Tag: Character

  • The Sky Is The 300 Character Limit: Bluesky

    The Sky Is The 300 Character Limit: Bluesky

    In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, platforms rise and fall as quickly as trends shift. Twitter, now known as X, has undergone significant changes, from its approach to verified accounts and content insights to the way it handles ad space. This volatility has paved way for competitors to emerge, and among them, Threads, but now Bluesky is rapidly gaining traction in the digital atmosphere.

    Recently surpassing 15 million users, Bluesky has positioned itself as a serious contender in the micro-blogging arena, offering users a fresh take on short-form content, photo sharing, video creation, and community-based content. 

    What is Bluesky?

    Bluesky is the first app to dethrone Twitter at the top of app store charts. Founded in 2019 by former Twitter employees, it was initially developed to complement the platform we all know but has since carved out its own identity. After operating on an invite-only basis through 2023, Bluesky is now fully open to the public. This was vital to the growth of the platform, as they attempted to appeal to users wanting to “flee” Twitter/X for a different space to share insights or cat memes.  

    At its core, Bluesky focuses on community-driven sharing, allowing users to interact in familiar ways—through likes, replies, reposts, and follows.

    The Advertising-Free Zone

    Currently, Bluesky operates without any advertising, offering a purely organic experience for its users. While this will likely change in the future, the ad-free environment has contributed to its appeal among users seeking a more authentic and less commercialized space. Users want a space where they can gather information or converse without the never-ending interruption ads that have come to populate X and other platforms. Users know ads will eventually be introduced, but the joy of new social platforms is how authentic and organic the space feels. It is a way to build authentic and personal connections in a completely curated feed, which is what users are looking for in a new space.  

    Unique Features That Set Bluesky Apart

    The most revolutionary feature is Bluesky’s decentralized model. Users can host their servers, storing data independently and setting their own rules, much like the structure of Discord. Here are a few of the other Bluesky features that make the platform stand out for many users:  

    • Content Detachment: Unlike other platforms, users can detach their accounts from content when it is reshared or quoted by others, giving them greater control over their posts. 
    • Zero Tolerance for Hate Speech: The platform is committed to fostering a safe environment, with a dedicated team actively monitoring content for hate or extremist behavior. 
    • Greater Control: BlueSky offers users the ability to control their feeds, and even manage multiple streams of content. Users can set up custom feeds or join public feeds tailored to topics of their choosing.  

    Additionally, Bluesky allows users to create unique domain-based handles (e.g., @username.sky), providing a distinctive identity for individuals and organizations alike. Universities could use .edu handles to strengthen their community presence and allow outsiders to know instantly where the server will focus.  

    Threads or Bluesky: Which Platform Should You Choose? 

    Both. It would help if you grabbed those handles when you can. Even if you don’t plan to post right away, it is a good plan of action to have them in your marketing department’s back pocket. You want to avoid becoming part of those challenges where others have your user and will make you purchase it. Think about the efforts you wish to make. What is the University’s voice for this style of media? Do you want to share updates and insights or try the latest catchphrases to meet your students? It could be a combination of all of this and figuring it out, seeing how your students interact, and making content to fit their needs. Threads right now does provide more insight, but it has yet to find it’s right footing within the world of short text. Bluesky seems to be excelling on that front.  

    What Does Bluesky Mean for Universities? 

    Bluesky’s rise signals a shift in how people want to consume media. Twitter/X has faced criticism for its unpredictable algorithms, ad policies, and evolving identity. In contrast, Bluesky promises a return to chronological timelines, community-building, and user-driven experiences. It is saying all the right words to users, and it will be interesting to see if it can keep its promises.  

    For universities and brands, this is a chance to establish a presence on a platform designed for engagement and conversation. Early adoption could secure valuable handles and position organizations to connect with students, parents, alums, and stakeholders in a more meaningful way. Bluesky’s community-first approach means content should be both informative and approachable, bridging gaps and fostering connections. Universities, for example, could use the platform to quickly share updates, create dialogues, and build a sense of belonging among their audiences. 

    How Will Bluesky Impact the Digital Landscape?

    Bluesky is more than just another social media platform; it’s a reflection of changing user expectations. As it continues to grow, universities and brands should take note and prepare for a potential shift in how they communicate in the digital space. With its decentralized foundation, focus on community, and fresh approach to micro-blogging, Bluesky is paving the way for a new era of social media.

    At EducationDynamics, we pride ourselves on staying at the forefront of social media trends. We are committed to exploring how organic platforms like Bluesky can help institutions engage new students and cultivate thriving online communities. For ongoing support and insights, connect with our organic social team and elevate your strategy.  

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  • The Character of Law Professors (most of them anyway).

    The Character of Law Professors (most of them anyway).

     

    For most law professors
    I have known, life is an extended negotiation to advance one’s self interest. They
    are their own clients. Their constant obsession about where they rank means a
    complete lack of humility and the use of certain devices. The most common device
    is to show no weakness. This leads to a number of things. One is to never seen to care very much about something, at least publicly. To show you really want
    something is to reveal a weakness. For example, when I was chair of the appointments
    committee, I asked members of
    the committee who wanted to go to the meat market. This duty is something that
    is usually coveted by mid or early career professors. No one said he or she wanted to go in the meeting. In a few hours after
    that, every member of the committee called me privately to say they were
    “willing to go.”

    This leads to the
    volunteer scam. Law professors never want to demand to do something — — they
    volunteer. When you volunteer it is not like you wanted something but you were willing
    to help out. Helping out, in this life long negotiation, means you are owed.
    For example, one of the plums of my teaching career was to be appointed to
    summer abroad teaching program. One year the person who was set to go could not
    go at the last minute. I called the person running the program to see if I
    could go instead. I was informed it would not be necessary because the head of
    the program had “volunteered” to take on the assignment himself.

    Another part of not
    showing weakness is to try to get others to do work that might expose your own
    weakness. This means office to office visits and indirection. Let’s say you
    think someone who has been appointed to chair a committee is an awful choice.
    You would go office to offices saying something like “what did you think of
    those committee assignments.” In other words, you throw out the bait and see if
    anyone bites. Eventually, you might find some people saying they were
    disappointed and then you roam the halls saying to others “I heard that
    several people are upset with that committee assignment.” You say “several” even if it is one. Note, you do not say
    you are upset but that others are. You, of course, just want to be fair.

    There are also ways of
    disagreeing. Suppose Jack at a faculty meeting proposes that teachers have more
    office hours than currently required. You hate the idea but you do not raise
    your hand and say so. Instead you say something like “It’s wonderful to be
    available to students but I have “concerns” about Jack’s proposal or “if gives
    me pause.” These are ways of saying “that is the dumbest thing I have every
    heard”

    No matter what, you
    are too busy. You have students, exams to write, phone calls to return, and
    papers to grade. In reality you may be on Amazon looking for a new toaster or
    frying pan. You may take a nap. But you never admit to anything other than
    being overwhelmed with how much work you have.

    Being sneaky is
    important. You do not write down what you could say. If it is written down you
    have accountability. If you say it, then if it 
    is passed along you can claim you were misunderstood or taken out of
    context.

    Working the students
    for high teaching evaluations. You can do this by being funny or radiating your
    deep concern for their well-being. It does not hurt to bring cookies when their
    evaluations of you are distributed. One neat ploy a colleague freely admitted
    was designed to help is evaluations was passing out his own evaluation form
    before the official. This communicate that you value the opinion of the
    students and more or less lets them vent if they are inclined to as a way of
    lowering the chance they will unload on you on the official evaluations.

    Information among law
    faculty is power. If you have it, you can dispense it in the way that best
    serves your ends. It may be rumor, it maybe something that has very little
    foundation. Important things are generally bad news about someone else – their
    article got rejected, they failed an interview at another school, the Provost
    is angry with the Dean. You can use the information as currency and you spend it
    to get what you want – usually that is a reaction that advances whatever is in
    your self interest.

    Law professors call
    what they do “scholarship.” It almost never is. You could count on one had the
    number of times a law professor actually tries to find the answer to an
    important question. Instead, consistent with their training they are advocates
    for their own notions of what should be. Their research skills are limited and
    the idea of putting anything to an empirical test is frightening to them. You might compare this with seeing a doctor. Usually you tell the doctor the symptoms and he or she tries to match with with a cause, Suppose instead you walked into the doctor and he or she said “you have typhoid fever” and then ignored every thing you said except those things that were consistent with typhoid fever. That’s legal scholarship.

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