Today I read an interesting article about Facebook (you can find it here and in Slovene here) which is called In the world of Facebook (well actually is interesting review of two books).
First the article is describing to-us-all known beginnings of Facebook in 2004 but what I didn't know and was new to me, is the exclusivity of it and starting elitism of it. Yes I knew that primary it was intended to Harvard students but I never thought off that kind of exclusivity the author is describing, that major attraction of the early Facebook came from its snob appeal and its high selectivity. Bourdieu was somehow right with his aesthetic gaze and class although I didn't think that also new technologies can become so stratificated and under that influence. Author is also comparing Facebook with Myspace, because the idea for both is somehow the same (social networking) so the question is, why is Facebook so special? Author is suggesting that Facebook was connected with education and higer class, when Myspace was connected with working class. Also pages of Myspace were more connected with popular culture and were more urban, while Facebook was more aesthetic and was like planned community in suburb.
Author is raising some interesting questions also regarding to privacy, politics, advertising and communication on Facebook. But for me most interesting is idea of "second internet" and Facebook connect function. It is somehow interesting and also intimidating that all your personal information and also all your clicks on internet are noted in huge database and you do not know who sees yours information and who is using and paying for them. This metaphor of "second internet" is really well-placed because all our data and information are in other "virtual world," which is not known to us. I think that debate around privacy on Facebook (and also internet) will be very relevant in future but users should know that like real communities also virtual communities has risk that everybody will know everything about you. Facebook is special in its functions and its consequences on every-day life, but the question remains, it is really indicator of our online existence.
If you're not in group of people in real life, that does not mean that you don't exist, but if you're not on Facebook that just mean that you can relatively safely use internet without being considered who has your information - and yes, you still exist. :)
First the article is describing to-us-all known beginnings of Facebook in 2004 but what I didn't know and was new to me, is the exclusivity of it and starting elitism of it. Yes I knew that primary it was intended to Harvard students but I never thought off that kind of exclusivity the author is describing, that major attraction of the early Facebook came from its snob appeal and its high selectivity. Bourdieu was somehow right with his aesthetic gaze and class although I didn't think that also new technologies can become so stratificated and under that influence. Author is also comparing Facebook with Myspace, because the idea for both is somehow the same (social networking) so the question is, why is Facebook so special? Author is suggesting that Facebook was connected with education and higer class, when Myspace was connected with working class. Also pages of Myspace were more connected with popular culture and were more urban, while Facebook was more aesthetic and was like planned community in suburb.
Author is raising some interesting questions also regarding to privacy, politics, advertising and communication on Facebook. But for me most interesting is idea of "second internet" and Facebook connect function. It is somehow interesting and also intimidating that all your personal information and also all your clicks on internet are noted in huge database and you do not know who sees yours information and who is using and paying for them. This metaphor of "second internet" is really well-placed because all our data and information are in other "virtual world," which is not known to us. I think that debate around privacy on Facebook (and also internet) will be very relevant in future but users should know that like real communities also virtual communities has risk that everybody will know everything about you. Facebook is special in its functions and its consequences on every-day life, but the question remains, it is really indicator of our online existence.
If you're not in group of people in real life, that does not mean that you don't exist, but if you're not on Facebook that just mean that you can relatively safely use internet without being considered who has your information - and yes, you still exist. :)
I actually like the fact that Facebook was primarily meant for elite students - that example reveals us how new technologies lead to egalitarianism, which is not the case in many other areas of people's interest.
ReplyDeleteTake sport for example. It also started as an aristocratic way of spending spare time - tennis and golf were invented for rich people. On the other side, football or boxing were for labour. Situation is pretty much the same nowadays when it comes to sport.
Internet, however, is the same for all of us. If you want to join Facebook you are free to do that - no matter if you are a Harvard or University of Ljubljana student.