Hi all, I am proud to announce that the Social Media Collective at Microsoft Research has launched our research blog! http://www.socialmediacollective.org For those of you who aren't familiar with our team, we are a group of academics at Microsoft Research who use qualitative methods like ethnography and content analysis to study a broad range of online phenomena like social network sites, video games, blogs, participatory culture, mobile devices, news and activism, and more. Microsoft Research is an industry-sponsored organization dedicated to conducting both basic and applied research in computer science and software engineering. Our group represents one part of MSR's effort to expand its research agenda in social science and the humanities. We're lucky enough to have had many AOIR-affiliated scholars visit and work with us over the last two years. On the blog, we talk about our research, comment on social media trends and events, post lectures and news stories, and hope to engage widely with academics and technologists alike. A few recent posts: Shouting Fire in a Crowded Hashtag<http://socialmediacollective.org/2011/08/31/shouting-fire-in-a-crowded-hashtag/> Andrés Monroy-Hernández examines citizen-driven news on Twitter around drug-related violence and the impact of rumors "Real Names" policies are an abuse of power<http://socialmediacollective.org/2011/08/04/real-names-policies-are-an-abuse-of-power/> danah boyd explores how banning pseudonyms affects marginalized populations & reflects privilege "If you don't like it, don't use it. It's that simple." ORLY?<http://socialmediacollective.org/2011/08/11/if-you-dont-like-it-dont-use-it-its-that-simple-orly/> Alice Marwick on the costs of opting-out and why tech refusal isn't the answer Riots, social media, and the value of 'first responders'<http://socialmediacollective.org/2011/08/12/riots-social-media-and-the-value-of-%E2%80%98first-responders%E2%80%99/> Kate Crawford looks at the use of social media in the London riots and subsequent suggestions to shut down social networks Thanks much! Alice _______________ Alice E. Marwick, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Researcher Microsoft Research New England Desk: 857.453.6330 Cell: 206.650.9109 amarwick@microsoft.com