Social Media Day, why we defriend, and Google’s patriotic doodle

Social media changes so much in a week that it can be hard to keep up. Check back every Friday for our roundup of stories we think you should know about in our Social Media Snap.

• Most people look forward to celebrating the 4^th of July every summer. But there was another, lesser known holiday this week as well: Social Media Day! Last Sunday social media enthusiasts gathered around the world to celebrate “the technologies that connect us across the world. This year, events took place on six continents, all in the spirit of the ways social media changes our lives and empowers us to do good.” Many cities celebrated in style, coming up with increasingly creative ways to highlight the power of social media.
• Also in honor of Social Media Day, Mashable held a Vine video contest. The theme was “special connections”, a tribute to social media’s ability to connect people across time and space. Some of the videos are pretty creative, while others are just bizarre. I especially like the one with the globe.
• We’re all excited that it’s summer. The barbeques, afternoons at the beach, ice cream,… what’s not to love? Annoying summer Facebook statuses, that’s what. From the cliché beach pictures to the “look at how much fun I’m having while you’re at work” posts, here are some summer statuses to avoid if you want to keep all of your Facebook friends.
• Speaking of annoying Facebook friends, a survey came out this week listing the most common reasons why people defriend others on Facebook. Among the top complaints were bragging, gushy posts about someone’s romantic life, and too many updates. If only you could defriend annoying people in real life, too.
• Social media etiquette can sometimes be hard to decipher, especially if you’re a little more Jackson 5 and a little less Justin Beiber. Because Baby Boomers didn’t grow up with social media the way we youngins did, they have a completely different perception of social media sites. Here’s one blogger’s take on the relationship that more mature users have with social media.
• If you know anything about current events, then you probably know there’s a lot of going on in Egypt right now. Basically, Egyptians are not too happy with their president and want him out, but he’s saying no way. Déjà vu? As with most other political upheavals over the last few years, social media has been playing a major role in spreading the word and organizing the protests.
• Twitter gave Vine, its video app, a makeover this week by adding a number of new features including private posts, sharing capabilities, and channels. Your move, Facebook.
• Happy birthday, America! In case you didn’t know, Independence Day was this week. While most of us were out barbequing, watching the fireworks, and wearing ridiculously patriotic clothing, the folks at Google celebrated with a special 4^th of July themed Google doodle. This doodle took viewers on a roadtrip across this great land, featuring pictures of some of our most historic landmarks.
• And lastly, in honor of TBG member and my co-SMS writer Kelly’s big day this weekend, here are some important rules you should know about using social media at a wedding. My favorite rule: don’t live tweet the ceremony. This is a private event. Not the super bowl.

Happy weekend,

@Richellem09