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Websites - Annotated Bibliographies
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Written by Patrick Marino, Annotated Bibliographies Editor, Canisius College
Buckman, R. (2005). Too much information? The Wall Street Journal, 246(124), B1-B4.
Buckman offers readers an introduction to the world of Facebook.com, discussing the services available on the site and the way in which students are expressing themselves on the site. Key facts about the creation of the site, its early monetary value, popularity, and user agreement policies are found in this article, including the number of active members at the time, and the number of page views per month. Buckman also discuss the beginning of a growing concern regarding the behavior of students in the Facebook.com environment.
Bugeja, M. (2006). Facing the Facebook: Unless we reassess our high-tech priorities, issues of student insensitivity, indiscretion, and fabrication will consume us [electronic version]. The Chronicle of Higher Education 52, C1.
Facing the Facebook discusses the knowledge gap between students, and faculty and staff when it comes to Facebook.com. Bugeja stresses the extent to which students use the service, and the for faculty and staff in higher education to gain a better understanding of its function and the associated problems and risks. Bugeja does an excellent job of enlightening the reader as to the role of online social networks in our society, pointing out that they are powerful marketing tools as well as a method for administrators to keep tabs on their students.
Daugherty, T., Lee, W.-N., Gangadharbatla, H., Kim, K.,and Outhavong, S. (2005) Organizational virtual communities: Exploring motivations behind online panel participation [Electronic version]. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(4), article 9. Retrived April 18, 2006 from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue4/daugherty.html
In this research study the authors investigate the factors which motivate individuals to participate in online survey groups. These groups differ from online social networks in that participation is requested, and expected at regular intervals. Surprisingly the study showed that participants felt a sense of community from the survey groups despite a lack of ability to communicate with other participants. The study showed that attitude towards the survey predicted motivation to participate. This study is significant to online social networks as it provides some insight into what may motivate students to participate in the network, and how their attitude about Facebook.com might alter their level of participation.
Epstein, D. (2006, June 15). The many faces of Facebook. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved June 15, 2006, from http://insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2006/06/15/facebook
This article provides some introductory information about the uses of Facebook, however the main focus is a discussion of the role of judicial affairs on the Facebook. Epstein discusses the struggle many professionals face when trying to determine whether or not to patrol the site. Information from a web seminar, hosted by Magna Publications and featuring Shawn McGuirk of Fitchberg State College (MA) is used to promote the need to educate students about proper use of the sites like Facebook.com, and the potential negative consequences of behavior conducted through online social networks.
Ess, C., & Sudweeks, F. (2005). Culture and computer-mediated communication: Toward new understandings. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(1), article 9. Retrieved April 18, 2006 from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol11/issue1/ess.html
This entry is a collection of articles which center around the concept of using existing frameworks for cultural analysis to discuss intercultural communication in computer mediated communication (CMC) environments. Essentially the research collected in this set of articles seeks to determine if existing ideas about intercultural communication apply in online environments, and if not, what frameworks may exist for describing the CMC interactions. In their conclusion the authors posit that some existing frameworks are too simple, and contain ideas that are only effective for developing online advertisements. They go on to state that a combination of existing research was helpful for intercultural CMC analysis, but that more research on the topic is necessary. This article is significant in research of online social networks as it illustrates the concept that traditional theories of communication between groups, and social interactions do not fully apply to CMC environments.
Finn, J. (2004). A survey of online harassment at a university campus. Journal of interpersonal violence, 19(4), 468-483.
The journal article details a study of 339 University of New Hampshire students that investigated the prevalence of harassing messages sent through computer communication methods. The study takes into account variables effecting the impact of the messages including the method of delivery and the demographics of the persons involved. While on-line social networks were not yet prevalent at the time this study was conducted, the connections between Facebook.com and the computer mediated communication methods analyzed in this study is clear, and the results foreshadow future problems of online harassment through sites such as the Facebook.com.
Garton, L., Haythornthwaite, C., & Wellman, B. (1997). Studying online social networks. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 3.
While this article was written before the advent of Facebook.com, it holds relevant
information for conducting research of the subject. The authors provide a detailed guide for creating studies to analyze online social networks. Anyone planning to analyze the impact of Facebook.com in higher education should review this document, specifically the information related to units of analysis, and data collection. Also included is a discussion of various views of social networks, methods for partitioning social groups and general information about translating existing knowledge of social networking to online social networks.
How to make Facebook your new best friend: Administrators find advantages to online networking. (2006, February 15). Student Affairs Leader, 34, p. 1-2.
This 2006 article bears significance due to the unique perspective it brings to a library of other articles on Facebook.com. The key point of this report is that Facebook.com is a positive tool for administrators in higher education. The author discuss ways in which student affairs practitioners can use the features of Facebook.com to serve students. Several examples of these ideas in practice are cited, and range from Mansfield University (PA) public relations befriending students on Facebook.com, to Rollins College (FL) advertising campus events through the site. The common theme in the article is that these institutions are achieving positive results by approaching Facebook.com from a perspective that reaches beyond judicial affairs.
Kamenetz, A. (2006, June). The network unbound. Fast Company, 106, p. 69-73.
This report from Fast Company Magazine focuses on a new online social network called TagWorld. According to the article the developing site will seek to replace existing giants MySpace.com and Facebook.com by offering a variety of features not found on both sites. Kamenetz focuses this article on not only the potential of the new site, but also on the big picture significance of online social networks. Specifically Kamenetz discusses the developing field on ‘internet anthropology’ which is currently being studied at UC Berkeley and perhaps more importantly the increasing potential for marketing and advertisement through online social networks.
Kornblum, J. & Marklein, M. B. (2006, March 3). What you say online could haunt you [Electronic version]. USA Today. Retrieved March 20, 2006, from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/internetprivacy/2006-03-08-facebook-myspace_x.htm
This report from USA Today focuses on the consequences of negative actions online. The discussion includes Facebook.com, MySpace.com, LiveJournal and other popular venues for individuals to voice opinions and post images which may come back to haunt them in the future. The authors provide several examples of recent cases in which students were held accountable for their online actions. An emphasis is also placed on the responsibility of the user, citing examples from user agreements of the various cites regarding this issue. Lastly a discussion of student perceptions, and the authority of schools in patrolling online behavior is discussed, ultimately concluding with the concept that ‘common-sense’ is the most important concept to bear in mind when using these sites.
Levy, J. M. & Gonzalez, T.A. (2006, February). Judical/legal brief: Myspace, Friendster and Facebook. G. Brelsford (moderator), PaperClip Communications Teleconference series.
This source is a teleconference put together by PaperClip communications. It was presented in two parts; the first addressed the legal information surrounding the facebook, including the user agreement. The second portion discusses options for how universities should address the facebook from a student conduct perspective. The discussion of the user agreement points out the terms that essentially make Facebook.com immune to any legal action. Also discussed is the role of free speech in online social networks. A copy of this audio conference is available for sale on the Paper-Clip website at http://www.paper-clip.com/audioconference/cdList.asp.
Microsoft and Facebook in Web ad deal. (2006, August 23). Reuters. Retrieved August 23, 2006 from http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2006-08-23T233346Z_01_N23295587_RTRUKOC_0_US-MICROSOFT-FACEBOOK.xml
This brief article from Reuters is significant in that it summarizes a landmark business deal between Facebook.com and Software giant Microsoft Corp. According to the article the deal will make Microsoft the exclusive provider of sponsored links and banner advertisements on the Facebook.com network. The article states that the deal was made in response to a similar agreement between Google.com and MySpace.com, in which Google is expected to pay MySpace at least 900 Million dollars in revenue from the partnership.
Mitrano, T. (2006). Thoughts on Facebook. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from Cornell University, IT Policy Office Web site: http://www.cit.cornell.edu/policy/memos/facebook.html
In this unique document, produced by the Information Technology Policy Office at Cornell University Tracy Mitrano, Director of IT Policy and Computer Policy & Law Program, Cornell University addresses students about the Facebook.com. Mitrano outlines the University stance on Facebook.com and provides advice to students who may need to think more carefully about what they include in their profiles. The statement is unique in that it is one of the first of its kind from a college or university to address the issue of Facebook.com in detail. The essay provides an excellent guideline for other institutions who may wish to put some form of statement regarding the site in writing.
Read, B. (2004). Have you ‘Facebooked’ him? [Electronic Version]. The
Chronicle of Higher Education, 50, A29.
Written in 2004 this piece from the Chronicle of Higher Education provides an introduction for professionals to the site, and various features that were found on it at the time. Read writes about the sites focus on students, and meeting their networking needs, including dating. Read also provides a brief history of how the site came to be, and discusses the potential for social research that might be conducted through the site.
Read, B. (2006). Think before you share: Students’ online socializing can have unintended consequences [Electronic Version]. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 52, A38.
Think before you share is a resource for professionals who are looking for talking points to discuss Facebook.com with students. Read accurately outlines the many pitfalls that students often fall into when creating profiles on the site. Read also mentions the consequences of online actions, including stalking and problems in the future. Read also brings up the need to send students ‘A wake-up call,’ in other words to educate them about the problem in order to help prevent it, even if that means using privacy settings to hide information.
Schweitzer, S. (2005, September 26). When students open up – a little too much: Colleges cite risks of frank online talk. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.boston.com/news/globe/
This entry is a report from the Boston Globe discussing the consequences that students encounter when posting too much personal information on the Facebook.com. In addition to student conduct issues Schweitzer points out that many colleges and universities are concerned about the potential for stalking and harassment that spawn from the wealth of personal information posted on the site. Unlike a number of articles on the subject Schweitzer also discusses several programs that have been developed at colleges to help educate students about using Facebook.com in a safe and positive manner. The philosophy behind the educational approach, as well as the benefits that have resulted from it are discussed briefly throughout the article.
Schweitzer, S. (2005, October 6). Fisher College expels student over website entries. The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 15, 2005, from http://www.boston.com/news/globe/
This report from the Boston Globe utilizes a specific case in which a student faced judicial consequences for action on Facebook.com in order to contribute to the debate over how colleges and universities should address behavior on the site. The case in question is the expulsion of the student government president at Fisher College. According to the article Fisher college officials determined that the students online attacks of a Campus Police officer were in violation of the college computer policy and community standards, and that the students actions were a misuse of the authority of the office of student government president. The article further states that the student sees things differently, defending the viewpoint that campus officials should not take actions on Facebook.com so seriously, and should not police an area designed for social networking.
Shoffel, J. (2005 December 2). SUNY-ESF warns students of Facebook content violating conduct codes [Electronic version]. The Daily Orange. Retrieved August 20, 2006, from http://www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2005/12/02/News/SunyEsf.Warns.Students.Of.Facebook.Content.Violating.Conduct.Codes-1119079.shtml?norewrite200611191507&sourcedomain=www.dailyorange.com
This article from the State University of New York discusses a warning sent to students of the Environmental Science and Forestry programs, that pictures and messages on Facebook.com depicting violations of college policy would be addressed. The letter illustrates an official warning, and a big step forward, in addresses the Facebook.com problem. Shoffel also discusses similar occurrences at other institutions where judicial affairs has opted to become involved in Facebook.com.
Sidman, J. (2005, August 11) In your facebook. Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved November 30, 2005, from http://www.csindy.com/csindy/2005-08-11/cover.html
This article introduces a variety of Facebook.com topics. It begins by explaining the function of the site, and how students are using it. The author goes on to point out the powerful tools for connecting with old lost friends, and for finding new ones. Also addressed are the consequences of negative posts, including one student who posted a threat about the President and wound up being investigated by the US Secret Service. Also covered are the consequences of lesser actions, such as attacking a boss, or professor on the site. The article concludes by covering the potential for stalking that results when students post too much personal information and the need to educate students sot that they are more selective with the data and pictures they post online.
Wikipedia contributors (2006). Facebook. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:04, August 27, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook
Farrell, E. F. (2006) Judging roommates by their Facebook cover: Freshman go online to check out the students they will live with – and reach some early conclusions [Electronic version]. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 53, A02.
This article from the Chronicle of Higher Education discusses a growing trend which has adversely impacted housing and residence life. The issue is that incoming students receive their computer access accounts and email addresses over the summer. This means that new students have access to Facebook.com before they arrive. The logical next move then is to create a profile, and then to look up their assigned roommate. This is a problem for housing and residence life offices, according to the article, because too often students make snap judgments about their assigned roommate and immediately call in demanding a change. The influx of calls means lots of extra work for housing staff as they try to make everyone happy, or else lots of irritated students who didn’t get their wish.
Read, B. (2006, September 14). Facebook does damage control. . The Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus Blog. Retrieved September 14, 2006 from http://chronicle .com/wiredcampus/article/1568/facebook-does-damage-control
This entry from Brock Read, a frequent reporter on Facebook.com related news, discusses a recent statement from network creator Mark Zuckerberg. The statement addressed growing concern that Facebook.com was going to become a public access network, which would allow anyone to view college student profiles. The statement from Zuckerberg reportedly states that while new regional networks will be created to give access to those outside of higher education, college profiles will remain as accessible only to those within the same college network.
Read, B. (2006, September 15). Facebook spawns an army of ‘helicopter parents.’ . The Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus Blog. Retrieved September 15, 2006 from http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/1572/facebook-spawns-an-army-of-helicopter-parents
Another Chronicle entry from Read, this report discusses a growing trend in which incoming college students are using Facebook.com to investigate their future roommates before arriving on campus. The challenge for student affairs administrators, the article explains, is that most of the phone calls they receive with complaints about the assignments are from protective parents who demand immediate changes to remedy their situation. Alan Levy, the Director of Housing Public Affairs at University of Michigan Ann Arbor is quoted as saying “parents tend not to be connected with Facebook culture [they find that] there can be something very off-putting about the way many young people represent themselves.”
Read, B. (2006, September 18). Facebook ‘gallups’ into the political fray. The Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus Blog. Retrieved September 19, 2006 from http://chronicle .com/wiredcampus/index.php?id=1575
Yet another new feature has been added to Facebook.com according to this report. The new feature plays off a new trend in which political candidates have been enlisting student voices on Facebook.com to raise support for their campaigns. In response Facebook.com has added a new feature in which members can indicate their voting preferences. Facebook.com then tracks student input and displays statistical outcomes of who is favored in various elections. According to Read the majority of the polls “ as might be expected…lean to the left.”
Woo, S (2006, September 6). New Facebook feature prompts complaints. The Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus Blog. Retrieved September 19, 2006 from http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/1545/new-facebook-feature-prompts-complaints
Facebook.com is constantly updating it’s features in an effort to meet the demands of its users. According to this article, however, not all of these updates are positive. In early September of 2006 Facebook.com revealed two new features without warning. The features, called ‘news-feed’ and ‘mini-feed,’ provide users with lists of all the actions their friends have made recently on the site. According to Woo, users rejected the features on the basis that it resembled stalking. At the time this article was written one anti-news feed group had already reached 225,000, a number that “seems to grow by the second.” Woo closes by stating that Zuckerberg addressed users saying that Facebook.com is aware of the backlash and is in the process of making new privacy features to control ‘news-feed’ and ‘mini-feed.’ [Note: as of this writing the new features have been added, and the backlash against these features has begun to subside.]