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Social Networks and Community

Caitlin Hull Rutgers University Social Informatics December 12, 2009. Social Networks and Community. The issue:. The popularity of social networking sites is growing exponentially. Part of the appeal of these sites is the perception of community.

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Social Networks and Community

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  1. Caitlin Hull Rutgers University Social Informatics December 12, 2009 Social Networks and Community

  2. The issue: • The popularity of social networking sites is growing exponentially. • Part of the appeal of these sites is the perception of community. • Social networks and communities are not synonymous, even if they share some of the same qualities. • In some instances, social networks do create a sense of community. • Social networks make use of web 2.0 technologies to expand the definition of community. • However, in doing so, they are also challenging the very idea of what constitutes a community.

  3. Community: • What defines a community? • Proximity • Shared values • Common Interests • Interaction

  4. Social Networks as Community: • What social networking tools create a sense of community?: • Networking sites • Blogs • Forums • Support groups • Content sharing and tagging

  5. Social Networks Extend Community: • How are social networks redefining community? • Remove geographical boundaries • Construct online worlds that adhere to a value system • Allow for as much interaction as the user desires. • Actively seek out those with common interests

  6. Social Networks Challenge Community: • Are social networks detracting from the concept of community? • Less interpersonal and face-to-face interaction • Decreased engagement in immediate surroundings or existing physical communities • Can increase weak ties and diminish strong ones • As social worlds collide, there’s less of a sense of clear, distinct communities

  7. Conclusion: The development of communities is one of the most elemental facets of human existence. Social networks can function as a tool to support communities and also allow them to exist in ways we’ve never experienced before. However, in using social networks to transform the way we develop communities, we must be vigilant that we keep the basic tenets of community alive. It becomes dangerous and scary when we use technology to erase one of the very things which has helped to sustain human existence. While the concept of social networks is relatively new, it is important to continue to study the impact it has on human life so that the changes it affects are largely positive.

  8. Note: This PowerPoint was intended to provide an outline for the issues that will be examined further throughout the wiki. Please explore the wiki, which contains digital media to convey the ideas presented in this outline. The wiki includes original digital content in the form of video mashups and collages created by the author of this presentation. The images and music were culled from the internet, but the re-use of the content is original. Please enjoy the presentation!

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