Information Behaviour and Web 2.0 Social Networks
Mike ThelwallStatistical Cybermetrics Research Group,University of Wolverhampton, UK
Virtual Knowledge Studio (VKS)
Information Studies
Contents
IntroductionExamples of social network sites and ideas for recommending social
network sites to library users / information seekers
Cybermetric case study of MySpaceConclusion
1. Introduction
Context
MySpace, Facebook and similar sites are amongst the most popular web sitesAccording to HitWise, in 2007 MySpace overtook Google in the US
Facebook hasovertaken MySpace
SNS definition
A web site allowing individuals to construct a public or semi-public
profile within a bounded system articulate a list of other users with
whom they share a connection view and traverse their list of
connections and those made by others within the system
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship.Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11.
Friends
Not all friends are friends!
Some are not even acquaintances, family members, colleagues
Why have sns friends? (1/2)
It would be socially inappropriate to say no because you know them Having lots of Friends makes you look popular It’s a way of indicating that you are a fan (of that person, band, product, etc.) Your list of Friends reveals who you areTheir Profile is cool so being Friends makes you look cool
boyd, d. (2006). Friends, Friendsters, and MySpace Top 8: Writing community into being on social network sites.First Monday, 11(2)
Why have sns friends? (2/2)
Collecting Friends lets you see more peopleIt’s the only way to see a private ProfileBeing Friends lets you see someone’s bulletins and their Friends-only blog postsYou want them to see your bulletins, private Profile, private blogYou can use your Friends list to find someone later It’s easier to say yes than no
Friends
Friend news (Facebook)
History
After a slow start, many successful SNSs emerged – then other sites began adding SNS services or innovating for niche markets
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites:Definition, history, and scholarship.Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11.
Today
Facebook dominant??
Facebook dominant?
Google search volume
2. Examples of social network sites
Three types of social networking site
Socialising SNSs - for recreational social communication between membersNetworking SNSs - for non-social interpersonal communication (e.g. LinkedIn)(Social) navigation SNSs - social network features to help users find information or resources (e.g., YouTube, CiteULike)
Types of SNS
Examples of SNS
LinkedInGaia OnlineCyWorldDiggLast.FM
SNS designed to help members find new business contactsEspecially helps look for friends of friends or aquaintances of acquaintances
Cyworld
Korean SNSAvatar-based –users live in their own home in their mini-hompyArguably the world’s first popular SNSMembers meet new people onlineMembers seem to self-disclose online and make trusting relationshipsMicropayments via “acorn” currency
Digg
“a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web” (digg.com/about, May 4, 2008)Can navigate stories by friending people who post storiesDigg is not really for friendship.
Can friend LewP and navigate his stories (can also do this without friending) and friendsLewP is a human “recommender system”?
Last.FM
Music-based site Helps members listen to music that they like or might likePrompts users to friend people listening to similar musicCan find new music liked by others with similar taste
3. Cybermetric case study of MySpace
Illustration of a range of types of “extractable” public information about MySpace members
MySpace members data sets
1. random sample of 15,043 members2. systematic sample of 7,627 members
who joined on July 3, 20063. excluded: music sites, ex-members,
members with 0 or 1 friendsall information on home pages was
automatically downloaded and harvested by SocSciBot -> Excel
days since last access -members use MySpace once or frequently
allMembers >>
days since last access -members use MySpace once or frequently
July 3members
MySpace “age” profile:average “age” is 21
younger members have more MySpace friends
gender factors
female users more likely to be “here for” friendship and male users more likely to be “here for” dating (but only a minority)males and females both preferred to have more female friends and top 8 friendsfemales preferred a greater proportion of female Top 8 friends
women make the best friends!(403 data set)
who swears most?
for US MySpace home pages: male = more likely to contain strong swearing
for UK MySpace home pages male = more likely to contain moderate
swearing no difference in strong swearing - possibly more
strong swearing in female home pages in the younger age groups
apparent reversal in gendered strong swearing in the UK for young people
July 3, 2006 members, extended collection >>
percentage of profiles containing swearing
moderate strong very strong sample size
US males 16-19 10% 47% 2% 1,530
US females 16-19 11% 38% 2% 1,287
UK males 16-19 33% 33% 8% 171
UK females 16-19 18% 38% 3% 130
(typical sample size 20-148 for non-web swearing research)
ConclusionsSocial network sites vary by country and typeSome sites with SNS features can help users find information (e.g., pictures, video, music, news) by navigating people rather than documents/objects“Friends” may also give specific advice, if asked nicely (as Lay Experts or even LIMs?)!Should librarians routinely suggest SNSs as an additional source of information – even emotional support?