Social Media / ASD.

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I use Facebook and Twitter. I have around 100 friends on Facebook, most of these are former work colleagues and acquaintances. I only really use it to post photos so that my family can see what I'm up to. I'm also like to look at what people are up to. I don't post any status updates or really interact with anyone, with the odd exception of using the messaging feature to make arrangements or deal with practical stuff.

I wish I could turn the chat function off as family members keep wanting to chat, I just hurriedly hit the X button and make it go away.

>How does your social experience online differ from that in the real world?

Not so different. It would be exceptional for me to initiate social contact with friends / family. Facebook is no different.

>Has it helped you to connect with people?

Not really, if anything it has harmed. As I look, but don't interact, I have even less incentive to have a conversation. As I know what people are doing, I have no desire to find out.

>Also would you recommend the use of social media as an alternative means of communication?

It's worth a try, it's a useful way to keep in contact with people as a replacement for e-mail.

Oh one more thing, despite not being that into social networking, I do manage quite a bit of my employers social networking presence. So as ever I'm providing a communications tool, even though I personally have terrible communication skills.

Jason.

massively. historically (particularly before joining wrong planet), FB etc has been closely linked with real life close friends. i don't think i had any pure online friends whatsoever, so the online experience was just an augmentation of my social life. Things have started to shift a bit

I have met a few people on wrong planet in person, including my girlfriend. It has been fantastic. I have met a few people in person from a message board many years ago. If social media has helped me connect with people then discussion forum will have to fall under that umbrella.



I would recommend it as an additional means of communication.

How does your social experience online differ from that in the real world?

For me, it differs from the real world in the sense that I am under less pressure. When talking to people online, I can take as little or as much time as I want to gather my thoughts and give an appropriate reply. In the real world, you probably have about 5 seconds to reply without it seeming like an awkward pause, which usually results in me saying something in a why I didn't intend to.

Has it helped you to connect with people?

I would say it has. It has given me the opportunity to get to know people from around the world that I would most likely have never met in the real life. I've even met people I had befriended online that developed into full on friendships. Plus, I have been able to observe the behavior of different types of people online, making me understand and relate to different people a bit better.

would you recommend the use of social media as an alternative means of communication?

I would recommend it as an additional form of communication yes.