“I hate Facebook, just come to the room and we’ll talk!” -This is the phrase that my roommate yelled right as I was about to start writing this week’s blog post. So, what is this week’s theme? -Facebook!
I joined Facebook in 2010, when I wasn’t even sure what the use of it was, all I knew is that a Latvian community network called “draugiem.lv” similar to it had been losing popularity and this was the only way to keep in touch with lots of friends. Since then I have learned about so many cool functions and ways of updating everyone through Facebook. However, after reading this article, I started thinking- could Facebook be just another “draugiem.lv”? Does everything on the Internet have an expiration date? The article describes how Facebook users have stopped using Facebook for personal sharing, since it has become less trustworthy. To reverse this decline in personal sharing Facebook has attempted to introduce new opportunities and ways for people to share, such as: new language to prompt more personal status updates, new reactions beyond the “like” button, Facebook live video and I’ve heard of rumors about a feature similar to Tinder potentially being introduced.
This summer I worked with a company that represented Baltic music. And from my experience there I concluded that this article does ring true. The company I worked for used all of these newly introduced options (except for the Tinder option) to promote their business and news about music.
Facebook has become very promotional and a mode of spreading information. It has become fairly rare to post a status update or a new photo gallery. However, this article also raises a good point- Facebook may have lost the personal touches that it used to have, but the sense of community is still fairly strong. As this article shows, Facebook still is one of the farthest reaching and broadest networking sites, it is one of the best ways to find groups of people going through similar experiences and connect with them.
Linking this back to Latvians in Portland, unfortunately I haven’t connected with any of them through Facebook, but that’s probably because I haven’t looked yet. I’m sure that once I start searching there is definitely a Facebook page for Latvians to connect with each other in the US. I’ll leave this blog as a “very exciting” cliff hanger and will attempt to do some research about Latvian Facebook pages, and post about what I found next week!
(23 August 1989, “The Baltic Way” The human chain connecting the three Baltic capitals –Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius)- an example in Latvian history of community coming together without the use of social media.
Latvian in Portland 
Anna, I like the structure of your blog and the reference to an insightful article. I defiantly agree that Facebook has not been the easiest platform for people to communicate on especially millennials. I think its because so many other platforms are linked to Facebook, which causes uncertainty of privacy. However I do think Facebook has made the corrections to allow it to be one of the dominant social media platforms in the world, so that people can function it easier. I’m also looking forward to seeing how facebook helps you reach fellow Latvians.
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First of all, what is Balkan music? I’m intrigued…
Also, I think certain things on the Web do have an expiration date, but I think Facebook has hit a tipping point. It became so popular that it’s weird NOT to have a Facebook account. So I think social pressure will keep certain things afloat after less popular social media sites die off.
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It’s not Balkan music, it’s Baltic music, but my auto-correct almost also just corrected it to Balkan music:D It’s music from the three Baltic countries, which are Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, they’re all located right by the Baltic sea. If you google Baltic music, you’ll probably get weird old ethnic music, but in my blog I’m talking about more modern day music for all three of these countries, similar to that which you listen to here in America.
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I’m really curious as to whether Facebook will be able to keep reinventing itself in order to stay relevant or if in 5 years it’ll just become another MySpace. I wonder why Facebook has seen a decline in status posts? Now most of the time whenever I see a status update it’s about a huge change in someone’s life (like going to college etc.) whereas before people would post status updates on just about anything!
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Wow, this is a very interesting read and I really like how you incorporating a little about who you are!
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Love the opening! I can totally hear one of your roommates doing that lol but I like how you incorporated such a common quote to technology and Latvians.
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