The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers. –Sydney Harris

 

I have often joked with friends that “if it isn’t on Facebook, it isn’t real!” Having the experience of being the generation that stressed over my top 8 for MySpace and a member of College Facebook, I feel like the internet is just an extension of my identity. Since social media’s grand opening in the late 1990’s, we have been learning how to incorporate social media into our lives and social media companies are constantly working to stay relevant, user-friendly and safe — especially in light of the recent news of the illegally sold Facebook data. (If anyone is concerned about their privacy on Facebook, feel free to send me a message. I’d be happy to walk you through ensuring your privacy settings match your expectations.)

 

In recent months, Facebook has made significant changes to the way users experience Facebook in response to the 2016 election and complaints from users. These changes have already affected the posts you see in your newsfeed. Facebook uses an algorithm to determine what you will see from friends and businesses when you log in. A few months ago, Facebook made significant alterations to this calculation. They have placed a large emphasis on Groups (like the WES Members Facebook group — email me if you aren’t sure how to join the group!) and took away emphasis on posts published by pages. Facebook’s goal, which I find to make a lot of sense, is to encourage people to engage with each other in groups and work toward minimizing the simple push of information from pages that aren’t receiving engagement — to make Facebook a social media platform that truly brings people together.

 

Here at WES we have two Facebook options for our community to stay connected. We have the public WES Facebook page. This page is visible to anyone. We also have multiple groups (WES Members, SEEK, and others for small groups). These groups are closed. That means people can search for the group and request membership. But they have to approved before they can view posts or comment within the group.

 

So what does all this mean for you and for WES? Well, it means WES can’t do it on our own! Under the new algorithm WES needs you to comment, tag friends, and love posts that are on the WES public Facebook page. If you see a post on the public WES page, we hope you’ll consider tagging a friend with whom you think the post may resonate. If you see an event you plan to attend, consider inviting friends that may also enjoy that activity. And, if you see a post that you just love, a heart and a share are the Facebook equivalent of a grand slam!

So here’s to keeping social media social. 

 

Happy Facebooking,

Robyn Kravitz