Social media at it’s finest still has some bumps in the road. Fellow live streaming broadcasters: Let me just say right at the top that WE are the new media, and we’re everything that mainstream should be but cannot be. Let’s keep it that way.
At the outset I also have to say that I love Periscope as a platform. I love what it does for us. I love the people that I can meet and spend time with, and I think it’s a great venue. I won’t ever say otherwise but even under the best of circumstances, and guarding whom it is that I draw into my personal social circle, there are always little “things” that have to be addressed. As briefly as I can keep this… don’t act goofy. It’s a level playing field as far as I’m concerned and even though we are all aware of which broadcasters have a broader reach or a bigger voice and who the higher ups are, it’s not a bit necessary for any of us to go fan-girl on them. We’ve all done that to some degree, but at least try to embrace those who are able to display humility with enough respect that they know you still want to interact with them like a human being. If you put someone on a pedestal too high, they’re never going to end up a friend. Just sayin….
What it’s done for me is put me in motion again. At a time when I was beginning to feel stagnant, it gave me a reason to explore things that I either drove past all the time without stopping, or that I didn’t bother to drive a little farther to get to. Because I want to share my world with others, I am expanding my own world. That’s what it has done for all of us – garner appreciation and adventure.
I also need to say something about a block that had to happen yesterday. Don’t ever come into one of my broadcasts and try to run it for me and talk about someone else’s drama or “issues” with Periscope or any other social media platform or individual. I won’t tolerate it. I was as polite as I could be and tried to divert, but that individual didn’t know when frankly to shut up. There were other remarks made throughout the broadcast that were negative and in my opinion rude, and it’s unnecessary. Make yourself the person who is capable of enjoying and celebrating someone else’s successes and fun moments, and be a supportive part of that. If you have nothing good to say, leave. Just leave. Go find someone else to troll. I don’t have time for it, nor do I wish my viewers to be subjected to your inability to behave appropriately. We have a fantastic community and if you feel the need to privately gossip to your friends about what “happened to someone” because of some supposed information, do that but NOT IN MY BROADCAST. Most especially do not show up as a stranger to me and try to do that. You will only end up blocked and I might not be shy about letting others you are connected to in media know about it and why. I’m saying don’t be an ass. Today I’m not sorry for being blunt. It’s become necessary. If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I don’t pull any punches. It’s who I am.
Periscope staff are not the ones that will regulate. That’s on us. We make it what it is by our own words and actions, and we are the ones responsible for building good content. That does not simply happen by having a good thought, an active topic, and tapping that Broadcast button. It also happens by managing your details. Good topics, interaction, engagement, and interesting locations are great but your set-up otherwise is foundational. If you’re not checking your Followers regularly and sorting that list, you’re committing a major fail and doing it intentionally. Every single one of us has to go into that list and remove the spammers, the trolls, and the stalkers. When you don’t do that, and you show up in someone else’s broadcast, and you invite YOUR FOLLOWERS…. what’s happening? You’re dragging your trash into their living room and dropping it off. If you ever see someone following me that I haven’t gotten to yet that needs to be evaluated, feel free to send me a message about it. I WILL look at it. You should see a clean list 99% of the time on me. New follows I won’t apologize for, but if I go 2 days and someone is still sitting there unmoderated that I need to remove, I want to know about it. That means I’m slacking. I have no intention to purposefully invite trolls into my friend’s broadcasts. Ever.
Please exercise the same courtesy for everyone. Just take a minute to sort that list out. Having a large number of followers means nothing if it’s all junk. Surround yourself with quality friends. If they’re an egg with no bio, look at who they are following and who follows them. You’ll know if they need to be blocked. It’s not difficult. If they have a bunch of kissy emojis, other suggestive pics, and a web link… what do you THINK they’re in Periscope for? Some profile pics are enough to be an obvious message. Hey, if that’s what you’re there for then fine, go play. Don’t bring it to me though. I’ll end up blocking you along with them in the end. I don’t want to have to do that.
I hate that I have to be stern and less than upbeat in this post. It is however completely necessary. I’ve gone to great lengths to remove negative individuals from my life and I intend to keep it that way. Outreach is hard sometimes because of that – protecting yourself while still offering help to those who are actually willing to be proactive and make changes. Not everyone who says they want their life back really means it. Not everyone is willing to put in the work. I support those who are willing to work for it. I also make the effort to help guard the environment my friends have to experience. That’s why I call it the Troll Patrol in Periscope. When you’re broadcasting, you can’t always focus on everything going up the screen. We should all be watching each others backs for those problems. Don’t be afraid to click report on a troll or a spammer. Hey, I keep my moderation switches ON. Someone else may think that’s not the good way to do it but it’s my way. Great feature. Use it.
We’re all capable of improvement. I work on that daily myself. (Both in general life and in social networking.) We should be encouraging each other to do so. That’s not even always done by “constructive criticism”, which let’s face it, not everyone appreciates. Sometimes it’s done by pointing out something you LIKE about what they’re doing. More importantly it’s done by having each other’s backs.
Be as fantastic as I believe you are able today. Make someone else smile. Hopefully you will get one from me as well.
T
Tala's Tracks 
Tala, As usual, your post is to the point, insightful, and perfectly stated. I am amazed at your strength in dealing with those who engage with you in a negative fashion. I hope that your voice in never silenced and that you continue to serve as an example to those engaged in social media. I am a complete idiot when it comes to live social media or for that matter, most social media, although I enjoy it immensely. I navigate my internet time with caution and rarely engage in exchanges or comments because the few times I have, I have had a negative experience. Since I am home bound 75% of the time, it is a major link to the outside world and so I continue read and view videos but I choose my responses carefully, especially throughout this electoral season. As I read and view different outlets I am continually amazed at the abhorrent comments people make within the forums. As a child of the 60’s, I was brought up to believe that if you didn’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. This training instilled the logic that disagreeing was not nice, i.e. I shouldn’t say anything. It took me 30 years to find my voice and break free of the chains of that statement. At 30, I discovered that there was a way to speak out, disagree and then take in others views and attitudes formed after I stepped out on my belief. It was easy from 1990 to about 2010. Interaction was simple. It occurred on the phone, face to face or through email and was a volley exchange between two people. I rarely encountered unintended outcomes because of tone or voice and when I did it was easy to correct. But then…instant interaction began and my new found voice was shut back up! I was unprepared for the world beyond my own backyard and the people who have the ability to say vile things with just a touch of a finger. At first, I bravely tried to interject social skills I felt they lacked but was soon schooled in the stupidity of this action with responses that often attacked my character, race, religion, political views, etc. All from people who do not know me. I’ve often wondered if these people were this way in life or if engaging in internet rhetoric gave freedom from a deeply buried need to spread negativity and gives them the outlet to say things they would never have the courage to say in their social circles. Do they know there is a REAL person on the other side? I have taken this train of thought further to wonder if they truly think outrageous, hurtful or downright rude comments are acceptable. For example, I recently posted on my neighborhood website in response to a question about police activity in the area. The first reply to my comment was a joke about the possibility that the police were in a hurry to get to a donut shop or bake sale. ??? The website is an informational forum to connect neighbors to each other for safety alerts, community information, and to welcome new neighbors. It’s not Facebook! I feel that the forum is a business casual site making comments that degrade anyone, especially those in charge of our safety, unacceptable. (Ok, I’m a little sensitive, my husband is a Federal officer and every day I wonder if he will come home and that affects my sensitivity level.) I should have rolled my eyes and moved on…but no, I interjected and explained that I was hurt by the comment and asked that we, as a community, keep our comments neighborly. BIG MISTAKE on my part, my bad! I was torn to shreds, repeatedly. It seemed so harmless, but I understand, I am not the social skills police, and I put myself out there, but that doesn’t warrant the deeply personal comments made toward me. Apparently, I don’t have a sense of humor and can’t take a joke. They are right, I don’t think it’s funny to degrade ANY person just because of a label, furthermore I don’t think it is ever funny to disparage a group because of the actions of some. The positive outcome of my experience is that I learned I’m not ready to interact with the outside world. I’m too sensitive and too insecure. I don’t buy into the thought that everyone is fair game for hurtful fodder. Im not willing and don’t have the emotional strength to be bashed by those trolls who are looking for a fight. Having said that, I want you to know that I find strength through your words as you deal with those who take your thoughts, opinions and activities and somehow find ways to try and denigrate those writings. Hopefully some day I will try and engage again. Until then, I will live vicariously through you. Strength and love, Beth
Sent from my iPad
> On Oct 14, 2016, at 2:02 PM, Tala’s Tracks wrote: > > >