Open AccessSocial Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship
Author(s) -
boyd danah m.,
Ellison Nicole B.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of computer‐mediated communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.15
H-Index - 119
ISSN - 1083-6101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x
Subject(s) - scholarship , affordance , theme (computing) , perspective (graphical) , section (typography) , key (lock) , sociology , computer science , world wide web , political science , human–computer interaction , computer security , law , artificial intelligence , operating system
Social network sites (SNSs) are increasingly attracting the attention of academic and industry researchers intrigued by their affordances and reach. This special theme section of the Journal of Computer‐Mediated Communication brings together scholarship on these emergent phenomena. In this introductory article, we describe features of SNSs and propose a comprehensive definition. We then present one perspective on the history of such sites, discussing key changes and developments. After briefly summarizing existing scholarship concerning SNSs, we discuss the articles in this special section and conclude with considerations for future research.