I've been too busy Facebooking (yes, it's a verb) lately, to keep this blog updated. My research on Mxit and adolescent girls is still in the literature review phase, but my recent facing has got me thinking that there's a research topic/ journal article in there, somewhere!From a relatively mundane existence and bland social life, I suddenly have over 20 friends. Facebook friends, of course, whatever that means. Perhaps an appeal to my voyeuristic tendencies as I can follow their activities, moods, horoscopes, you name it. Or perhaps, more cynically (credit to Susan here), it's the anomaly of increased communications technology but decreased intimacy, which interfaces like Facebook seek to emulate.
So, the researcher in me wants to know: which South Africans are on Facebook, and why? What about the patterns of social differentiation seen in unequal access (let's call it the Digital Divide)? Is the technological ability to multitask further compressing time in our already hurried existence? (Castells) What are the possible political implications of Facebook?
Anyone want to co-author a paper or volunteer themselves as an interview subject?
Hang on, gotta go. Need to facebook my husband. Need to remind him to put the trash out!
About
Tanja teaches radio journalism and media studies in the Centre for Film and Media Studies, UCT. She is passionate about hiking and running, reading, teaching and conducting interdisciplinary research into talk radio, radio audiences, alternative media, youth, and the social aspects of new media. She volunteers at Fine Music Radio 101.3FM as a presenter a World Music Show, and serves on the boards of Agenda Feminist Media, FMR, AIDC and the MDDA.
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Absolutely. I am now up to 49 "friends" since my last post, and I think it raises new ways of looking at and defining "intimacy". I'd be really keen to read your studies of online communities Vicki, please send me links if you can.
Posted by Tanja 10 Sep 2007, 19:44I also have first hand observation of the Mxit phenomenon, and what is also potentially interesting here, is the relationship between self-image and 'real' life experiences, versus their ICT mediated personas.
Quite a number of academic libraries in the States are on Facebook. Friends of those libraries have an application on their profiles linking them to the libraries' page and catalogues. There are a growing number of South African librarians on Facebook ... I've even set up a (closed) group for the Library and Information Association of South Africa.
Did you see that article in the Times [daily Sunday Times (-:] about a mother who had signed up on Facebook? Teenage daughter was mortified, but the daughter's friends thought it rather cool! My daughter has accepted me as a friend, but I can only see a limited profile.
Posted by Ingrid 10 Sep 2007, 19:45I'm not sure that ICTs decrease intimacy... I think they reframe, redefine and sometimes refocus intimacy, as well as augmenting intimacy in new ways.
I've studied a number of online communities, and focused particularly on those that exist both virtually and physically, in comparison to some which don't, and my findings would suggest something rather different.
Having observed - rather more, and rather more closely, than I'd have wished to - adolescent use of Mxit, I'd also challenge that notion. If anything, I reckon ICTs offer the abilty to *enhance* intimacy that - particularly among that angsty and intense group - allows a deeper type of communication than the face2face posing most of them pass off as conversation.
Posted by Vicki 10 Sep 2007, 19:45