David Bernstein
Sociology 022 – In the Facebook Age – Spring 2010 – Dhiraj Murthy

I found both of this weeks readings very relative to the world today. Internet use and information technology is a huge aspect of some parts of the world, and many people in other areas do not have the means to use it. The digital divide discussed in these readings talk about the divide between people who do have this technology and people who do not. We have discussed this inequality some in class, but these readings dug a little bit deeper by examining why it is possibly happening, what may be done to bridge the digital divide, and what the digital divide does to the world.

According to Pippa Norris, there are many countries that have digital divides and international agencies are getting involved. The poorer countries and areas of the world such as Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South-East Asia are all behind the internet savvy United States and other well-off countries (274). I think it is important to try and bridge these gaps as quick as possible. In addition, within countries, lowers rates of internet use have been associated with “African-American and Hispanic populations, rural communities, and among women and girls” (278). I believe this is because of cost and that women and girls may not need to use the internet for their jobs, or may not even hold as many jobs as men. Also, latest data shows that age, income, education, and disabilities matter significantly to whether there is internet use or not (278). In Internet Use American Adults, the data is also clear and shows that income and education is the major reasons for the digital divide among American adults. I feel as though most of these reasons are common sense. Since there are so many explanations for why a digital divide exists, it may be impossible to fully bridge this gap. However, I do feel as though over time, the gap will shrink as some of these issues are resolved.

Many countries, organizations, and companies are working hard to try and bridge the digital divide. For example, “Microsoft, Intel, AT&T, and Hewlett-Packard all have foundations that strive to increase technology and internet access by donating equipment” (278). In addition, the British Government has created a network of city learning centers that allows many people to have internet access when they normally would not (278). It is important for the leaders of this technology to take a stand and show that they are willing to try and help the world be connected. Not only would it more likely make them more money in the end, but a fully connected world can really benefit everyone.

The digital divide has major issues in government and politics. The wealthier and more educated people who have the technology hold much more power and influence. For example, presidential candidates used the internet and their websites as “essentially glossy shop-windows”, etc (280).

The themes throughout these readings was clear – not everyone has the same access to the internet and their are a variety of reasons for that difference, such as cost, education, sex, age and others. Many groups are trying to help close this digital divide, but that may be an impossible feat. Only time will tell!

One observation of the readings this week that I found interesting was that there were a lot of questions. I feel as though this shows that even the experts don’t know what will really happen with the digital divide. Will it shrink or grow? There are so many questions that no one knows the answers to yet, but over time, the answers will emerge.

Over break, I was reading Sports Illustrated when I came across a new section in the magazine that I had never seen before. “The Tweet Life” is a new section in the magazine that follows major sports figures personal twitter pages and relays the funny or important tweets to the Sports Illustrated readers. Sports Illustrated is a very popular publication and for them to include this section in their issues shows how much technology and twitter affect our lives and how we get our information and news.

- It is amazing that the woman defends her ideas based on comments on her blog.

- The woman even blogs while she is sick in the hospital…It seems she is more than addicted…every scene she is in, she is on the computer

- Her whole life is on that blog!

- She blogs about people to make records of her life

- Doctors say there is so much information on her blog, that there may be hints on it

- Blogging about her kidney failure connected her to a possible kidney donor in Singapore.

- Responses from readers to her blog shape her life: She wants to get feedback from her readers on which valve to get in surgery – their responses “tell her” to get a plastic valve.

- Her boyfriend does not want her to blog about their personal life, but she says that if she doesn’t blog about everything, she isn’t being truthful.

- Her boyfriend says her blog has turned their lives into readers entertainment.

- She says she hates that her boyfriend doesn’t have a blog because she doesn’t know what he is thinking all the time. She spills all her thoughts and feelings on her blog.

- One of the only things she didn’t blog about was going to the bathroom

I found this week’s readings to be very interesting and really introduced a couple concepts and ideas that I had never really thought about, such as major corporations developing their own SNS pages and social capital being able to be categorized into two different types.

In “Bowling Online,” I was very surprised to learn that major corporations had their own SNS sites. When I think of IBM, I think of strictly business, so when I learned of the company’s incorporation of Beehive, I thought it would only be for business connections. While many of the 50,000 (~15% of the company) users did in fact use it in that regard, there was also personal information shared and posted on Beehive (246). A survey showed that most of the users of Beehive were employees who were “social browsing” (246). I wonder if these Beehive profiles then are considered private or public information to the company and its management. If IBM employees wrote something negative on their profile, could they get fired, just like what happens with Facebook? I feel as though there are always risks with these sites, especially ones focused on one particular group or company. However, as the study concludes, “SNS can potentially play an important role in helping employees maintain and develop connections within the company” (253). So do the benefits outweigh the possible turmoi? That is the question…

This reading also talked about the two types of social capital – Bridging and Bonding. Bridging social capital refers to the weak relationships that are there to provide “new information and diverse prospectives” (246). Bonding social capital refers to the very close relationships – gains of emotional support and financial loans are examples (246). These two types of social capital relate well to the “Benefits of Facebook ‘Friends’” reading. This study showed that Facebook and social capital, especially bridging social capital, are very much connected. I am not surprised by this result because that is exactly how I feel on Facebook. There are only a handful of people that I am “friends” with on Facebook that I would consider in the accumulation of bonding social capital. Most of the people I don’t really talk to unless I have a question and I know they are very good with that material or I need a completely different opinion on something. These are both aspects of bridging social capitals. Also, I feel that most of bonding social capital comes in person or on the phone. I feel if something is that important, that request for support or help is asked in person or by voice in a phone call.

Overall, I feel as though Social Networking Sites do help to accumulate and maintain social capital, but as the studies show, mostly of the bridging social capital variety. Connections are very important, whether you are close to the person or not! You never know when that expert in a random topic that you just happen to know through a friend of a friend can help you. This shows that there is very high opportunity to benefit from connections into a SNS.

This was definitely one of the weirdest and most awkward things I have ever done. I “defriended” people on facebook. I actually ended up “defriending” a fair number of people. I had no idea how many random strangers and people I had just met once or twice were my friends on facebook. I also “defriended” people I did know to just get the feeling, and it was crazy!

The reason I felt awkward was because it was as if I was removing them from my life completely. I could friend them back at some point, but until that point, they are pretty much gone. The people I “defriended” were truly only part of my life through facebook, except for a select few who I instantly refriended. The people I didn’t really know were the people that I didn’t have any of their numbers in my phone and most of them I had no idea where they had gone to college.

This was definitely an experience and this exercise has made me consider “cleaning up” my entire “friends” list in the near future.

While I have been on ChatRoulette a few times personally, I did not go on in class and do not plan on going on again.

I feel that while it can be completely anonymous and safe, the feeling of just talking to a complete stranger is kind of creepy. We are taught while we are young that talking to strangers is dangerous and I feel that this has taken that to a new level. You have no idea who you are talking to on ChatRoulette and no idea whether that person is recording the video session or not. You welcome random people into your life instantly.

Overall, I think ChatRoulette is creepy, but the scary part is that it can also be addicting. We will see what happens with ChatRoulette in the future. It could be a fad or the new popular website of the future.

Everyone is trying to get into the “network society” and upgrade their technology! Look what Topeka, Kansas did…or should I say Google, Kansas?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/02/google.kansas.topeka/index.html?hpt=C1

I found this reading very interesting. I think it is important that we have these SNS bc it allows friends all over the world to keep in touch. I know this technology has helped my girlfriend and I be able to talk all the time. It is important to remember that these are public places though and to be careful. If we use SNS intelligently, they can continue to be safe and very helpful.

My librarian in high school did not like us going on facebook in the library bc she felt the library was only a place of quiet reading or work.