How do notable individuals use social media?

Notable individuals and public figures often use social media to engage with a wide range of audiences to ensure that they are noticed online to help with their overall media presence. For example, actors would use social media to promote their shows/movies and or to keep their viewers engaged so that their viewers follow up with watching their show/movie. This helps with the business side of their fame in which they are promoting both themselves and their company through their social media presence. By promoting themselves, notable individuals and public figures can increase their networking connections with other notable individuals, which will help their network be more diverse and inclusive. They can also reach their audience on a more personalized level through sharing their personal interests, life updates, etc.

What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN?

Being in the public eye and having a PLN is beneficial as individuals are more likely to be aware of their words and actions and what they are posting as it is being publicly viewed. This is significant because users are likely to share information that is trending but also important globally. For example, social justice issues are often posted and shared through the public eye, allowing a wide audience to be reached, in which the issue gains awareness for. This helps with our PLN because we are using it to share important information to help be change agents in society. Through the public eye, our PLN can be used to promote these issues and help share new knowledge on issues that are currently trending or requiring an action of change. Our PLN is then allowing us to connect further and deeper with these issues and trends as other people continue to share more information, which helps us to increase our own knowledge. This helps us with our growth mindset and two-way learning.

Building a community with online tools provided by the employer can be limiting, what are the perceived restrictions and benefits?

Building a community with online tools provided by the employer can be limiting but also beneficial. I feel that using the online tools provided by the employer is often limiting because their resources could be limited, but also what we are allowed to do with these resources are limited. For example, when working for a big company such as Amazon or Google, workers are probably given many online tools, however, they may be restricted in what they are allowed to say online, or who they are allowed to promote as they probably cannot promote a competing company. This is significant to note because it then limits the employees feeling of mental and emotional safety, in how much of their views and honest opinions they are allowed to express without causing controversy to their company. It is also important to note that the online tools provided by employers most likely have some bias, in which employers will choose what is best for their company as a whole, not necessarily for each individual worker. While these are some concerns of the restrictions and limits of online tools provided by the employer, I also believe there are benefits. For example, I believe these online tools can be beneficial for employees to feel as part of a community. As the company has probably already built up the online presence and tools, employees will just need to learn how to use it without having to worry about complications or building up the network. Users could connect with others in the network, helping to expand their own individual PLN’s and networking. This will allow their own knowledge to grow as they learn from one another in a professional setting.

Delivering information in a connected society requires verifiable resources, how do build a PLN to rely on?

To build a reliable PLN, users must be connected in society in which they are reaching a diverse audience and promoting inclusivity. For example, users must recognize the importance of their social presence and awareness for important topics such as cultural awareness, political awareness, and trends in the media. By paying attention to these topics, users can ensure that they are not offending anyone with what they are sharing on media. Users should be careful and aware of what they are discussing and sharing online. Users must also be able to make mistakes and learn from them. For example, if someone were to post something controversial and offensive, the user must be able to take accountability for their action and learn from it. This helps individuals to build their PLN in a more reliable way, in which their audience can recognize that the information they are sharing is important because of the careful choice in their wording or overall awareness of the situations.

How do those, who are veteran storytellers, minimize the risk of sharing misinformation?

Those who are veteran storytellers, minimize the risk of sharing misinformation by telling the story as is, without sugar coating or over exaggerating. This is extremely important because it allows their audience to gain mutual trust with them in which they are being 100% open and honest. They can also ensure to reference and have resources when needed. This will allow their audience to see that they have reliable information they are sharing and can back-up their stories with evidence. I believe this is extremely important especially as a future teacher. As I will need to teach a variety of things, including topics that can be sensitive, it is important that I have resources and reliable information to share that backs up what I am teaching my future students. This ensures that I remain reliable as the teacher as well, so that I can be credible for what I am teaching.