Differing Network Structures amoung Facebook, LinkedIn, and ASmallWorld
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1461444808099577
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“The virtual geographies of social networks: a comparative analysis of Facebook, LinkedIn and ASmallWorld” by Zizi Papacharissi analyzes the networks of a few popular social media sites; Facebook, LinkedIn, and ASmallWorld. In particular, Papacharissi analyzes the effect on the social rules that the apps employ, and how that effects the network. With Facebook for example, there are no “rules” that are set. Users are left to make their profile in any way they want, it’s very free form by nature. The author describes Facebook as a “glass house” anyone can see in and out, and those inside the house are free to portay themselves in any way they want. As a result, you see more individuality on Facebook when users try to stand out and be themselves. LinkedIn and ASmallWorld do the opposite of this. There are very strict social rules in place (LinkedIn’s professional oritentaion for example). Users simply follow the socail norms, and their interests and individuality are not emphisized. As Papacharissi puts it “… individuals do not wonder about right or wrong; they conform to norms. Taste performances are not integral to self-presentation here, because individuals indicate affiliation with a taste ethos by the act of joining.” (215) So these different platforms create different atmospheres, but how does this effect the network?
In terms of the network structure, I will mostly be talking about the clusters and bridges in the network. The Facebook network is very typical of a normal socail network, after all it is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. Due to the fact that there are no set social rules, a users network forms around them with the people they are closest with. Users stress their own interests and personalities, and as a result are likely to be friends with close friends, family, and other communities that share their interests. You see tight clusters of different friend groups and communites with many connections in the cluster, and a comparitively fewer ammount of connections bewteen clusters acting as bridges. The networks of LinkedIn are different. When a user joins linked in their goal is to build a large network. People want to get their name in front of as many people as possible for potential recruitment or hiring. As a result, the social network is less defined. People tend to connect with everyone and anyone they know in order to grow the network. Clusters are much larger, including entire companies and schools/universities. LinkedIn also implements a feature where they will suggest connections based on who your connections are connected to. This plays into balancing the social network. If someone is connected to their friend, they are mush more likely to connect with the people that their friends have connections with. The networks of different socail media sites vary depending on the site themselves. Social media companies have the power to influence the networks that form on their applications, and should consider the effect of their brand, ui, atmosphere, and other aspects when alalyzing their networks.