Facebook

What purpose would you use it for?

Facebook’s main purpose is to follow and connect people with their friends, family, any local communities, by posting text, photos, videos on to their newsfeed etc. Over the years, Facebook has innovated to include different ways to connect people other than the standard instant messaging. Examples of these are livestreaming with Facebook Live, commercial needs with Marketplace, and voice and video calling.

What aspects of its design can you personalise?

Users on Facebook have their own personal profiles which they can customise extensively. Examples of this are profile pictures, cover photos, personal details, location, relationship status, school/workplace, etc. Users may also choose which interests appear on their profile too, by liking certain topics, pages and posts. Certain events also allow customisation related to that event, e.g frames for profile pictures depicting which team/country you may be supporting during sporting events. An example of this is the 2018 World Cup.

How can you connect with other users?

Facebook connects people commonly via their mutual friends, location, connecting friends who may be living close to each other. It also connects people via their interests, the pages they like, follow or contribute to. Users can message each other via instant messaging, livestreaming, selling goods, etc. Friends can also comment on the posts made by their friends too, creating further interest for the post and further publicising it. Groups of friends can also form group chats via Messenger.

What tools can you use within the site (e.g. tagging, linking, social groups,

etc.) and describe their function.

Facebook has many features that allow users to interact with posts and people. Friends can tag each other in posts that they would like to share with that specific person. This works by typing in the desired person’s name and it gives you the option to notify the person about the post. You can also use different reactions to posts, e.g. Like, Love. This involves the user hovering over the like button, which is located beneath a photo/video. It then gives a variety of options you can use to react with. Users can check in to different locations which also appear on their profiles. Users can tag themselves during any disasters to notify people that they’re safe afterwards, at the top of your news feed it will give you the option of clicking safe or unsafe in relation to the disaster/crisis. Facebook also has a marketplace that allows users to buy and sell goods to each other. This is done by a user taking a photo of the item with a description and a price, it is then posted into the marketplace tab.

Outline the key issues surrounding social media etiquette.

Facebook has a user policy, and also user standards. An example of user standards are to keep the platform safe for all users, removing dangerous content that may cause real harm. Embracing diverse views and opinions of other users, including respecting the views of others even if you do not agree with their opinions, and many different other rules under the user standards. And generally having common sense in what is posting, courteous and respectful to other users.