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."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/26/twitter-ramadan-2014-hashflags_n_5534607.html

Twitter Celebrates Ramadan 2014 With 'Hashflags' And Much More

The Huffington Post  | By Yasmine Hafiz

Posted: 06/26/2014 4:33 pm EDT Updated: 06/27/2014 12:59 pm EDT

Print Article

Ramadan 2014 is upon us and Twitter is joining in the celebrations this year with special icons, instant iftar times, and an interactive map.

Ahmad AbouAmmo, Twitter's Head of Media Partnerships for the MENA region, rolled out the new features witha blog post, saying, "Ramadan is an important event around the world — full of celebration, friends and families. We look forward to seeing how many of you come together to share these special moments on Twitter."

So what can we look forward to this year?

1. Special 'Hashflags'

When you hashtag your tweets with #Ramadan or #Eid, a small crescent moon or Eid icon will appear after the words. World Cup fans will recognize this feature, which has places country flags after tweets hashtagged with participating teams.

2. Personalized Iftar Times

Al Arabiya has partnered with Twitter to offer a location-specific service that tells you when you can break your fast each day. By tweeting @AlArabiya with the hashtag #iftar followed by the hashtagged name of your city (ie #London), you will get a reply with the correct iftar time. This also works for the beginning of the fast, with the hashtag #imsak instead of #iftar.

3. Tweet Map

Ramadan will be celebrated by millions of people across the globe, and now you can see exactly where people are talking and tweeting about it with an interactive map made by Simon Rogers. The map also tracks common Ramadan greetings, plans, and feelings. Click below to explore.

4. Special Ramadan TV Content

Some TV shows have been created just for Ramadan, with corresponding Twitter accounts for the characters.

Response to Twitter's holiday gesture has been positive so far.

#RamadanKareem from @HuffPostRelig :) :)