Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship-Boyd, Ellison

This article by Boyd & Ellison shares the different types of SNSs (social network sites) that are out there.  Based upon their wide use of communication between members for all sorts of reasons these SNSs allow users to stay in contact with various groups and maintain certain identities.  The definition that Boyd & Ellison uses is 'We define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to 1. construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, 2. articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and 3. view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system' (Boyd. D, Ellison. N: 2007).

These sites are not primarily for 'networking' or to meet people, they are usually for people who are apart of these sites to share common interests.  The users of SNSs are allowed (with certain sites) to pick and choose their profile-some networks allow for public display and others allow for the options of private profiles amongst friends; this is what separates and defines each social network.

What I find interesting about these SNSs is that the features they provide are all based upon the individuals using the sites.  Some have video/photo sharing and mobile services, instant messages and others provide blogs linked to their site; all of these enable the users to maintain contact with other individuals who have similar tastes and interests and remain in contact with each other and allow their identity to remain intact.

Another part of the SNSs is the collection of data for research on demographics and finding certain patterns of 'friending' or trends that are occurring. Researchers have studied the networks and understand that there are 'passive members, inviters, and linkers "who fully participate in the social evolution of the scheme (Hsu, lancaters, Paradiesi, & Weniger, 2007)' (Boyd & Ellison, 2007).

Through these data collections, the SNSs have found that the use of their networks have become a big part of the users lives, not only geographically but with issues concerning ethnicity, religious views and as well as gender and sexuality and how it affects the shaping of identity within these sites (Boyd, Ellison, 2007)