Facebook application

The Federation is now one of the first unions in Australia to add a Facebook application to its website that allows those members who have a Facebook page to be a 'proud supporter' of the Federation by adding the application to their own Facebook page.

The Federation was one of the first unions in the world to have a campaigning website aimed at providing up to date campaigning information and news to its members not filtered by the employer or a hostile media. The Federation is now one of the first unions in Australia to add a Facebook application to its website that allows those members who have a Facebook page to be a 'proud supporter' of the Federation by adding the application to their own Facebook page. The Facebook application was developed by APT Solutions as a part of developing the Federation's communications strategies across all of the media channels.

Facebook is a social networking website, launched in early 2004 originally for the students of Harvard College in the United States. Facebook is now a world-wide phenomenon with over 60 million users and an average daily usage of 250,000 individuals. It is now one of the largest networks in the world and by way of traffic is rated as the 6th most popular website in the world.

The Federation application has the top 5 stories from the website, allows an instant linking to any of the news stories and also allows a RSS feed to those who subscribe. As campaign vodcasts are put up on the website they can be downloaded to teachers' own social networks via their Facebook page and their friends, thereby spreading the word of our campaigns to our own networks of friends and families.

To get this Facebook application you must have a Facebook page. Go to http://www.nswtf.org.au/facebook/, install the application to your Facebook page, and tell your friends.

It is interesting to note that Facebook has been blocked by some countries and regimes. In November of 2007 Facebook was blocked by the Syrian government on the premise that it promoted attacks on the authorities. No comment was made from the government that blocked it, which has started a crackdown on online political activism in that period. Burma and Bhutan are among the nations to have banned the website.

The New South Wales Department of Education and Training has also blocked all users (students and staff) from accessing Facebook, as have many other government departments in Australia.

Facebook application

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http://www.nswtf.org.au/campaigns/salaries_staffing/resources/facebook.html
Last Modified: 28 Feb 2008