Last week, I wrote about WebTribes Inc., a cluster of social networking groups that cater for people with specific problems or diseases, such as depression or HIV, highlighting the benefits of bringing support groups online.
In hindsight, I believe WebTribes is being irresponsible. I base this solely around the fact that the people who they 're appealing to are vulnerable and that social networking infamously allows for anonymity.
The WebTribes network is a predator magnet. When someone joins one of the WebTribe communities, they trust that they will find a community of people who are going through what they are and they look forward to talking honestly and openly.
The fact of the matter is that they don’t know the people who they are befriending. Whilst all online communities attract some form of predator, these predators are far more likely to target sites where they know that the members are vulnerable.
Something else that is particularly dubious to me is their choice of advertisers – Christian Science being the prominent one. Surely a site that is supposed to be an open support group shouldn’t promote a specific religion as a means of recovery (even if it is by advertising association)?
It’s very disheartening to see that a religious group would so blatantly target a group of people at their most vulnerable. And that WebTribe would jeopardise their intention by letting Christian Science get away with it for the sake of making a quick buck.
I’m sure that WebTribes has given hope to a number of people, thanks to the fact that they are able to share their experiences openly and find people that they can relate to. But until WebTribes can prioritise humanity over opportunity, they have no place exposing impressionable, delicate people to forces that they may not be able to handle.
WebTribe: Social Networking vs. Social Responsibility
by Alice Gnodde
2007/06/12
Muti
Comments
I agree whole-heartedly and certainly 10 points for being opportunistic, but the lack of subtlety is horrifying...
It makes me think of seedy backstreet dealers looking to give someone a quick fix.
I agree,
Subtlety is not a strong point of the christians. Many of the christian evangelicals are quite happy to proclaim that they try and frighten children into christianity when they are young because they are far more vulnerable at a young...
They do think theirs is the greater good though. At least they aren't trying to hurt people. And many people find comfort in religion. I think its silly, but if it aids your real problem, then its okay.
As long as it's not a death cult.
interesting topic alice. these people should seek professional help, assuming they are chatting about their problems without a trained counsellor present (i never went to the site).
as for christainity, they are losing a lot of their flock (at least in 1st world countries) so they need to oil the marketing machine.
I see no reference whatsoever to WEBTRIBE at David Shields site, to which you link as "Christian Science".
so where is it that you find Christian Science advertising webtribe ???
No, it's the other way round. There is Christian Science advertising on the various WebTribes sites - on the login page.
Hi, thanks for the reply - I checked 4 out of the 5 tribes, and could find no CS advertising.
you have made a pretty negative statement about my religion, and I'm trying to find out about it, so I can do something about it.
are you sure of your facts ?
is it "Christian Scince" advertising, or an individual CS practitioner?
you linked to David Shield's site/blog when you mention CS.
Mr. Shields is not "Christian Science",
but an individual independent practitioner.
and I didn't even see any advertising from him.
official CS sites are _www.tfccs.com_ and _www.spirituality.com_..
I am really interested to know the source of your comment,
thanks,
Verndigger
Well, it seems to have been replaced by the PayPerClick google ads. But they were there. David's Shield's site was the site that the advertisements linked to.
The point that I was trying to make was that the fact that by having those advertisements so crudely placed there suggested that Christian Science (i.e. a religion) could help.
Whilst spiritual support may indeed be a support, it is not a cure. Personally, I feel that David Shields placed those advertisements as means of attracting vulnerable people to his religion. If he wants to prey on weak people, fair game.
What I don't agree with is that WebTribes was, in effect, aiding him in this endeavor by letting him advertise in a place where people go to open up and share thoughts and advice.
Religion is such a difficult subject to explore and incorporate and I worry that people will, when they are on a WebTribes site seeking out help, see the advertisement as a solution. I realise that it is up to the individual to make their own decisions, but don't strategically place the advert somewhere that they are likely to be looking for impartial answers (that Christian Science is most likely unable to give them).
I just think that it was a cheap tactic is all. But then again, and I can't stress this enough, it is my opinion.
Hi Alice, thanks for re-checking, and the clarification.
now let me clarify: DS was not trying to attract people to his religion.
he is in the healing business.
he does more than give 'spiritual support', he HEALS folks.
it's his fulltime business, and he naturally advertises.
most CS practitioners advertise their card in the CS Journal; but of course that reaches mainly a CS population, and practitioners naturally want to make healing prayer available to any who need it. and who more than folks with depression, anxiety, etc., would be likely to need it?
I can assure you he was doing this from a motive of love, not of 'preying on people.'
hopefully, this may give you a better understanding, I appreciate your straightforwardness.
regards,
Verndigger
p.s. - if you go to spirituality.com, you can find out more about CS healing, from folks who have experienced it.
put in a search for anxiety or depression, for example.
p.p.s. - don't know why my effort at making a link via underscores didn't work. :-((
What you are failing to realize is that WebTribes uses google adsense to advertise. This is contextual advertising - meaning that neither WebTribes or the CS advertising really planned to advertise on that site. Google matches text on the page of website and finds ads that match the text. Nothing else. So you all went off on something that isn't even relevant. Know your facts first.
Hi Don, thanks for the excellent information.
although fairly technically oriented, I hadn't realized that advertisers with google might find themselves advertised on any site relevant to their context.
as an advertiser, would I not have to be concerned I might find myself advertising on a site I would prefer not to?
Verndigger
So, according to you, having a certain disease/disorder makes a person automatically more vulnerable? Suddenly we can't spot predators or weed out persons who could be potentially harmful? That's an insulting assumption you're making. There are predators all over the net, no matter where one goes. I think Webtribes is certainly safer than places like Myspace, where anyone and everyone can join. Seems that you are a little small minded, and have bought into much of the stigma that makes it difficult for persons with any disorders to survive in this world.
hello Jen - I'm not sure to whom you are talking, since you don't refer to anyone by name.
I"m replying to this because I got an email notification about it - but I am assuming you are not talking to me.
If you are speaking to Alice, the original poster, I think you misunderstood what she was saying.
perhaps she will take note of your comment, and you can discuss further with her.
regards,
Verndigger
hello Jen.
I believe people go to such sites to share their feelings and 'open up', i.e. expose themselves, much like a patient would to a psychologist - thereby putting them in a vulnerable position.
I am not saying that a person with a disease/disorder is a weak person.
I'd like to think that when it comes to sites like MySpace, which are a general population free-for-all, people would tend to be a bit more guarded.
To make a very crass analogy, people are less likely to expose themselves to a group of random people on the street (MySpace) than at a support meeting (WebTribes).
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Without start World War 56: Issues surrounding religion, let me simply say that one often finds religions targeting people who are vulnerable and in need of a support system.
I suppose it is technically good advertising.
Posted by Paul White on 2007/06/12