[Air-L] Social network site nomenclature

[Christopher Lueg]

On Wed, 13 May 2009, Caroline Haythornthwaite wrote:

> Social networking sites (SNSs) are online sites which provide the 
> technical infrastructure for social networking. While the term is used, 
> and I'd say reserved for online sites, the concept of a social 
> networking site could also apply to offline settings as well -- after 
> all, what is a pub for if not a social networking site.

Totally agree. Just like a pub can be a superior place for knowledge 
management. Back to topic: so what in the difference between social 
networking sites and 'regular' online community sites then? Is it possible 
to draw a line?

A common characteristic is that both provide merely the technical 
infrastructure for people to join and create the 'community'.

I always thought an important aspect of 'novel' SNN like linkedin is the 
provision of search meaning you can search for a person that fits some 
characteristics (fits not only linkedin but every matchmaking site)

In good old Usenet times (ie prior to dejanews and similar data huggers) 
it was easy because Usenet didn't tell you anything about its 
participants. You had to find out yourself by examining traces left behind 
(aka reading postings) and emailing/meeting participants.

Nowadays most 'regular' online community sites (eg travel site 
australien-info.de) also offer user profiles and search. Which means it's 
a weak distinction but it might lead somewhere?

> And, yes, social networks emerge and are maintained through social 
> networking via social network sites. The distinction is that social 
> networks emerge in lots of ways, not *just* through the deliberate 
> strategy of social networking, nor just through social networking sites.

Absolutely. It's marketing that would love to make us believe that you 
have to sign up to some site in order to find new friends/business 
partners/...

Best regards
christopher


> Comments please as I really do try to make these distinctions clear and bug
> people not to call my work 'social networking'!
>
> /Caroline



-- 
Dr. Christopher Lueg
Professor of Computing
University of Tasmania
Private Bag 100
Hobart TAS 7001, Australia
christopher.lueg at utas.edu.au
http://www.cis.utas.edu.au/users/clueg/
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