Dollies and Social Networking: Fun, or Just Wrong?

Well there is the Bjd Network, which is a social network just for dolls (as in the characters)

That's the only thing I use, though.

 

I really don't like sites like Facebook, so I don't really see myself making a page for my dolls...
I do see how it can be fun, so I don't mind if others do it.

 

Love the picture on the page, think it's awesome that you have over 700 fans, but i do find it a bit weird/strange and something I can't quite put into words. Maybe it's just a little to uncanny valley for me *shrugs*. But i do think it is good that you have come right out and said they are dolls.

 

I agree people go all out and make Facebook pages for their babies/pets so why not dolls or their characters?

I myself wouldn't do it only because I hate social networking sites with some what of a passion but I don't find it odd. Maybe just a bit enthusiastic...I do find the whole Facebook pages from a fetus' point of few a little over the top though. Just saying >.<

And Mistula is awesome! I'm amazed that they're considered a real band somewhere ^.^' That I find epic.

 

I'm not that into roleplaying with my dolls to be honest.
I've seen people make their dolls their own formspring account, and that's cute. Like a less intense way of roleplay, more like asking the doll questions and getting ideas about their character that way.
But myspacing and facebooking is weird I think xD

 

I think doll/character blogs are fine - like on LJ or Wordpress or what have you. Done well, fictional blogs just read as - well, good fiction, I guess. It doesn't make a difference to me, really, whether the character is based on a doll or just came out of someone's head. RP journals fall under the same category for me, with the added bonus that other people in the RP can comment and add to the "story". I've done similar things with my own (non-doll-related) RPs.

Giving your doll a facebook or myspace does seem kind of. . . not what the site was intended for. I mean, you make a facebook to network with other human people that you know in real life, so. Real people don't really need to network with your doll, you know?

The dollie-only networking site that's in the Links Out section is different, though. I wouldn't make one myself, but it's there for dolls, it says it's for dolls, so to me it's just an extension of those matchmaking contests and what-have-you that go on here on the forum.

 

I have an fb account for my babies (dolls!). But I don't go there to ramble about myself or my dolls. Just posting photos of my dolls for all to see... >.> and post links to my sales threads on Ebay. Some people I know are added, and some of them own dolls (or have fb's for their dolls), others just happen to be my best friends or my dolls' fans. (I don't own my OWN facebook account, by the way, I only make one account and that's for my babies... >.<). I reject friend requests from people I don't personally know (in real life). I just update the photo galleries once in a while when I have the time. I am 24/7 online using my BlackBerry, and if someone comments on the fb, I'll be notified, and can reply a.s.a.p. without even having to log into my computer. =.= Talk about technology saving my time. I think I'm weird, but I like it and I don't mind people calling me weird. I think of myself as unique. There's nothing wrong in letting people know about my hobby of dolls. ^^ Nevertheless, my friends and families use that fb to connect themselves to me, because I don't have my own fb that they can connect with! XD

 

Sites that are meant for real people like Facebook and myspace... well personally I think they should be left to people. Blogs, journals, mail groups etc seem more approriate for fictional use - and even then it should be clearly known by those who interact with them.
The only reason I have a facebook, is so I don't miss any more engagement announcements/baby announcements. I wouldnt' bother with my OC and making them accounts on social sites. I can just do mock up bios etc on LJ and post for my friends or my own amusement in private and still get a good mental exercise of figuring my character out.

 

I find it strange and would never do it myself. Then again I also find people who make networking profiles for pets, unborn and very young children strange as well. I just don't see the appeal in making a profile like that on a networking website. I don't find it strange when people use networking websites specifically for dolls or pets for their, well, dolls or pets -that's what they're there for. I'm just not really much into roleplaying, so that's probably why.

I've also seen a DoA member's dolls get their pictures used on a random stranger's myspace profile in the past, roleplaying as their doll. The person got outed and they gave up using the images, but it's still kind of...odd.

 

People do it for their pets, and babies why not for their dolls ^w^

 

I joined a BJD social network site and RP'd as my dolls in a chat with other doll RPers. It quickly became too weird even for me and I don't visit the site anymore. Even though my dolls' photos are all over my Facebook and I sometimes use their pictures as my profile picture just because they're so pretty to look at I don't really want to create their own FB account; that would entail RPing as them and I'd rather be myself than pretend to be the character of a doll.

 

And honestly I think it's a LOT less weird to do it for a doll. For another living thing, that's kind of weirdly intrusive, isn't it? >__>;;
But a doll is basically just the same as a character when you're on the Internet.

 

I guess it could be fun -- I see no harm in it. It's not something I really do, because it would be out of character for most of my resin people since their story takes place before social networking really took off. I do have one with an account on BJD Network, but her character changed, so it's not really accurate anymore. When it comes to real social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, it really doesn't bother me--they're a good ways to keep up with family and friends, but that's the only real worth I see in them. I don't see doll pages (or pet pages for that matter) really interfering with that. It's just not something I'm really into.

 

It never crossed my mind that people would come up with myspace and facebook profiles for their dolls, I'm not against it though. xD

As for myself, I wouldn't make a myspace and such just to rp as the character. I don't mind other people doing it and, yes, It does seems kinda fun, but I prefer just writting their own stories and maybe uploading them in a personal blog (like LJ). Formspring, on the other hand, like someone already said, seems like a good way to know other people OC and dolls.

 

I think that its fine, its not something I would do though. Many professional writers interview their characters and actors sometime live as theirs, in periods of time. So I dont think its odd at all.

 

Mistula is a genuine band from the Philippines that has been around since I believe the mid 2000's. They're much like the Gorillaz, who created cartoon characters as their personas, while the actual band consists of only two members. So if creating cartoon characters and pretending they really exist in our world as a band who at one point seemed to travel via flying windmill is widely acceptable, why is using dolls so strange? Is it because they look more real than a cartoon does?

 

I don't see anything wrong with it. My friends do it for their characters, why not dolls? I think it does help develop their personality, and if someone doesn't like it then they just don't have to go to that person's page. :3

 

|Each of my dolls have their own myspace. I think it's a great way to get in touch with the characters.

 

I honestly think it's a ton of fun! In fact, I've been thinking about making a Formspring page for my doll, so people can see his personality and character. I don't think it's wrong, it's a blast, and in my case it helps me giggle ^^

 

I wouldn't mind trying something like The BJD Network, but I wouldn't want to do it with a fantasy character. I've been a gamer since highschool (mostly table top and one or two LARPs) but I've never done any online RP. I never got a feel for the set up as it seems a lot less controlled than an actual group getting together with a GM.

I don't get having a Facebook or online journal for anything other than yourself, but if it was a doll RP exclusive system, I don't think it's a big deal. I won't knock it until I've tried it, but I could end up like Santinian and get weirded out. Some people have vague boundaries about what's appropriate and what's not (especially online) and I tend to lean more to the conservative end.