Social Media psychology is a tremendously interesting topic for me, being a Social Media strategist. I am constantly looking at how people interact online and watching trends emerge about socializing on the web. “Facestalking” is a new phenomenon, but its universal in that we all want to know who is looking at who…..

I want to discuss a few apps popping up in my feed this week, in particular the ever popular “See who has been looking at your profile” and “See your top 10 stalkers” – this need to know who has been scoping out your profile is an attractive prospect for many people..

There have been times when I have been mildly keen to know about who has been looking at my online personality, but I admit I have never gone as far as to take that wonderment and actually downloaded the app to give access to the traffic on my page. Why? I don’t particularly give a shite, I use Facebook for work a lot of the time.

We at the tkm9 office have been discussing the social psychology associated with knowing who is looking at you, peeking in your facebook window – maybe an ex has been watching you chat to a potential new dreamy boy, or some guy you hardly know but met that one time on a tour of Mexico city is checking out your photos from the weekend. But this is what Social Networking is all about. Sharing your life online. Giving peeps a gold ticket to see into your life what you are willing to share with them. Relationship status. Religion ( mine is Jedi). Political views (Prime Minister needs to go on Ladette to Lady for elocution classes). Interests. The brilliant machine that is facebook is a projection (tkm9 do this super well fyi) of who you are, what you like and more importantly, WHO you like.

But what happens when you have been checking out a new love interest, or merely scrolling through photos of someone you went to high school with 10 years ago, but haven’t hung out with since then. You are happy to check them out online, but you wouldn’t ever go for a beer with them. We all have Facebook friends like that. Its normal. Facebook land isn’t real life.

How does it make you feel to think that your potential ‘stalking’ or ‘browsing’ subjects then access this stalker app which then sends you a notification expressing for example“ Excuse me Miss Pringle, we are sorry to inform you that you are now a stalker, a creepy online creepy person”. Hell, why don’t you just tell me to don a beige full length jacket and stare into someones kitchen!

Dudes have written about the “Art of Facestalking” see here: http://busaboutlessons.blogspot.com/2007/10/art-of-facestalking.html

I have researched some people, when asked, admit they are absolutely traumatized that the profiles they look at may find out that they have been facestalked. Imagine you know someone who always has awesome outfits, or uploads photos of amazing parties they attend; yet you don’t know them very well. The thought of them finding out you look at their profile because you admire them is an absolute nightmare to some users.

But if you are online, and present and active in Social Media, surely you are aware that people will review, look at, admire and judge your online personality?

How does getting caught out make you guys feel? Let us know!!

Happy Friday y’all J

@CazPringle