Positive in and out - Social Networks and in general

Just keep this in mind - could be done on much larger scale - so just because the media is negative, doesn't mean the world is going to *ell in a handbasket  - so don't let it infect you.  Put out positivity and take positivity in!  That is worthy goal all the time but especially in the month of Ramadan.  Some people "fast" from FB during this month.  I choose to remain because without it I basically have no Muslim community and I think the community experience is a worthwhile part of the month - but the "lesson" here should be a big caveat that you have to keep it positive - both in and out.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/06/28/326453204/facebook-scientists-alter-newsfeeds-find-emotions-are-affected-by-it?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=npr&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews

Facebook Scientists Alter Newsfeeds, Find Emotions Are Affected By It

by EYDER PERALTA

June 28, 2014 4:41 PM ET

A man poses for photographs in front of the Facebook sign on the Facebook campus in Menlo Park, Calif.

Jeff Chiu/AP

For one week back in 2012, Facebook scientists altered what appeared on the newsfeed of more than 600,000 users. One group got mostly positive items; the other got mostly negative items.

Scientists then monitored the posts of those people and found that they were more negative if they received the negative newsfeed and more positive if they received positive items.

As the New Scientist reports, the research means "emotional contagion" can happen online, not just face-to-face. The magazine adds:

"The effect was significant, though modest.

"Ke Xu of Beihang University in Beijing has studied emotional contagion on Chinese social networks. He says [Facebook's Adam] Kramer's work shows that we don't need to interact in person to influence someone's feelings."

The findings are published in the current edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

If you're wondering: Yes, this kind of experiment is in line with Facebook's terms of use. The Verge reports:

"When users sign up for Facebook, they agree that their information may be used "for internal operations, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research and service improvement." While there's nothing in the policy about altering products like the News Feed, it's unlikely Facebook stepped outside the bounds of the Terms of Use in conducting the experiment. Still, for users confused by the whims of the News Feed, the experiment stands as a reminder: there may be more than just metrics determining which posts make it onto your feed."