Social Networking: At Home, In The Classroom, and Around the World
Social Networking: Personal and Professional Sites
Today's Technology and Innovation
In the early 1930s, a psychologist by the name of Dr. Jacob Levi Moreno was interested in social ties between individuals so he introduced the term “Sociogram” to the world. He described a Sociogram as a visualization of individual points, or "nodes," connected by straight lines that help people understand the underlying link within a network (Card). Moreno later conducted the first formal attempt to map out the relationships within a group of people on paper and this became the first network analytic tool used to link individuals (Wasserman).
Further examining the work of Moreno, Anthropologist J. A. Barnes coined the term “social network “in 1954, as a social structure made of nodes, which are generally individuals or organizations connected based on various social familiarities that shows the relationship between an individual or group (Barnes). With the advancement in technology and linking the term “social network” with “technology”, Danah Boyd and Nicole Ellison used the term “Social network site” to describe the new phenomenon of interacting by computers. After careful consideration, the term “Network” was changed to “Networking” to emphasis relationship initiation that occurred between more than one individual using this new form of technology. The two later defined it as web-based service that allowed individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system and hence the term “Social Networking Site” was introduced (Boyd).
Social networking is not a term that was invented within the past decade, in fact, the ability to socially network with others has been around for centuries. However, the term “Social Networking Sites” has become one of the biggest buzz phrases of the Web 2.0 era.
Social networking sites "make invisible social networks visible. However, in order to be considered a social network site, three common elements must be provided. The first is a member profile or often referred to as a Web page; Second, the ability to add members to a contact list based on several different criteria; Third, a way to have supported interaction between members on the contact list (Boyd). Social Network Sites also allow users to upload personal profiles, photos, music and blogs as a form or individual representation (Brown).
Today social networks help users to discover, extend and manage both their professional and personal experiences online. There are now social networks for virtually every hobby, passion, interest, industry and group that you could imagine. Individuals around the world are slowly embracing the different forms of social networking as they continue to grow at an alarming rate with some user bases larger than the population of some countries.
Further examining the work of Moreno, Anthropologist J. A. Barnes coined the term “social network “in 1954, as a social structure made of nodes, which are generally individuals or organizations connected based on various social familiarities that shows the relationship between an individual or group (Barnes). With the advancement in technology and linking the term “social network” with “technology”, Danah Boyd and Nicole Ellison used the term “Social network site” to describe the new phenomenon of interacting by computers. After careful consideration, the term “Network” was changed to “Networking” to emphasis relationship initiation that occurred between more than one individual using this new form of technology. The two later defined it as web-based service that allowed individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system and hence the term “Social Networking Site” was introduced (Boyd).
Social networking is not a term that was invented within the past decade, in fact, the ability to socially network with others has been around for centuries. However, the term “Social Networking Sites” has become one of the biggest buzz phrases of the Web 2.0 era.
Social networking sites "make invisible social networks visible. However, in order to be considered a social network site, three common elements must be provided. The first is a member profile or often referred to as a Web page; Second, the ability to add members to a contact list based on several different criteria; Third, a way to have supported interaction between members on the contact list (Boyd). Social Network Sites also allow users to upload personal profiles, photos, music and blogs as a form or individual representation (Brown).
Today social networks help users to discover, extend and manage both their professional and personal experiences online. There are now social networks for virtually every hobby, passion, interest, industry and group that you could imagine. Individuals around the world are slowly embracing the different forms of social networking as they continue to grow at an alarming rate with some user bases larger than the population of some countries.
Privacy Concerns
Privacy issues arise when users become vulnerable to surveillance and manipulation when accessing social networking sites. Shade (1999) noted that the cyber-surveillance tools such as cookies and personal information gathered by search engines and workplace email surveillance mainly contribute to this.In addition, privacy concerns exist with regard to spy ware software which monitors the web pages accessed by a user and can store data and distribute that information to other parties (Delta and Matsuura, 2002). In regards to this, MySpace was accused of questionable advertising practices which included dowloading adware and spyware to member’s computers. Specifically in July 2006, MySpace took advantage of the Windows security to infect more than a million users’ accounts with spyware since when users browsed the site with Windows versions that had not had their security policies updated, data criminals took advantage of the opportunity to download keylogging programs, Trojan Horse viuses and other bad spyware programs that eventually caused identity thefts on users. (Woodward, 2007)
Privacy and security concerns on SNS can also be blamed on the user who has the tendency to add as many contacts as possible to his profile account through revealing his/her personal information. As Bezzi et al (2009) also noted, recent studies on interactions in the SNS reveal that users add to their network people they do not know. This means that if the users have added strangers into their network and these new contacts can access their personal data, this increases privacy and security risks which arose from their actions.
Privacy and security concerns on SNS can also be blamed on the user who has the tendency to add as many contacts as possible to his profile account through revealing his/her personal information. As Bezzi et al (2009) also noted, recent studies on interactions in the SNS reveal that users add to their network people they do not know. This means that if the users have added strangers into their network and these new contacts can access their personal data, this increases privacy and security risks which arose from their actions.
Managing Privacy Concerns in Social Networking Sites
If online users have knowledge on the risks of displaying private information on profile to the public then they will be careful with the information they post on the web. Users should be aware of defensive measures that can protect their accounts from information hacking and distribution of their personal information.
Social networking sites like facebook have default private settings where users can limit access to their account to specific contacts or categories of friends. For instance their photos or certain pages on their profile may only be viewed by a specific list of friends that are of user’s preference.Internet service providers can also increase their awareness to customers on personal privacy concerns by providing clear policy guidelines regarding privacy of personal data and communications of their customers (Delta and Matsuura, 2002).
Social networking sites like facebook have default private settings where users can limit access to their account to specific contacts or categories of friends. For instance their photos or certain pages on their profile may only be viewed by a specific list of friends that are of user’s preference.Internet service providers can also increase their awareness to customers on personal privacy concerns by providing clear policy guidelines regarding privacy of personal data and communications of their customers (Delta and Matsuura, 2002).
SNS Compared
World Map of Social Networks
This picture shows the relative popularity of various social networking sites around the globe. Accessed on: http://valleywag.gawker.com/273201/the-world-map-of-social-networks
Professional Networking Sites
Considering communication has been noted as one of the most important elements of a successful business, it is no wonder that SNS can play an important role in developing and maintaining professional relationships. Myspace, Facebook, Bebo, Linkedin, Perfspot, Twitter, and Orkut are slowly being embraced and interwoven into the workplace fabric, and significantly affecting the scope and nature of doing business, while introducing new opportunities and bring markets to the desktop (Li, 2010). Social networking is a logical extension of our human tendencies toward togetherness, whether that socialization is down the hall or across the world (Weaver, 2008). People have always been social creatures; our ability to work together in groups, creating value that is greater than the sum of its parts, is one of our greatest assets (Weaver, 2008).
Since the explosion of the Internet age, more than 1 billion people have become connected, creating a seemingly limitless opportunity for communication and collaboration. Information sharing, collegiality, quick group formation, and a sense of shared purpose and mission characterize the various Web-based social networking applications that today’s young professionals commonly use (Weaver, 2008). What makes SNS unique is not that they allow individuals to meet strangers, but rather that they enable users to articulate and make visible their social networks for others to view and relate to. According to Haythornthwaite, this can result in connections between individuals that would not otherwise be made and these meetings are frequently between "latent ties: (Haythornthwaite, 2005) who share some offline connection.
There are many advantages for using SNS for consumers and companies. The consumer can examine and compare product choices while a company can disseminate information quickly, internally and externally. Information can be exposed through blogs, forums, and wall postings which the consumer can use to aid in choosing the right company to purchase from. Additionally, there are positives for using professional and personal SNS for individual and company career development purposes.
Facebook (www.Facebook.com) is a peer-relationship based social network that allows users to create personal profiles describing their real-world selves and then establish “latent ties” with other users (Haythornthwaite, 2005). In addition to basics such as name, age, and school, profiles also include information such as current job(s), future plans, quotes, and photos. Users can further customize their accounts by uploading other media such as images or movies, and interact with other users by commenting on their profiles or media (Weaver, 2008). Facebook provides a multiple way opportunity for businesses, professionals, and consumers to get to know one another. The consumer, with a Facebook account, can explore and examine a company’s business account to get an idea of culture, direction, and values of that particular company. This also allows the company time to create a relationship with their prospective customers by responding to messages and feedback. This permits a unique opportunity for a large company to connect on an individual level with each consumer and or employee.
The possibilities for SNS go beyond the site themselves and include all the applications that support communication, interaction, and collaboration. For example a recommender system uses personal settings and computerized algorithms to filter and generate recommendations for users. Collaborative Filtering has become one of the most popular recommendation algorithms (Liu, 2010). It can significantly reduce overload for users while retrieving information that is more useful to the user. This can reduce search time and, potentially, cost when customers seek online goods, information or items, while also providing unexpected product suggestions. They can also make online businesses’ commercial systems easier to use and increase the possibility of cross-selling, thereby helping businesses retain customers and increase revenue (Liu, 2010). These are just a few of the benefits to subscribing and using social networking technology in the workplace. However, there are known risks associated with the use of SNS.
There is an always a looming threat of security and privacy issues with regards to SNS. In a study examining security issues, Jagatic (2007) used freely accessible profile data to craft a ‘‘phishing’’ scheme that appeared to originate from a friend on the network; their targets were much more likely to give away information to this ‘‘friend’’ than to a perceived stranger (Liu, 2010). The information used was public and easily accessible. These kinds of threats are becoming more popular for wrong doers. This brings up the next threat; SNS are challenging legal conceptions of privacy. Hodge (2006) argued that the fourth amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the legal issues concerning privacy are not equipped to address SNS (Liu, 2010). For example, do police officers have the right to access content posted to Facebook without a warrant? The legality of this hinges on users’ expectation of privacy and whether or not Facebook profiles are considered public or private. The benefits and risks associated with using SNS also trickle into their personal usage which will be covered in the following section.
Video - SNS in Business
Tom McCann talks about the business aspect of social networking sites, but more importantly he gets into the idea that everyone around the world should be collaborating and feel involved.
Video - Social Networking and Politics
Bill Weird looks into social networking sites and their influence on politics. From simply getting more information about a candidate to donating to campaigns, social networking sites are revolutionizing politics.
Personal Sites
Top 10 list of social networking sites according to Discovery News:
- Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/
The most visited SNS in the world. Facebook allows users to create a profile, post pictures, notes, videos, and post updates. Users can also play games with other users of Facebook. - Twitter - http://twitter.com/
Users of twitter send short messages via text message, called 'tweets'. This new concept is called microblogging. Users send updates via 'tweets' to their followers as a way of expressing what is going on in their world at that moment. - LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/nhome/
This is a SNS that is geared towards professionals. Users profiles are based on their skills and professional abilities, but is also being used for the social aspect. The site allows users to collaborate on projects and provides a virtual meeting space. - YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/
YouTube isn't a typlcal SNS. It started as a site to post videos to the internet but is now one of the most popular places on the internet to comment and react to the videos. This site keeps users coming back for new fun videos daily. - Hi5 - http://hi5.com
Originally started in San Francisco in 2003 and in 2006 the site launched a spanish version. Hi5 is now the most popular SNS in Mexico and other Latin American countries. - Skyrock - http://www.skyrock.com/
The number one SNS in France. The site started as a blog site but gained so much popularity that it became a full fledged SNS. The site allows users to post pictures, create blogs, and engage in chat rooms. - Friendster -http://www.friendster.com/
One of the first sites to introduce the concept of SNS which started in 2002. Friendster lost its gain in the United States but is strong in Asia. - 51.com - http://www.51.com/
The main SNS in China with over 120 million users. The site allows users to create blogs, make a personalized site and upload photos. - Orkut - http://www.orkut.com/
Owned by google and orginally created in California but only 17% of traffic comes from the United States. Brazil considers this site as their preferred SNS. More than 50% of users come from Brazil and another 17% of users come from India. - MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/
MySpace helped define SNS. Users can post blogs, news items, updates and detailed profile pages. MySpace is known for it's free marketing which benefits musicians as it can act as an audition stage to release new music tracks and arrange shows.
Pros of Personal Sites
- Users can keep in touch with friends, family, and colleagues.
- Virtual communities can be formed by people connected together by common interests, purpose, and goal.
- Easy way to share photos and videos with many people at one time.
Cons of Personal Sites
- Identity theft and fraud are top concerns of SNS. Email and personal addresses can be used by hackers to pretend that they are you.
- Harassment by an unwanted person.
- Personal defamation of character posted by others.
