World Map of Social Networks: No Homogeneous World

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Vinco’s Blog recently published a new world map of social networks.. The map shows the worldwide distribution of social network usage based on aggregated data from services like Alexa.

I find the map, albeit not new data, highly interesting. It’s quite well known that Facebook is slowly making progress in conquering the “world of social networks”. Nevertheless, specific networks such as Odnoklassniki in the Russian-speaking world, may be here to stay for some time to come.

Even with all the buzz about the downsides of “data silos” and “walled gardens”, maybe there are plenty of reasons why people prefer “their own” realm - and possibly even ought to? As I have tried to show in an upcoming article for we.magazine (to be published in April 2010) using the example of the country of Georgia people frequently use online networks for a number of reasons, not necessarily abstract concepts of openness or accessibility. Here many who have been brought up under Soviet rule prefer the system of Odnoklassniki as it mimics the real-life structure of the education system they attended. Facebook as many other services are often labelled “Western” which is not necessarily a flattering statement with many above a certain age. Still, many of the youngsters do indeed join Facebook and other competitors.

To simply claim that openness is and a one-size-fits-all approach of universal goodness (just as many people do for transparency) may ignore the simple fact of human beings using the systems - not machines. And humans often do not prefer in daily life what sounds great on paper. What is needed is better research and more hard data on how the brave new world of online social networking plays out in real life. What networks are useful to people, why, and in which circumstances? What “soft skills” (e.g. image, upbringing, education etc.) may influence the choice of participation in building the global civil network?

It is important to ask these questions also from a viewpoint of how global civil society as a formative force besides governments and private business can be furthered in short and long run.

Posted by BijanK at 13.02.10 21:40

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