This is one of many links to, and recommendations of, danah boyd’s essay Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace. The main point of the essay, in case it’s not obvious from the title, is that FB and MS reflect and reinforce socio-economic class.
A secondary point of the essay is also particularly interesting. Since she spends a lot of time talking with and otherwise studying teens and their use of online social networks, danah is often asked if she’s worried about teens.
The answer is yes, but it’s not because of social network sites… I’m amazed at how well teens are coping and I think that technology has a lot to do with that. Teens are using social network sites to build community… they are showcasing all of the good, bad, and ugly of today’s teen life. Much of it isn’t pretty, but it ain’t pretty offline either.