Boyd and Ellison prefer to use the term "social netowrk site" vs. "networking" because they say "networking emphasizes relationship initiation, ofter between strangers." And I would have to agree. I didn't sign up on Facebook looking to meet strangers. I signed up to interact with friends who were also on Facebook. My dictionary defines network as "a group or system of interconnected people or things : a trade network. • a group of people who exchange information, contacts, and experience for professional or social purposes : a support network" vs. "networking" as "to interact with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, esp. to further one's career" with the key words being "develop contacts". In my eyes, a social network site is different from an online community in the way the word network is different from the word networking. I participate in an online community to exchange information and develop contacts, i.e., get to know people I don't already know. Facebook is for people I already know. To allow a complete stranger to be your friend so they can see your profile and all your friends is goofy. But, as we (I) found out in our previous paper, some people put it all out there anyway.
Yes, the social network requires caution when entering person information. This network is iniated by grouping people to form personal and nonpersonal relationship.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Beer's critique, though that their definition is too broad? Lots of places allow you to have a profile and connect with people, yet they are used for some other purpose (like watching videos). Do you think of YouTube as a social network site?
ReplyDeleteWhen using someone personal information on a social network you have to be careful.Sometimes people are really trying to meet you and sometimes it's just bogus. This is why with social networks chose your friends wisely. Thank God for the privacy protection.
ReplyDeleteTrue about Facebook's uses, SNS can be used not only to manage current relationships online but also to create new ones.
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