This weekend, The Social Network — Facebook's new creation myth — opened in theaters. The story pits the American idea that individuals can move from rags to riches against European notions that tie social status to birth. The American idea wins, of course. The movie's lead character is Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg), a brilliant Harvard undergraduate whose main flaw is his lack of social grace. Viewers learn that the original idea for Facebook comes from Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss — elitist WASP twin brothers who are on Harvard's crew team — and their pal Divya ... Read More
Facebook Friendships Based on Assumptions
Even before its official release, The Social Network has been criticized for presenting a largely fictionalized version of the founding of Facebook. Some company executives have lamented that, after seeing the film, many people will believe things that aren’t necessarily true. This criticism is somewhat ironic, given that social networks — online or in person — aren’t known for their rigorous vetting of shared information. The latest evidence: Newly published research finds a lot of people make inaccurate assumptions about their Facebook friends. “Friends disagree more than ... Read More
More like this: Culture, Culture & Society, Findings, NEWS Tags: Facebook, Internet, Relationships, Social Networks
On Facebook, You Are Who You Know
Remember the golden days when Facebook used to be for just college students? It was a quainter site — with a much different set of rules. Drunken party photos used to be unceremoniously splayed out in public, privacy settings were almost nonexistent, wall posts weren't status updates and there was little need to filter regrettably off-color comments. After all, the only people (you assumed) who saw that stuff were college buddies who were also posting the same incriminating photos of themselves on the site. Now, after the Facebook explosion, users are more aware of privacy issues than ... Read More
More like this: CAROUSEL, Culture, Culture & Society, Findings, Media Tags: Facebook, Privacy, Social Networks
Health Care Summit Includes an Active Cyber Audience
Barack Obama tried to introduce a new dynamic into the year-old, stalled health care debate today with a bipartisan health care summit. The proposals, from either side, weren't novel. Neither were the basic talking points, the Congressional Budget Office stats cited or the tear-jerk constituent stories retold. But this much was: All seven hours of the discussion were broadcast on TV and — of more importance to the thousands of people unlikely to ever tune to C-SPAN — streamed live on just about every corner of the Internet. Ostensibly, the summit was an experiment in whether a live ... Read More
More like this: Health, The Idea Lobby Tags: Facebook, Health Care, Health Care Reform, Social Networks, Twitter
Social Networking Breeds Better Citizens? LOL!
Remember those reports that social networking Web sites are transforming American politics, changing the way voters get information and drawing previously disengaged young people into the system? A new study suggests such stories shouldn’t be taken at face(book) value. In the February issue of the journal Social Science Computer Review, East Carolina University political scientists Jody Baumgartner and Jonathan Morris — authors of a much-discussed 2006 study suggesting The Daily Show’s campaign coverage on Comedy Central breeds cynicism — conclude idealistic visions of a ... Read More
More like this: Culture, Culture & Society, Findings Tags: Civics, Facebook, Internet, Social Networks
What’s With the Media’s Twitter and Facebook Obsession?
Wherever you turn these days — whether newspapers, radio or television — journalists espouse the virtues of Twitter and Facebook. In the short lifespan of Internet hype, MySpace and Friendster are ancient history. So what gives? Is there some sort of media conspiracy, or are Twitter-haters just jealous they didn't think of it first? As if 24-hour news coverage wasn't enough, CNN regularly asks viewers to follow reporters on Facebook — now purportedly with more than 200 million users — and Twitter, the country's fastest-growing social networking site now with more ... Read More
