Social Networking: “Friend” or “Foe”? Annotated Bibliography Example

Acquisti A, Gross R. Imagined communities: Awareness, information sharing, and privacy on the Facebook. In: Privacy Enhancing Technologies. Springer; 2006:36-58.

This paper discusses some of the privacy and security issues that one may have while visiting social networking sites-MySpace, Facebook, and Friendster. The information focuses mostly on the demographic information that members and nonmembers are willing to give truthfully when joining the site. According to the information, privacy issues are usually a mild indicator of whether or not a person will join a social network. They believe this is so because people on media sites often feel a sense of anonymity, but still remember to be careful when posting personal information like phone numbers or home addresses

Browne K. Snowball Sampling: Using Social Networks to Research Non-heterosexual Women. International Journal of Social Research Methodology: Theory & Practice. 2005; 8(1): 47-60.

This article discusses something they referred to as the snowball effect. According to their findings, social networks have a great impact on how respondents think, act, respond, and interact socially as a direct result of interactions with other members of the social site. The research showed that often people who were members of the same social media site often had the same feeling about issues that are current in the media. For example, non-heterosexual women that were surveyed agreed that dating in the lesbian world has proven easier than dating the opposite sex.

CARL AM, CATHERINE MC. Locating research informants in a multi-ethnic community: ethnic identities, social networks and recruitment methods. Ethnicity and health. 2003; 8(1):41-61.

This paper explores how racial make-up plays a part in one’s participation in certain social networking sites. The authors concluded that certain ethnic groups are targeted for participation in specific social networking sites. For example, according to the information that was gathered Facebook targets more African American persons between the ages of 18-25. They also run ads that would target what they think African Americans of this age frame would be interested in.

Ellison NB, Steinfield C, Lampe C. The benefits of Facebook “friends:” Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. 2007; 12(4):1143-1168.

This article seeks to determine if there is a relationship between members of Facebook and social capital. Their findings suggest that Facebook is helping to eliminate the gap of social capital. The findings also suggest that Facebook builds the morale and psyche of their members who have low self-esteem and dissatisfaction with their lives. If this assumption is correct, members of Facebook will be more apt to work harder to obtain a life that is worthy of themselves.

Hemalatha, N. (202012). Informal Social networking: problems and prospects of the knowledge society. International Journal of Research in Management, Economics, and Commerce, 2(2), pp. 116 – 129.

This article discusses some of the pros and cons of being a member of social networking sites. According to the article, being a member broadens the person’s social circle by linking them to people who have similar interests. However, it can take up personal time that one might spend with friends or family. One of the most negative side effects was the fact that some people tend to spend too much time on social media sites and loose friendships outside of the social media site.

Klovdahl AS, Potterat JJ, Woodhouse DE, et al. Social networks and infectious disease: the Colorado Springs Study. Social science & medicine (1982). 1994; 38(1):79.

A study was conducted to see how well social networking could identify the factors that cause transmission of pathogens. The study consisted of 600 participants who were a member of the same social networking site. The study found that people were more willing to answer survey questions on the media site because of the sense of anonymity. It was less threatening than going into a medical facility and talking face to face with a nurse or social worker.

Livingstone, S. (2010).On the Rapid Rise of Social Networking Sites: New Findings and Policy Implications. Children and Society, 24(1), pp. 75 – 83.

This article discusses how social media is growing within the youth population. This article also discusses how educators may be able to use social media sites as a means of educations. Students are already aware of how the sites operate and in some cases the students are able to become the teachers. They are able to educate adults and other students who do not have access to social media.  Because students like using social media anyway, it is likely that they will use media sites to complete homework or classwork assignments. It is probable that this will increase students’ willingness to complete assignments.

Sacks, M. (2012). How many friends do you need? Teaching students how to network using social media. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1), pp. 80 – 88.

This article discusses how students can use social media sites for more than entertainment. They are being taught to use media sites as a means of communication and networking. Often students go off to new cities when they go to college for the first time. By using social media sites, they can have friends that they have communicated with for years prior to college. Students often suffer from depression and homesickness when they leave home for the first time. The researchers believe this will help with the overall mental health of students who may find it difficult to cope with the loneliness of being a first time college student. First time college students who drop out prior to the end of the first semester often site loneliness as being the main determinant in their choice of not returning to school.

Thompson, Clive.  “I’m So Totally, Digitally Close to You.” New York Times.com.  New York Times.  5 Sept. 2008.  Web.  30 March 2011.

This article discusses how social networking sites affect how people view their relationships with each other. He argues that when using social networking sites people have and increase in “ambient awareness”, which makes them feel closer to people they usually have never seen in person. This fact makes them more willing to start up friendships with mere stranger that they may chance encounter on the street. Social media sites seem to boost a person’s confidence in themselves.