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.
- Well, #royalbabywatch continues as we are 6 days past Kate Middleton’s due date. Hopefully the bouncing baby prince or princess gets here soon so I can get back to real life. As much as I love perusing my various social media outlets for any morsel of an update, it would be nice to go out into the sunlight again. And with that, I give you other social media happenings this week that were not centered on the future heir to the English throne.
- Early this week the trial of George Zimmerman concluded with a verdict of not guilty. Law enforcement agencies across the US, who were preparing for riots to break out after the verdict was announced, were pleasantly surprised by the calm demonstrations that happened instead. Did social media play a part in how people reacted to the verdict?
- Not every reaction was calm, though. Shortly after the trial ended, one of the jurors announced that she would be writing a book about the trial and had already received a deal. The outraged public used the power of social media to quickly squash the book before she could even write the first line.
- Meanwhile, the public took to social media to protest the verdict and honor the memory of Trayvon Martin. One particularly popular meme features MLK Jr. in a gray hoodie, similar to the one Martin was wearing when he was shot. Many celebrities showed their support by blacking out their profile pictures.
- Apparently there was a lot to be upset about on social media this week, not just the Zimmerman case. Rolling Stone rolled out (I love puns) their newest issue featuring the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect on the cover. This resulted in incredible media and public outrage, with many stores refusing to sell the issue and people protesting the magazine via Facebook and Twitter. Not a great PR move, Rolling Stone.
- A study, released earlier this week, showed that kids who engage with their parents on social media are healthier. These kids also showed more generosity and kindness to others, better behavior overall, and felt a stronger bond with their parents. While this may be true, good luck trying to convince teenagers that accepting their parents’ friend requests on Facebook is actually a good thing.
- There have been many studies published recently that show people on social media are more narcissistic and self-centered. However, this week Saint Louis entrepreneur Chris Sommers proved this isn’t always true. He created Social Media Giving Day, which took place last Monday for the firs time. Snaps to you, Chris!
- Also in the spirit of giving, one teen in Toronto is using the power of social media to help save her life. Fatima Baig has reached out to donors on social media asking for a life saving liver transplant. Our fingers are crossed that she finds one soon.
- Honestly, I can’t come up with any witty intro to this article because it pretty much speaks for itself. The creators of Sharknado, SyFy’s most recent and surprisingly successful made-for-tv movie, have decided to get fans involved with naming the sequel. Yes, there’s a sequel. I will let that sink in for a minute….. Fans have tweeted and commented numerous title ideas including Sharkalanche, Global Swarming, and the Wizard of Jaws. It’s a pun-nerd’s wildest dream.
- Twitter language can be tough to understand, what with all the Tweets, hashtags, DMs and RTs. Luckily, Mashable has created a Complete Guide to Twitter Lingo to help you understand exactly what the social media people (aka me) are talking about at the weekly team meetings.
- Speaking of those social media people, Buzzfeed posted 26 Signs You Work in Social Media this week. Thank Goodness. Now, instead of trying to explain to my friends and family what I do at work (only to hear “Wait, so you just sit on Facebook all day?”), I can show them this eerily accurate explanation.
Happy weekend,
@Richellem09