Information Behaviour and Web 2.0 Social Networks Mike Thelwall Statistical Cybermetrics Research Group, University of Wolverhampton, UKWolverhampton Virtual Knowledge Studio (VKS) Information Studies

Contents Introduction Examples of social network sites and ideas for recommending social network sites to library users / information seekers Cybermetric case study of MySpace Conclusion

1. Introduction

Context MySpace, Facebook and similar sites are amongst the most popular web sites According to HitWise, in 2007 MySpace overtook Google in the US Facebook has overtaken MySpace

SNSSNS 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 acquainta nces, 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 are Their 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 people It’s the only way to see a private Profile Being Friends lets you see someone’s bulletins and their Friends-only blog posts You want them to see your bulletins, private Profile, private blog You 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 members Networking 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 LinkedIn Gaia Online CyWorld Digg Last.FM

LinkedIn SNS designed to help members find new business contacts Especially helps look for friends of friends or aquaintances of acquaintancesaquaintances of acquaintances

Cyworld Korean SNS Avatar-based –users live in their own home in their mini-hompy Arguably the world’s first popular SNS Members meet new people online Members seem to self-disclose online and make trusting relationships Micropayments 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 stories Digg is not really for friendship.

Can friend LewP and navigate his stories (can also do this without friending) and friendsLewP LewP is a human “recommender system”?

Last.FM Music-based site Helps members listen to music that they like or might like Prompts users to friend people listening to similar music Can 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 members 2. systematic sample of 7,627 members who joined on July 3, excluded: music sites, ex-members, members with 0 or 1 friends all information on home pages was automatically downloaded and harvested by SocSciBot -> Excelinformation on home pages

days since last access -members use MySpace once or frequently all Members >>

days since last access -members use MySpace once or frequently July 3 members

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 friends females 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 moderatestrongvery strongsample size US males %47%2%1,530 US females %38%2%1,287 UK males % 8%171 UK females %38%3%130 (typical sample size for non-web swearing research)

Conclusions Social network sites vary by country and type Some 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?