References

Bibliography
Allen, L 'Lily Allen's official MySpace' retrieved from MySpace, www.myspace.com/lilymusic

Boyd, D 2006 'Identity Production in a Networked Culture: Why Youth Heart MySpace' Retrieved from http://www.danah.org/papers/AAAS2006.html 19 May 2007

Boyd, D 2007 'Friends, Frendsters, and Top 8: Writing Community into being on social network sites' in Net Communication

Boyd, D 2006 'Friendster lost steam. Is MySpace just a fad?' Retrieved from http://www.danah.org/papers/FriendsterMySpaceEssay.html 19 May 2007

Buskens, V and Kendall L 2002 Social Networks and Trust Springer, CA

Calilhanna, A 2005 '43 Million reasons to use MySpace' retrieved from http://www.discmakers.com/music/ffwd/2006/myspace.asp 21 May 2007

Cotterell, J 1996 Social Networks and Social Influences on AdolescenceRoutledge Publishing London

Dwyer, C 2007 'Digital Relationships in the MySpace Generation: Results from a Qualitative Study' retrieved from http://csdl2.computer.org/comp/proceedings/hicss/2007/2755/00/27550019c.pdf 15 May 2007

Fung, A 2002 'Identity Politics, Resistance and New Media Technologies' in New Media and Society Sage Publications CA pp.185-204

Goffman, E 1959 The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life Garden City NY Doubleday and Co.

Hofstede, G. and Bond, M. 1988 'The Confucius Connection: From Cultural Roots to Economic Growth' in Organisational Dynamics Spring 4-21

Li, J 2007 'Cross - Cultural Analysis of MySpace Profile Pictures' retrieved from http://www.virtual-china.org/2007/04/crosscultural_a.html 20 May 2007

Maier, M 2006 'MySpace Unwired' retrieved from http://www.helio.com/livefiles/1/1145986628748/1145986628758/CNNMoney_021606.pdf 17 May 2007


Wellman, B 1996 'An Electronic Group is Virtually a Social Network' retrieved from http://www.chass.toronto.edu/~wellman/publications/electronicgroup/electronicgroup.pdf 15 May 2007

Conclusion

Despite the pessimism that inevitably arises from the corporate influence over every aspect of the internet and indeed social networking, the pure social benefits that emerge from internet based social networking sites should not be ignored. Individuals now have outlets in which to not only locate others in an ever globalising world, but also find themselves. Whether we believe in the social networking phenomenon or not, the themes of identity construction and self-fulfillment are issues which will continue to resonate with society as it evolves. Ultimately the success of thes sites has raised questions over the reality of our new idenities and the conflict between our increased communication and market influence. But now that we as a society have overcome the previous boundaries of time and space in our interactions, we will not be alone when trying to find the answers.

The Marketing Dollar

As is with many aspects of the internet, the commercial and corporate role in the social networking boom is a facet of discussion that should be raised. Although all of the posts previously have made mention of the social ramifications of internet social networking, the presence of large corporations and incredible amounts of marketing dollars may modify our perspective on what has been termed dramatic social change. Rupert Murdoch (pictured) and News Corporation did not simply purchase MySpace for US$580 million (Maier, 2006) because of his philanthropic desire to increase social connectivity. Similarly, social networking partnerships, such as Friendster’s association with picture database Flickr, Google owned video sharing phenomenon YouTube’s user friendly relationship with MySpace, and –on a smaller scale- Australian social network Asiagroove with clubbing event giant Nightggrounds are not mere coincidences. It is undeniable that the way in which we view and participate in social networks has been drastically altered through uniquely internet features such as the ‘Top Friends’ function.

The marketing opportunities for social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook in the current internet era are numerous, and it would be deemed unpractical for corporate business to neglect to make their monetary presence felt. With members in the hundreds of millions and growing substantially with each passing day, the potential audience for advertisements on these sites out perform any other medium in the technological age. Most importantly for these companies, the major demographic of these networks, the ‘16-35’s’ (cnn.com) are considered to be the highest consumers in the population. Internet journalist Andre Calilhanna highlights the increased commercial prospects of internet social networks, when he lists the five most integral aspects of effective marketing as seen on the internet: Viral Marketing, Two-way communication, motivated consumers, cross-over marketing opportunities and free marketing/word of mouth (2005). Through a discussion of the major benefactors of this commercial phenomenon, I will attempt to highlight the conflict of this commercialism and the social changes stated in previous posts.

Perhaps the greatest beneficiary of the emergence of social networking sites has been the ailing music industry. Struggling in a climate of illegal downloads and steady declines in CD sales worldwide, music artists have in many ways ‘teamed with the enemy’ (Calilhanna, 2005) in order to gain a following. The incredible connectivity in internet networks has allowed for artists to spread their music worldwide at a remarkable speed, which has ultimately translated into financial success. Undisputedly one of the queens of this phenomenon, British pop artist Lily Allen (pictured) attributes her almost cult like following to the success of her Myspace profile (www.fasterlouder.com.au). Indie rock group Billionaire Boys Club were also one of the first few artists to enlist the help of MySpace in their endeavour to find fans. In pure marketing terms, the roots behind the success of music artists on MySpace can be plainly seen. Calilhanna states that ‘MySpace offers everything you would want as a fan. New music, links to similar artists with new music (through the top friends function), and constant dialogue about the band’s progress’ (2005).

However this commercial success and viral marketing may have come at a cost to the social positives that have emerged from the social networking phenomenon in the first place. The identity affirming comments function (on Xanga and Facebook they are known as ‘kudos’) are vulnerable targets for malicious and fast spreading ‘spam comments’(pictured). This reduces the individuals desire to display their personal internet identity as it has been bombarded with corporate messages. The individual’s connection to their favourite political identities and musical artists is also not as strong as first perceived through social networking. Many of the artist’s profiles are maintained by PR managers and not by the band members themselves, limiting any form of real relationship within that aspect of the network. American band The Shins were one of many victims of their distance from their profile. Unbeknown to them, a fake profile was created with their name as a method to circulate mobile ring-tone sales –further evidence of spam marketing. The commercial dominance over the social networking fraternity in many ways also hinders smaller business institutions, as advertising is dominated by multinational conglomerates. It is of no surprise then when the MySpace home page advertises the upcoming release of Hollywood feature film ‘Blades of Glory’ and not a winner of the Cannes film festival.

The Eternal Quest for Identity

Despite the obvious physical advantages of the new form of social network, perhaps one of the most prolific causes for the formation of any social network is that of identity discovery and formation. American author John Cotterel suggests that ‘it is through others that we find ourselves’ (year, pp 41) and it is this dependence on others in finding our place in society that holds social networks together. The appeal of your very own individualised space on the network should also be mentioned in this identity discussion, as this provides a means for individuals to exhibit the ‘best’ of themselves. In Gorman’s study of social interactions in networks, he mentioned the importance of ‘Impression Management’, or in pure laymen’s terms, making a good first impression. Good first impressions, as suggested by Goffman, were dependant on the individual’s ability to ‘supervise what positive personal qualities are inferred’ (p.19, 1959), and it is this extent of ‘quality control’ over what aspects of identity that others are able to view that highlights the attractiveness of the internet social network. Indeed, of the multitudes of reasons behind the rapid growth of internet social networking site memberships, the facilitation of not only identity creation, but also methods in which to display this identity positively seem to appeal to the majority of internet social network users. A survey of MySpace users conducted by Pace University found that the most popular features of the MySpace profile were the ‘display picture’ option, ‘Top Friends’ (pictured above) and ‘Picture Slideshow’ function – all features which had the potential to control what aspects of identity that were deemed appropriate. It is these three features of MySpace in particular, in addition with other unique social networking website features that increase identity formation and creation beyond that of which is capable in the ‘real’ world. Boyd states ‘profiles provide an opportunity to craft the intended expression through language, imagery and media’ (p.1, 2006), a task which is a great deal easier through the capabilities of the internet social network.

It is through this comparison of the ‘real’ world social network and the social networking site functions that highlights the greater potential of the internet in creating identity and hence creating networks. The first most common function of the vast majority of social networking sites is that of the ‘display picture’ (or referred to as ‘profile picture’ by MySpace, Friendster and Facebook). All members of social networking sites are required to upload a picture which distinguishes them from other members. The extensive amount of consideration that goes towards the display picture is emphasised by website www.virtual-china.com, which states: ‘there is a need to post a glamour shot’.Various other writers have also noticed the need to look ‘attractive’ on their MySpace profile, but have all agreed that the style of shot is somewhat dependant on cultural background. Western culture profiles are typified by ‘glamour close up shots where you are looking at the camera’
whereas MySpace China is littered with profiles with ‘candid webshots’ (Li, 2007)
. These marked cultural differences strongly suggest the profile image as an outlet of identity.

Apart from the capacity for individuals to exhibit themselves on their personal profiles, it is the newest and most unique of functions that delineates the virtual community from the real world social network. Of all the methods in which users can provide an outlet in which to express their place in society, the presentation of other members with whom the user finds the greatest amount of emotional connection should place among the most effective. The ‘Top Friend’ feature, as most famously used by social networking giants MySpace and Xanga has stimulated a great amount of psychological analysis over the effects of internet based social networks. Initially introduced as a ‘Top 8’ by MySpace, this feature allows users to publicly display the user’s ‘favourite friends’. Boyd’s (pictured) study of the politics surrounding the feature emphasises the extensive amount of identity that can be formed through specific ordering of friends on public profiles. The study suggested that being among the ‘Top Friends’ status was often reciprocated. This meant that users who had placed other individuals among their higher friend levels harnessed an expectation of being placed at a similar status (Boyd, 2006 5). This reciprocation in itself leads to greater solidarity within groups, which is the first stepping stone to constructing one’s own identity. The uniquely MySpace feature of musical artists, actors, movies and even prominent political identities (see: Barack Obama) all possessing profiles further add to the idea of the ‘Top Friends’ expressing the self. The positioning of musical artists in particular places the user under a certain demographic of society, and the attempts to be friends with ‘cool artists’ (Boyd, 2007 8) further emphasises users’ desire to display the ‘best aspects of themselves’ (Goffman, 1967 23)

The Old Network Vs. The New

It is through this juxtaposition of the two network forms – the old tangible social network and the electronically mediated internet form-, that different aspects of networking can be viewed as either having been altered through the emergence of the internet, or whether the physical characteristic has just flowed over in the virtual world. Wellman states that there are two integral parts of social networks which highlight aspects of human nature: range and exclusivity (1996, p8). Within this physical framework of social networking and interaction, a great deal of evidence suggests that internet social networking has increased the potential for both networking has changed its inherent meaning in society.

The first most prominent difference between physical social networks and that of the virtual is range, or breadth of the network. The internet’s capacity has increased the ability for society to find ‘connections’ (Cotterell, 1996 23) well beyond previous geographical boundaries. Indeed while the astonishing amount of members to social networking site MySpace (at publication this number stood at almost 200 million) signifies the ease in which communication can be staged, it is the smaller more genre specific social sites that perhaps best typifies the ease at which interactions can be staged globally. The success of social networking site HKnet in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s is one such site which has enabled those of similar values to connect, regardless of their geographical location. Created initially for emigrating Hong Kong students in the United States, HKnet became the hub for all Hong Kong immigrants to find each other and discuss the then turbulent political situation in their homeland at the time. In Fung’s study on the effects of HKnet, he contends that ‘HKnet mobilised a political resistance through its unification of minorities which would otherwise go unheard’ (2002 4) and it is theme of unifying communities that could not communicate previously that lies in the crux of the success of social networks.

While the breadth of the social network has increased significantly due to the capabilities of the internet, the difficulty in finding and accessing social networks has also decreased markedly. The limited membership criterion for entry into prominent social networking sites such as MySpace reduces previous physical social barriers such as age, appearance and cultural background. This is of stark contrast to the many restrictions placed on real world social networks, where admission into a network is often fraught with angst over what Buskens terms ‘validity of membership’ (2002 59). The various studies conducted by organisational behaviour theorist Geert Hofstede (pictured) in regards to network/group formation further suggested that once an ‘in-group was created, it was hard to add additional members without an extensive initiation process’ (1980 49). The elimination of this ‘socially exhaustive’ (Hofstede, 1980 46) practice reduces the angst that is often associated with joining a network. While some sites such as Facebook require a pre-invitation from an existing user, a viable email address is all that is usually required for a personal profile.

To the relief of many internet users, knowledge in the area of HTML coding is also not a hurdle in gaining entry into the internet network, which has further fuelled the growth of the network further. Users at all levels of internet experience can fully participate and communicate within the network, as well as easily individualise their own profiles. This is in stark contrast to the physical social network, where a knowledge of social norms and ‘social cues’ (Dwyer, pp1, 2007) is required in order to integrate into the network properly. These physically evident changes in social networking of size and exclusivity should be seen as positive evolutions in human interaction. The old physical networks posed two major problems for those who were not yet in the network. While the geographical restriction seemed to be the largest hurdle, it was the need for social awareness that hindered many from even trying to interact with already formed social networks. The anonymity of the internet overcomes this problem, and society has absorbed this new aspect of human interaction willingly.

Social Networks and the success of Internet Social Networks

Of the many aspects of human nature that define us both culturally and physically, it is our inherent desire to ‘belong and be apart of a greater fraternity’ that remains one of the most prominent. From a purely physical standpoint, this desire makes perfect sense. As human beings, we are in a constant search for our identity and place in society, a search which is made ultimately easier by finding a group in which to align to.

Emerging from this yearning for group membership is that of the social network. ‘A social network is a set of people connected by a set of socially meaningful relationships’ states Wellman, and it is these sequences of relationships that satiate our yearning for the support and identity construction. In this current age of globalisation and technological advancement, the desire to assimilate has not changed. The amazing success of social networking websites such as MySpace, Facebook and Friendster is a testament to society’s constant need to connect to other individuals. However the creation of these new ‘internet networks’ has changed the way in which we both interact and define social inclusion. The previous limits on social networking such as geography and language barriers have been greatly diminished due to the all encompassing nature of the internet. Our very own definition of a social network has undeniably changed, as well as the means in which we interact within and throughout the network. These drastic changes to human interaction and indeed the evolution of our own self identification are issues that are prominent not only as pure sociological discussions, but also in terms of the ever growing presence of the internet on our daily livelihoods. It is inevitable; however, that when discussing the internet and interaction, that the presence of large multinational corporations and the marketing dollar is also raised. This presence to, has a large a significant impact in not only the formation of the social network but on the methods and limitation of interaction.

In the coming blogs, I will discuss the new and enhanced form of social networking through the internet, with a distinct concentration on the new opportunities for identity construction, as well as the conflict which arises from corporate aggregation of these websites. In this discussion I will focus primarily on the most popular social networking sites, such as MySpace, Friendster and Facebook, as all three sites encompass the core values of internet social networking. In order to analyse these networks properly however, they must be compared with the old physical style networks to gauge their efficiency.