Links Roundup for 14 November 2011

[otw-staff.livejournal.com]

Here's a roundup of stories about technologies used by fans that might be of interest to fans:

• As this Nielsen study reveals, a major reason "for following/"liking" a...celebrity on Social Networking Sites" is "to show support" and to share the fannishness of one's friends. However, at least one case of sharing with friends has been impeded by changes to Google Reader. Aside from the Sharebros group and Iranian dissidents, many fans have relied on the Reader to collect RSS feeds from various fansites, especially if the fans used independent blogs as their home base. Google is folding Reader into its Google+ site, but although they have backtracked on their policy of banning pseudonyms, changes to the Reader's functionality may yet disrupt people's personal networks. This is likely to be particularly unwelcome news in the wake of similar problems with the sale and transfer of del.icio.us.


• Unfortunately, fan concerns have rarely been a priority for the entities providing entertainment and services as this "letter to the editor" points out in regards to the history of sports fandom in ancient times: "The welfare of the average fan has only occasionally and for quite specific reasons (absent here) been an object of great concern to the people who organise games." Instead, "the public benefited only when there was competition among the rich to provide better amenities."

If you used del.icio.us or other social networking tools, why not contribute to Fanlore? Additions are welcome from all fans.

We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, event, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent Links Roundup — on transformativeworks.org, LJ, or DW — or give @OTW_News a shoutout on Twitter. Links are welcome in all languages!

Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a roundup post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW. Mirrored from an original post on the OTW blog. Find related news by viewing our tag cloud.