I guess I could Start

For News I use Reddit.com to read news (their new channel filters have really improved the site) I've been using Reddit pretty much since the start. For that reason I never got into Digg.

I use Facebook to keep up with old friends, otherwise, I am a pretty strong critic of Facebook, I don't really trust them. But it is better then MySpace, another popular site I never got into.

I favourite new platform is Twitter, it's useless unless you use it with an application like Twirl or Twitterfox (you can find me @jeffhoard)

Obviously, I'm on YouTube, but its more of tool to just store clips, already have had three accounts banned. Just waiting for it to happen again.

Of course, feel free to share your profiles, would be nice to connect with sifters outside of the sift.

(full disclosure, its propeller.com and Mahalo.com that pay me)

I used Facebook a lot (playing online poker and annoying my friends with countless invites), I think I also have a Hi5 account, still don't know what good is Twitter for and I dislike MySpace. I also use digg and of course youtube and countless other video sites. I like Mahalo (thanks to you, Fedquip). Can't think of anything else. Oh, yeah - couchsurfing.com is nice, too.

Videosift is the first time I ever talked to anybody on the net. Except some BBS stuff in the eighties and something like three threads on Fark which was a lot like being an uninvited guest to a frat party.

I used to be a "Total Farker" way back in the day, I stopped when I started my own website because. Yeah, I hate Facebook invites, I have about 50 of em piled up and I refuse to read them. I was also tempted to start the online poker but when you read the fine print, its quite disturbing, in fact when you install any app into your facebook you give whatever company owns the app "Access" to your "personal information" - Facebook and their apps have plans on using that "personal information" for future advertising endeavors (this is why they have received Billions in funding recently)

Twitter is useful for me because everybody I work with uses it. I receive peoples personal updates in real time and its pretty much replaced my use of RSS feeds. I subscribe to BBC and NYT for example and new headlines just popup when they come in.

I use gas a lot-works great for getting around-otherwise, the heel-toe express gets me to places where flesh and blood may be found in the convenient, meatsack variety-titties are really different up close and attached to someone who speaks directly to you, and when they bounce, jiggle, or simply protrude at bit, all the other sights, smells, and subtle nuance are simply wonderful additives to the overall experience.

Online Poker is fun and all, but when you really want to be able to play the game seriously(not talking to the one person here who does it for a living)nothing beats a tell-try getting that online.

been to myspace about 3 times and when I'm not pulling a cheese grater across the flesh on my inner thighs, I have left clicked numerous masturbatory links to a few other sites, all of which leave me grasping for a doorknob which affords passage to that unknown territory where the smell of piles of unwashed clothes and one's own body odor has no hope of lingering.(that last bit of imagery applies of course to someone other than myself, who keeps an immaculately cluttered, but altogether pleasant ambrosia awaft)

What's in your oldfactory, fed???

And why the hell does youtube ban your accounts?? Infractions or they simply don't wanna play fair?? I have seen nothing nefarious on your accounts before, even when we had a hard-on for you in the past???

First time I got banned really sucked because I had over 100 clips on there, the one that killed the account was the Stephen Colbert Press Correspondents dinner, it was my fault the damn thing went viral, back in those days you had to find the torrents download, clip into segments, then re-upload. Somebody wasn't happy that clip got on the internet....Of Course, its back on youtube now.

2nd Time I got banned was for uploading Cat Stevens "Peace Train"

I guess I've only been banned twice, I'm on my third account.

I'm still not even sure what "social media" even means yet. I guess this is it. My first real introduction to any type of message board was when I was in a gaming clan. Before that I had never really talked to people online outside of my real life friends on IM. I quickly started to realize that these online friends were becoming real life friends, which was a great experience.

I tried MySpace for a while, but I got tired of the format pretty quick. I have also struggled with how much personal information about myself was starting to show up online and the ramification of that in the real world, like at work.

Over the last few years I have really stepped up my internet use for more then just simple diversion. Now I use it for a lot of research and continuing my education. There is just so much information out there to be taken in if you know how to "sift" thought all the crap.

Fedquip, I gotta thank you for introducing me to whole concept of internet research. I started making TayTV a daily stop. And that is what has led me hear to the sift. I've mostly speant my time as a passive observer, but I now feel like I might be able to add more by adding my two cents to the conversation.

I've been thinking for a long time about starting a blog or some kind of website where I can post my own particular interests and rants. But every time I start to do it I can't seem to focus in on something.

As for news, I keep my home page as news.google because of how many traditional media sources it incorporates. If I find a news story that interests me I try to read or skim at least three different stories to try and triangulate an approximation of the truth. However, I am starting to value the more independent non-corporate owned media.

Yes, I too like using the net for continued education just as much as I enjoy the entertainment value, luckily we find ourselves on a site that allows for both to thrive. The future should be interesting with Internet reaching more people, independent and social media will have their challenges, but when you consider the media that has dominated the past 10 years, to me, its a welcome change.

said it before, videosift was my first foray-never before and never again-just like PCP that one time that time.....

So is this where I out myself as a New Media Douchebag?

I've been most able to connect with other librarians and tech trainers at Twitter and Del.icio.us. I'm no real expert, but I think the trick to using Social Media well is finding a niche where you're following people that are passionate about the same things you are. The relationships form naturally if you listen carefully...and don't make an ass of yourself.