Typically the term social network is connected to sites such as Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, blogs etc - whereas correct term could be digital social networks or social network areas, as they mostly are platform where social actions are exhibited. These platforms, venues differ from cognitive approaches from which communication methods are used to express on those.
I usually start telling how social networks evolved from early 70s to me - where my social network consisted people i can see; family, some others, like that funny person who lived in neighbourhood. And from there also to classmates. Also i got hints about larger network via black&white television we had at the time.
After i started to play baseball my social network extended over the borders of my suburb and town, and got to see other towns and teams we played against. This however meant mostly seeing likeminded people as playing the same sports, attended same camps etc.
Then something changed - social network extended to people i can only hear; we got a telephone, and not only that extended the social network country-wide but also internationally. Fast forward couple years and i had a computer (1982), and after couple years got a modem (300 baud) and account on computer systems which extended my social network to medium i can only read other people (no Turing tests involved). This got my social network into a digital aspect. Also included IRC etc later - with big difference on today's Facebook is that medium was trusted; one got account or access only by recommendations and this aspect has still followed into worklife where those readable bit writers are now CEOs, VPs, EVPs, entreprenours, military etc, and this is interesting aspect as network is important medium on decision making, businesses etc.
When i got drivers license my social network in analog world expanded even further - and i was even controlling it where it went, within the limitations offered by roads.
So in essence social networks can be divided on digital and analog. On medium where i can only read, see or hear the network or its participants, this also non-dependant of location. Nevertheless; if conversation happened online by writing; and you were not there to hear it - did it happen? (need to read it)
As per above example the trust created network can create persistant network spawning over mediums. Other types of social networks are hobby-based, thought-based, or ad-hoc; typically created on "need", like some accident - after which some online digital channels (irc, twitter, or facebook groups) are created and information flows faster than traditional medias like tv, newspapers. however, these ad-hoc networks, similarly like digital social networks are subject to trustworthiness of information (validity), meaning that information might be non-tampered, but it is false. This can be reflected to information warfare where information is used to gain benefit as maneuvers. One should not underestimate the power on information on that sense, especially as it has been thought that in the future wars might be conducted by using information instead of violence - as information is medium of influence, continuum of politics.
Due technological advances social networks are converging - e.g location based information can be shared on digital social network giving information on preferences, recommendations, happenings, location to others. Also games like wow, second life etc have a medium to express social interactions with others, be it playing or just acting together.
These new mediums however are causing of course natural effects; one cannot be sure who is on other end? sometimes also causing very negative impacts, e.g with hategroups on facebook, some self-destrucive, or attention wanting people gaining their fame by posting videos, texts etc. However only difference from earlier is just a medium, spread and speed.
So in essence : social networks are not a new thing. they just have spawned from analog medium to digital medium which also makes participants feeling closer as physical distance is not anymore dependant of travelling, and time has been shrinking as well with speed for access. And you can belong to multiple social networks at the same time based on above mentioned characteristics how they are formulated.
After i started to play baseball my social network extended over the borders of my suburb and town, and got to see other towns and teams we played against. This however meant mostly seeing likeminded people as playing the same sports, attended same camps etc.
Then something changed - social network extended to people i can only hear; we got a telephone, and not only that extended the social network country-wide but also internationally. Fast forward couple years and i had a computer (1982), and after couple years got a modem (300 baud) and account on computer systems which extended my social network to medium i can only read other people (no Turing tests involved). This got my social network into a digital aspect. Also included IRC etc later - with big difference on today's Facebook is that medium was trusted; one got account or access only by recommendations and this aspect has still followed into worklife where those readable bit writers are now CEOs, VPs, EVPs, entreprenours, military etc, and this is interesting aspect as network is important medium on decision making, businesses etc.
When i got drivers license my social network in analog world expanded even further - and i was even controlling it where it went, within the limitations offered by roads.
So in essence social networks can be divided on digital and analog. On medium where i can only read, see or hear the network or its participants, this also non-dependant of location. Nevertheless; if conversation happened online by writing; and you were not there to hear it - did it happen? (need to read it)
As per above example the trust created network can create persistant network spawning over mediums. Other types of social networks are hobby-based, thought-based, or ad-hoc; typically created on "need", like some accident - after which some online digital channels (irc, twitter, or facebook groups) are created and information flows faster than traditional medias like tv, newspapers. however, these ad-hoc networks, similarly like digital social networks are subject to trustworthiness of information (validity), meaning that information might be non-tampered, but it is false. This can be reflected to information warfare where information is used to gain benefit as maneuvers. One should not underestimate the power on information on that sense, especially as it has been thought that in the future wars might be conducted by using information instead of violence - as information is medium of influence, continuum of politics.
Due technological advances social networks are converging - e.g location based information can be shared on digital social network giving information on preferences, recommendations, happenings, location to others. Also games like wow, second life etc have a medium to express social interactions with others, be it playing or just acting together.
These new mediums however are causing of course natural effects; one cannot be sure who is on other end? sometimes also causing very negative impacts, e.g with hategroups on facebook, some self-destrucive, or attention wanting people gaining their fame by posting videos, texts etc. However only difference from earlier is just a medium, spread and speed.
So in essence : social networks are not a new thing. they just have spawned from analog medium to digital medium which also makes participants feeling closer as physical distance is not anymore dependant of travelling, and time has been shrinking as well with speed for access. And you can belong to multiple social networks at the same time based on above mentioned characteristics how they are formulated.
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