Before Facebook came along, Mariann Hardey was the woman who knew too few.
Afterwards she knew the social networks that she loved...
This, especially for you dear reader, is my So Seriously Social story.
follow the blue dots...
2003/4 BF (before Facebook)
Conducting an MA by social research at the University of York, our tale begins with an intriguing investigation into the world of internet dating through the eyes and screens of those who do it. This work gained a Distinction and publication in Information Communication & Society. Romantic it was not.
Ideas continue to formulate about what people do online, how they communicate and share interactions. Quite suddenly questions begin to emerge about poking...
September - December 2004
A virtual unknown, Mariann, makes friends on
Facebook. She is overseas in Australia having convinced the terribly nice folk at the ESRC to fund her research. We are at the start of her Ph.D research, extracts of which can be found on these pages, and that allowed
for world travel and considerable surfing both online and offline.
In this chapter Mariann discovers tweeting and becomes a little more social and a little less serious.
April 2006
Known as @mazrred, Mariann tweets her first tweet. She now tweets as @thatdrmaz.
June 2006
In composition and posted to Blogger.com since 2005, The properfacebooketiquette.com blog is officially launched and so everyone can read the beginning of many perspectives on etiquette and the Like. The blog will prove to be both a distraction and essential character in our So Seriously Social tale.
Sept 2007
At a presentation of her work at the Social Science of Web 2.0 Conference in York, more characters join Mariann with a chance meeting and introduction to Charles Leadbeater, Barry Wellman and Ian Forrester, who are to be hailed as the heroes of the web and continue to remain as firm associates.
April 2008
On location at the O'Reilly Web 2.0 expo SFO Mariann looks for other web thinkers and American muffins. Afterwards she is invited as the keynote speaker for WARC and ESOMAR World Forum, at the Waldorf, London, where-upon she faints on stage (a true part of this story) and into the arms of Jerry Springer.
May 2009
Graduation. Now a fully fledged Dr of Social Media, Mariann is thrust into the limelight at the inaugural evening of Café Dana nights at the Science Museum. On this evening she patiently explains the creeping reality of social surveillance where more can be found in the Portfolio pages.
October 2009
It is Autumnal and Mariann is introduced to TED when Ian Forrester from BBC Backstage invites her to speak about e-etiquette at Europe's largest TEDx in Manchester. She
is at first delighted, then a little overwhelmed by the vigour of conversation and a chance
meeting with the vanguard of digital Herb Kim.
August 2010
Mariann brings her etiquette talk to the Edinburgh Book
Festival where Jason Bradbury makes fun of old ladies on buses and there is an
interactive audience discussion on all those things not to do on Facebook. This is what properfacebooketiquette.com was made for. News and items from this event may be found in the Journalism pages.
Sept 2010
Mariann experiences academic ooomp and is appointed as a Lecturer in Social Media Marketing at Durham University. Here wonderfully bright and engaging students and colleagues who can critique her research with style continue to keep her on her toes.
February 2011
Mariann narrates and receives applause, at Newcastle's first O'Reilly Media Ignite event. Hosted by Codeworks, this is the first social network tale of its kind and a Facebook Noir.
March 2011
Mariann is thrilled to be appointed as Associated Director of the Centre for Communications at Durham University, where many of her adventures continue today.
May 2011
Thinking Digital is a conference that brings together the world's most innovative ideas, technologies and people. Presenting at the Thinking Digital conference, Mariann's jaw drops amongst the considerable smarts of dancing robots and recommendations of what to eat to fuel angiogenesis.