Connect! Using Facebook & Ning to Create Solidarity Networks

Printer-friendly versionSend to friend

The Sixth Assembly
Technology Training

Connect! Using Facebook & Ning to Create Solidarity Networks

Trainers:
This session introduced participants to the use of two popular sites, Facebook and Ning, for advocacy and to create awareness of advocacy goals. The training was divided into several components. In the first component participants were introduced to the step-by-step guide to set up a Facebook account. In the second component, participants were introduced to several applications in Facebook that can be used for advocacy purposes, such as how to create a petition, a cause, or an event, as well as how to use the “group feature” to recruit members. In the third component, Ning was explored as an alternative social networking site for those who wish to have better control on their Web site and to achieve better branding. Finally, participants were introduced to JomSocial for organizations that wish to integrate social networking into their Joomla Web site.
 
The following challenges and recommendations emerged during the training:
 
Social Networking for Rural Areas. Some NGOs are working in rural areas where most people are not savvy in new information and communication technologies (ICTs). What is the best strategy for selecting a social Networking system, Facebook or Ning?
 
  • Recommendation: It is recommended that the NGO representative visit the particular area, test the connectivity, and choose the faster speed site. The second criterion is based on the frequency of online updates. If not that frequent, it is better to use Facebook so that users can engage in activity in the site. If the site is not active, it is very unlikely the user will re-visit it.
Security for Social Networking. How can security issues affect the selection of a social networking site, and what affects the decision of a government to clamp down on activists using ICTs?
 
  • Recommendation: The strategy should be based on the extent to which the government will block a particular site. If the site is “stand-alone,” then it is easier for the government to block it. If the site is based on an international platform, such as Facebook, however, then if the government blocks it, it will receive international attention. The government is thus more likely to block your own domain than an international one, except for countries like Vietnam or Iran. It is therefore safer to use Facebook than your own domain. If the government also blocks Facebook, however, then circumvention tools should be used.
Human Resources for Maintaining Social Networking Sites. What are the resources required for implementation using Facebook, Ning, and Jom Social?
 
  • Recommendation: Using Facebook requires the least maintenance and does not require any technical staff.  Ning is slightly more complicated, but doesn’t require ICT expertise.  Jom Social requires a Web developer who is familiar with the Joomla framework. Jom Social is more suitable if an organization has competent Internet technology resources.
Success Factors. What factors contribute to successful social networking advocacy?
 
  • Recommendation: Those engaged in advocacy should complement their advocacy with off-line activities, such as t-shirt campaigns or brochures, to lend legitimacy to their larger effort.  Apart from this, they should raise funding for online advertising, and should pay attention to recruiting relevant members as their Facebook “friends” for the advocacy project.