Social network workshop: modules

Most of the social network workshop will feature multiple simultaneous modules, including presentations and hands-on experience.

This page is an evolving list of the confirmed and potential modules -- as well as a "request list" for other topics that people would like to see covered. We'll be uploading the final materials to this page for those who aren't able to attend in person.

= Facebook =

An introduction to using Facebook from a "Facebook native", aka a college student. Topics include profiles, status, groups, causes, posting and other viral mechanisms, applications.

Presenter: Alex Bratman

Status: confirmed

Resource page: Social network workshop: Facebook

= Promoting books (and potential books) on social networks =

Cliff Shechter's book The Real McCain reached #6 on the Amazon biography list with no advertising and no TV appearances, but active promotion in the blogosphere, including in Firedoglake's book salon and similar sites. Facebook and MySpace offer access to a huge number of potential readers, and powerful techniques to reach them. How can activists and educators promote their books effectively on social networks? And, for those who don't yet have book deals, are there ways to use social networks to help?

This module will also include presentation of the results of the pre-conference discussions of Ten priorities for promoting your book on Facebook.

Presenter: GregoryK

Status: confirmed

Resource page: Social network workshop: promoting books

= Dealing with hate speech, trolls, spammers =

What do do when your discussion forum or blogs becomes infested with trolls and spammers? How to deal with different reactions to hate speech? There aren't any magic answers, but good moderation techniques and mobilizing the community can make a big difference.

Presenter: Jon Pincus

Status: confirmed

Resource page: Social network workshop: hate speech and trolls

= Potential modules =

We don't yet have presenters nailed down for all of these, and so if you've got suggestions for presenters, please add them. Also, if you know of good online references, please provide them as well so that this page becomes a useful general reference.

Mashups
Status: trying to get somebody from NetSqaured to talk about N2Y3 and mashups in general

The Stop Real ID Now! grassroots activism campaign
Last year, a coalition of over 60 organizations joined to engage the public in discussion of the proposed implementation of the "Real ID" national identification card. The Stop Real ID Now! grassroots activism campaign focused on social networks, with groups on MySpace, tribe, and free-association. This presentation will cover the experiences and lessons learned -- as well as what's changed since then.

Presenter: Deborah Pierce

Status: potential, depending on interest

Screencasting
A screencast is a video screen capture, often containing audio narration. As Beth Kanter describes,


 * These kinds of videos ... can be powerful tools to demonstrate technical tasks, or to illustrate technical concepts that are hard to explain in words. The video and audio components can make a topic more engaging than written instructions or static images, while also appealing to different learning styles.

References:


 * Introduction by Beth Kanter on TechSoup
 * Educause Connect's Seven things you should know about screencasting
 * The Screencaster: Lessons to the aspiring screencaster from Strunk & White by Daniel Park

Getting your site found on Google
A discussion of "search engine optimization" (SEO) and "search engine marketing"

References:


 * 10 Steps to Being Found on Search Engines by Laura Quinn on Idealware

Podcasting
References:


 * Creative Commons Legal Guide

Free Culture Digital Activism
Free culture activists discuss tools for online activism, including, but not limited to, social networking sites, petitions, pledges, wikis, contests, mailing lists, VOIP tools, etc.

Contact: Elizabeth Stark

Using OpenCongress.org effectively
OpenCongress.org, a project of the Sunlight Foundation and PPF, provides bill tracking (and a widget you can add to your site), links to news stories and blog posts sorted by bills, contact information for senators and representatives, and much more. It's a valuable resource for education about the political system -- and for activists that focus on legislation. How best to use it?

Designing Social Networking Tools for Activism
Experiences have shown that existing social networking sites and tools may not prove to be ideal platforms for online activism and social organizing. What would like to see in these tools? What would an ideal activism-oriented social networking site look like?

Contact: Elizabeth Stark

Getting large blogs to cover your story
What techniques make it more likely for larger blogs to cover your story -- or link to you? See Get it on Slashdot! for more.

= Request list =

What other topics or speakers would people like to see? Or, if you have thoughts about something already there, please add them!

- video remixing. what tools can i use to cut segments out of YouTube videos and mash them up, and how do i put my own audio track on it?