Are we 'friends'?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 by Carrie819
Social networking site (SNS) is becoming a popular phenomenon. It is a way we connect with the outside world, to people we may, or may not know. I think it is very true that SNS such as facebook provides the opportunity for people to give off 'signals' regarding their popularity and trustworthiness by how they are presented and being treated on the site. However there are lots of conventional signals being used on SNS such as the number of connections or friends you have. I have approx 300 friends on my list, but I would say only 50 of them I have strong ties with. It is much easier to capture friends on SNS and easier to present yourself the way you want others to perceive. The signals given by people on SNS are less reliable.
The notion of 'friendship' is also flattening on SNS. It was harder to call someone as your friend before the existence of SNS. A good example would be email or even MSN. In order to add someone on your friends list you have to know their email addresses. I remember when I was in college I only added friends that I considered them as my real friends, people who I would talk to, share things with and love being with. We would exchange our email addresses which were written down on a piece of paper in front of each other. It was a more private and sincere approach. But now you could just add anybody on facebook by their names, or through 'friends' suggestions' and basic profiles can be seen easily. People could leave comments on your walls which appear as if they were your close friends, but in fact they hardly talk to you in real life. I sometimes find it surprising that someone I don't know well leave comments or posts on my wall. Therefore, the term 'friendship' has altered on SNS and the reliability is in doubt.
The notion of 'friendship' is also flattening on SNS. It was harder to call someone as your friend before the existence of SNS. A good example would be email or even MSN. In order to add someone on your friends list you have to know their email addresses. I remember when I was in college I only added friends that I considered them as my real friends, people who I would talk to, share things with and love being with. We would exchange our email addresses which were written down on a piece of paper in front of each other. It was a more private and sincere approach. But now you could just add anybody on facebook by their names, or through 'friends' suggestions' and basic profiles can be seen easily. People could leave comments on your walls which appear as if they were your close friends, but in fact they hardly talk to you in real life. I sometimes find it surprising that someone I don't know well leave comments or posts on my wall. Therefore, the term 'friendship' has altered on SNS and the reliability is in doubt.