SNS

Boyed and Ellison defines SNS as web-based service with three characteristic: First, it can give out or get offer the information by introducing yourself to the public, or some groups of the people within a limited system, second, it form the list of the users that you want to build or keep the relationship, and third, it lets the users within the system to see or connect to the other users through network. It reflects desire of modern society members who want to retain their identity and not to be isolated from the social structure at the same time. It is similar to “blogs” but more focused on forming relationships.  Thus, SNS is the outcome of the desire of mutual communication from one person to one person using information technology.

Boyed and Ellison claims that SNS needs to have at least three functions: One is that it needs to be created public or anti-public private profile or contents, two, it needs to enable to build a network by making relationships with other users, and three, based on the network, the site needs to work with information such as text and image and enable to offer the function that shares them and communicate through the website.Therefore, social media is the result of the technology of internet service and actions based on the user’s participation and share in web environment. As long as the service is based on the communication between users it can be categorized in social media.

  

      I started using internet since the Warez websites boom. I have enjoyed and found out so many things through internet and now my goal is to be web designer. I love internet. However, personally, I am not so into the SNS. Maybe it is because I do not have the strong desire to be connected to the people all over the world. I started using SNS to share my pictures with my friend and chat with them outside school. Now, I use “Cyworld” to show my pictures here in NY to my parents over there in Korea and “Facebook,” and “Kakaotalk” to communicate my friends in Korea or some friend who cannot be reached by phone in certain situation.  As Boyed and Ellison pointed out, I do not like to have relationship with strangers and I never felt comfortable to share my daily thought and pictures online. I believe SNS has a strong power. I still do not like to jump into the strong current yet. Even though I accept friend request only the people I know, there are still different degrees of trust I have for each person. I never cannot assume how my photos would be recreated by unknown person with unknown purpose. Moreover, I do not believe the relationship built upon online. I have seen and experienced trouble caused by SNS friendships and that has affected the off-line world.  I am busy enough to manage my social life in off-line and I feel connected enough to the people by seeing them in person.