online community

Unfortunately the community I belong to, is one that 99.9% of all other college students belong to, so I apologize for my lack of originality. Facebook.com (as if anyone doesn’t know the site..) happens to provide an excellent example of a social network. It’s tag line epitomizes the definition of social networking. “Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you.” It is a web of “friends,” based on varying degrees of intimacy. Facebook actually allows users to explicity identify weak ties vs. strong ties, when they ask “how do you know this person?” One can click a variety of different responses, ranging from “__ is my brother” to an all together open-ended response to be filled in by the user.
Strong ties can be identified as those people with whom you have frequent contact, similar interests, and accesses to the same resources and information. These people are visible on a facebook profile as those who, comment on your wall most often, post inside jokes, and supply many of your pictures “added by others.” Weak ties are also easy to spot on facebook. These ties can be defined as those with whom you have rare contact. These users may connect you to unique resources, and may lead you to a plethora of jobs offerings, as opposed to those who you share strong ties with. Weak ties on facebook can be seen as those who have friended you, but you have never met in real life, or those who post infrequently to try and maintain a superficial relationship.
Facebook employs the other main characteristics of a social network as well. Those who make up your friend-base share a certain common ground with you. There is a certain level of commitment that accompanies a “friendship” on facebook. “Friends” share varying levels of similar values, understandings, and historical identities. Growing up in the same era that exemplifies the prominence of social networking, enables users to essentially share and identify with the same culture.
Addtionally, The quality of reciprocity is a key element of facebook, and probably responsible for why some users may check their profile upwards of 3-5 times a day. Other “friends,” and users have an affect on the relationships you may forge, and the portrayal of your profile. Everyone can identify with the albeit embarrassing, but ever-present excitement of seeing one or more new “notifications,” and the disappointment of a lack there-of. The comments your friends make on your pictures and walls, and the photos they tag of you help reinforce your relationship with one another, and your relationship with facebook itself. It is my prediction that with out any friends on this network, one would get bored of it, and not feel a need to ever use it. It is the bonding and reinforcing of ties that enables the popularity of this network.
Facebook as a social network, literally “connecting you (and keeping you connected) with the people around you” employs the basic principles of common ground and reciprocity to maintain its success and popularity as a functional social network. One of the benefits of being a user on this network, is the availability of increased social capital. The effects of network access include the facilitation of information flow, including job opportunities, the exertion of influence on other users, and the availability of social credentials.
Fundamentally, facebook appears on the surface as a superficial tool to aid in procrastination, but it is a complex social network, offering more than meets the eye.