Social Networking And Class Warfare

By Steven Levy | Newsweek Web Exclusive

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For young people, the burning question of our time is "Facebook or MySpace?"

Though there's considerable overlap between the two big social-networking services, only one usually becomes the center of a teen's online social life. Most often the choice is made depending on where your friends are. But what determines whether clusters of friends alight on MySpace or Facebook? A controversial answer comes from Berkeley researcher Danah Boyd: it's a matter of social class.

A few weeks ago, Boyd—who has done extensive ethnographic work on online behavior, posted an essay sharing her (admittedly nonscientific) findings after months of interviews, field observations and profile analysis. Generally, she contended, "The goody-two-shoes, jocks, athletes and other 'good' kids are now going to Facebook. These kids tend to come from families who emphasize education and going to college." MySpace is still home for "kids whose parents didn't go to college, who are expected to get a job when they finish high school."

It's also, she says, the preferred digital hangout for outsiders—burnouts, punks, emos, goths, gangstas and minorities.

Boyd does concede that a lot of this may have to do with the fact that Facebook began at Harvard and spread out from the Ivies. But she believes that there's conscious self-identification involved in the choice.

Facebookers are strivers; MySpacers are there in part because they're rejecting the values of preppies, jocks and tools.

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Posted By: mjkittredge @ 06/13/2008 2:32:20 AM

Both sites are full of spammers and fake profiles. They are becoming less and less about peoples expression and connection, and more more about commercial exploits for profit. When the sites first started people were much more friendly and having more fun. Now the sites are OLD NEWS. And you know how young people are, they get bored easily and outgrow things. Youtube is more fun, and so are MMOs. Silly for those people to buy the site, it's like purchasing a sinking ship.
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Posted By: Mickeyo @ 06/09/2008 3:56:32 PM

It's a taboo to talk about class in the United States. To talk about racism, religions, ...yes, but NOT class. The ruling class and corporate media don't want Americans to be self-conscious of class, social inequality, and social justice. They brainwash Americans to believe "class war" and "class struggle" are dirty words. They demonize and label people "Red Commies" when people demand social equality and social justice in this country.
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Posted By: Codeman @ 01/14/2008 11:20:35 PM

I think that this woman is a complete psycho who has absolutely no idea what she is talking about!!!!!! Because i know plenty of people who strive to do the best in every aspect of life and they have myspace and not facebook. So i'm not sure where these months of interviewing came into play in this story. I dont think that she can prove anything towards what she is talking about. Is this article true. NO. It is not!!!! So she is saying that I should have facebook because im a jock, right? Well i play 3 sports a year along with all of my friends that aren't emo or anything like that, and we all have myspace.