blog post was http://www.netaddiction.com/ but you can look them up at Facebook here or find Dr Kimberly Young on Twitter here.

I wonder if any of our followers qualify as Facebook, Twitter, or Net addicts?

We’ve had a great response and we’re looking forward to meeting many of our online community soon.

We’ve [...]]]> Hello – it’s now less than two hours until our first cafe/Twestival event begins at Pepper Crescent! This time the link we’re giving you is for Google maps in case anybody wants to come who hasn’t been there before.

We’ve had a great response and we’re looking forward to meeting many of our online community soon.

We’ve also heard from a couple of people who wanted to come but are sadly unable. Luckily for them, we are planning more social media cafe ‘get togethers’ this year! Of course, we’ll let you know about those nearer the time.

See you soon!

I spent the evening at Pepper Crescent last week when I met a friend for some drinks and tapas. We were there on a Thursday and [...]]]> Hello, it turns out the 25th March is actually tomorrow. That means tomorrow evening we’ll be meeting loads of new people and a few ‘old’ people too at Pepper Crescent.

I spent the evening at Pepper Crescent last week when I met a friend for some drinks and tapas. We were there on a Thursday and got to drink champagne from the Gold Cup. There’s no Gold Cup this week as Cheltenham Festival is over, but the champagne will still be available as will the delicious Westons cider.

Oh, and the coffee and cakes. I don’t want you to think I’m only there for the cider!

Our latest figures indicate there will be 19 people turning up and a further 12 have told me they might be able to make it. But there’s always room for more so feel free to bring a friend or drop in at random.

Twestival

The first cafe event is doubling as a Twestival so there’ll be a small raffle on the night in aid of Concern.

Helping others

I recently got a comment on another blog post from John who’d like to come from Cirencester but needs a lift so if anyone is up for lift sharing please get in touch or tweet about it and we’ll try and match people up.

NB: Make sure we spot your tweets by addressing them to @cheltsocmedcafe!