Ning

I'm not going to open a Ning account at this time. It isn't that I'm against technology or personal growth through social networking- it's more about privacy and commitment. Do I want my information out there? Do I have enough time to devote to establishing and maintaining these connections in a way that adds value at either end? The answer is (currently, anyway) no to both. I do recognize the value, the usefulness of these tools. That being said, I had a few thoughts as I explored this "thing." During the tutorial, it was a good idea to point out the privacy default settings. It's a little shady how the default is set for minimal privacy. If you were careless in setting up your account, you could end up more exposed then you intended. I did various searches on topics of interest. Because I'm considering the purchase of a pair of library guinea pigs, I searched "guinea pigs." At least one of the networks appeared to be established by a minor. It just goes to show that pretty much anybody could join these networks and it pays to be cautious. There was a Texas School Librarians network that looked interesting. Some of the bigger networks are a little overwhelming. How personal can a network with 20,000 members possibly be? Having specialized groups within networks alleviates this problem to a certain extent, but makes everything a little more complicated. Besides the privacy and commitment issues, I wonder if there is some other reason I'm not interested in social networks. It is sort of like armchair warriors- watching TV instead of actually engaging in the activity. It doesn't seem very real.