shared hobby—seem inconsequential compared to the costs of coordination, and thus the effort required to set up a future interaction seems unjustified. In other cases, the benefit of keeping in touch becomes apparent only later, after the opportunity has passed. Social network sites can help eliminate these barriers. With minimal effort and the thinnest of information, a profile can be located and a connection created. Social network sites facilitate interaction, both at that moment and in the future. The latent connection can be digitally reconstituted at any time, should the need or desire arise.

For the past three years, our research team at Michigan State University has studied Facebook use among undergraduate students. The team has explored the positive outcomes of social network site use by employing a social capital theoretical lens, which gives us a grammar for describing the kinds of benefits we receive from our relationships with others. In his well-known book Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam discusses two kinds of social capital [ 2]. Bonding social capital comes from close friends and family in the form of emotional support and tangible resources. Bridging social capital, conversely, is associated with our “weak ties”: friends of friends, past colleagues, or other acquaintances. Our weak ties are valuable conduits to diverse perspectives and new information; research has shown that we are more likely to receive information about an employment opportunity from someone we see rarely. Sociologist Mark Granovetter

calls this the “strength of weak ties [ 3].”

Our research into social network site use by college students suggests that these sites allow individuals to manage a wider network of weak ties and thus increase bridging social capital. As Judith Donath and danah boyd predicted in 2004, “… technologies that expand one’s social network will primarily result in an increase in available information and opportunities—the benefits of a large, heterogeneous network.” Among the undergraduates we surveyed, intensive use of Facebook was associated with higher levels of social capital, especially bridging social capital [ 4]. Surprisingly, broad use of the Internet didn’t increase social capital, suggesting that only certain types of online activities (such as Facebook use) influence social capital levels.

Before social network sites were popular, people used communication strategies like gossip and the holiday newsletter to maintain awareness of distant friends, old coworkers, and far-flung relatives. Through status updates and feeds, SNSs enable individuals to broadcast both major life changes and ephemeral activities to their broad network, allowing others to engage in lightweight social surveillance. The coordination costs are lower because these tools enable both active (e.g., messaging) and passive (e.g., updates) communication with little effort. This awareness is especially useful for keeping tabs on those in one’s extended networks. A distant cousin got a new puppy, an old colleague has a new job, a former student

is getting married: Knowing about these events won’t change one’s life, but the knowledge accumulates into a powerful awareness of one’s social network and provides continuous linkage to one’s weak ties. This ephemeral information can also strengthen offline connections, easing conversation with vague acquaintances or providing a new reason to reconnect with an old friend.

[ 2] Putnam, R. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.

Discovering Information About Others Every generation bemoans the lack of civility and increased isolation caused by the new technology of the day, and ours is no different. Today’s mobile communication devices, such as cell phones and iPods, can inhibit opportunities to engage in small pleasantries with those in our shared public spaces because these devices demand our attention and often preclude interaction with others by sending a clear message of “Do Not Disturb.” Conversely, visible accoutrements such as a young baby, a friendly dog, or a notable book can serve as identity signals that provide a safe, accessible topic of conversation for people from all walks of life. The public identity information displayed in social network site profiles can function in the same way: We can quickly identify areas of commonality with acquaintances, lowering the barriers to interaction. Students tell us that one of their first uses of Facebook is to connect with people from their hometown; even without such an obvious commonality, identity information is helpful for initiating a relationship.

[ 3] Granovetter, M. S. “The Strength of Weak Ties.” The American Journal of Sociology 78, no. 6 (1973): 1360-1380.

[ 4] Ellison, N. B., C. Steinfield, and C. Lampe. “The Benefits of Facebook ‘Friends’: Social Capital and College Students’ Use of Online Social Network Sites.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 12, no. 4 (2007). <http:// jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/ issue4/ ellison.html>