Social Networks (Blog#12)

A social network can be defined as many things but in the case of Boyd and Ellison it’s define by three major points. First, it allows individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system. Secondly, it articulate a list of others users with whom they share a connection and finally, view and traverse their list of connection may vary from site to site (Boyd Ellison). In other words; social networks are connections to multiple viewers. Networking emphasizes relationship initiation, often between strangers. It also shows different CMC between the two users. Beer looks at it from a different angle. He ask the question what is missing? What might be missing from the existing body of work and to use this suggest some alternative ways forward to that imagined by Boyd and Ellison. Beer describes SNS in this age difficult and has earned the name “knowing capitalism.” I totally agree with Boyd and Ellison’s definitions. Today’s social networks are nothing but public profile of people lives at that moment. I strongly believe that SNS attract viewers and later build great relationships. But a community online is different from a social network. A social network in this case is trying to get to know someone or just trying to get to a certain amount of friends. Where as a community online is sometimes local within a local community that really aims to have an interpersonal relationship.