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Sure, it might seemsocial networking giants like Snapchat and Instagram continuously mimic each other in aphenomenon were calling samification,but now it looks as if a seemingly unrelated app is dipping its toes in the social pool, too: Google is adding a more social, sharable function to its Maps app.

Google announced in a blog post Monday that it would expand its starring or save option that allowed users to save locations for later use, to include a function that would letusers create lists of their favorite places and then share them with friends.

The feature, which was previously available to Google Local Guides, allows users to create lists of places, share their lists with others, and follow the lists of friends and family.

To use the feature, Map users tap on a location, click the save icon, and select a pre-made list.

In order to view a list later, users simply go to the Your Places section of the menu and then tap the saved tab. Icons of saved locations will then appear on your Google Map.

Users can also share their saved lists with friends and family via email, text, or other apps by clicking on the share button associated with the specific list. The lists can also be made public for anyone using Google Maps to see.

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Is Google Trying To Make Maps A Social Network? - Consumerist

Montgomery County, Md. - The Montgomery County Police Department has partnered with a new social networking site to improve communication between them and the residents they protect.

It is called Nextdoor.com and will be used by police to quickly post important information such as crime alerts, safety updates, and community events for neighborhood residents to see.

Police officials say the site gives each neighborhood its own webpage.

So far, more than 400 Montgomery County communities have already signed up for the free service.

"We have been discussing this for months with the people at Nextdoor, said Sergeant Rebecca Innocenti. They've helped us create neighborhoods that coincide with our police districts. So we know what neighborhoods receive what information and if there is an incident occurring in a certain area, we know which area to push that information out to."

In addition to police communication, Nextdoor is also set up for the residents to use amongst themselves, allowing them to privately send messages to each other.

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Police department partners with social network - WHAG

Social networking is changing politics, that fact should be clear by now. A simple proof: Trump wouldn't be in the White House without it.

But where is political networking taking us? That's the BIG question. I've been doing lots of thinking about this (it's going into my book). Here's my shorthand for where our political system is headed. We have three political networks to choose from:

Insurgency

Trump used an open source insurgency (I first wrote about this back in 2004) to become president. This insurgency didn't just with the election, it:

Trump's insurgency worked like open source insurgencies in the past (from the Iraq war to Egypt/Tunisia).

Trump's currently trying to adapt this insurgency to govern. Where will it take us? Early results suggest that Trump's insurgency is better suited for dismantling a large, bureaucratic government and international order than running it. It's also the type of network that will erode the rule of law over time.

Orthodoxy

The second form of political social networking I'm seeing is found in the opposition to Trump's presidency. Right now, it's known as the #resistance The orthodoxy wasn't planned, it:

The orthodoxy is an open source insurgency in reverse. It uses social networking to crack down on deviation and dissent.

How will an orthodox network govern? It will eventually formalize compliance with the orthodoxy. Compliance, evidenced by a long social networking history, will qualify people for positions of authority and power. Any deviation will result in bans, loss of income, etc. until the target repents. This orthodoxy will work in parallel to the rule of law and likely exceed its coercive power over time.

Participatory

This form of social networking doesn't have an example in the US yet.

The participatory party is still young, but it combines the fluidity of the "insurgency" with the solidarity of "orthodoxy."

How would a participatory network govern? Unlike the other systems, it has the best chance of working within the confines of the current US Constitution. It also has the strength to tame political distortions caused by globalization without resorting to the extremes of either the orthodoxy or the insurgency.

My bet is on a participatory political system made possible by social networking. It's the best chance for a better future. A system where we put social networking to work for us instead of against us.

Of course, the reality is probably something different: we're prepping for a civil war.

Sincerely,

John Robb

More here:
Political Networking (how social networking is changing politics forever) - Global Guerrillas

Your online social network doesnt just keep you connected, it can also help you stay fit, a new study shows.

A team of researchers led byJure Leskovec, PhD, (who recently was named a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator) an Stanford associate professor of computer science, have shown that participating in a social network on a health app can boost physical activity.

The team tapped data from the Argus app which tracks heart rate, steps and daily exercise from 6 million app users over five years. The app gives users a choice whether to join a social network, allowing them to share data, or to simply track their progress.

The researchers showed that users who joined the social network saw a 7 percent (around 400 steps) increase in physical activity, an effect that lasted for around 20 weeks.

We were able to show that network connections influence us to be more active and that social network users are not simply more intrinsically motivated to exercise, said team memberTim Althoff, a graduate student, in a recent Stanford Engineering news article.

Demographics do play a role, however: The researchers found that women were most influenced by other women and that 30 to 45 year olds had the biggest boost in physical activity. The social networking component also proved beneficial for users characterized as obese.

The impact of this research extends beyond exercise, the study authors said. These findings can also be used to design effective support systems to promote healthy lifestyles. Online social networks are a powerful tool to provide social support and influence healthy behaviors, Leskovec said in the release.

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Social networks may boost fitness, Stanford researchers say - ScienceBlog.com (blog)

As an accounting professional, you have a wide variety of choices to help market yourself or advance your career, the most common of which is social media. But being a part of a professional organization has its advantages too.

So which is best?

Well, we know social networks are everywhere now. Social networks are unique to everyone based on friends, family members or a desire to network with similar individuals in your community.

The best examples are of course Facebook or LinkedIn; networks of people that group together to discuss, contribute and share information in closed or open group forums. While social media groups do give different perspectives on topics they can lead to being persuaded to taking a path that could be an opinion rather than fact. The group may or may not contain an expert on the subject matter that is commenting on the post.

The professional organization, however, is a group of individuals coming together for a common purpose with varied backgrounds. A professional community offers a unique perspective as members share information and feel that they can benefit from the cooperation of an alliance.

Typically, the professional organization goal is to give a voice to the members, to protect and guide the profession and create direction for the individuals. There is overlap between the two type of communities above, but understand one is geared towards a mutual interest the other is defined by the person and are unique to that individual.

Excellent examples of professional organizations are the AICPA for CPAs or the American Bar Association for Lawyers and, of course, the ICBUSA for bookkeepers.

Key Items to Look For in a Professional Membership Organization

As a professional joining an organization focused on your community will benefit you to help give direction in a career. Like-minded professionals offer different perspectives and opportunity for knowledge growth based on the common interest.

The professional community can help offset some of the unknown changes that will occur in the future through synergistic information and guidance. Professional groups are excellent training for the future. Look for groups that have physical meetups where you can socialize in person and get to network and create an in-person bond. The live networking is one of the best ways to learn communication and soft skills that will benefit you beyond virtual social networking.

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Social Networks vs. Professional Organizations - Accountingweb.com (blog)