Exploring Users’ Information Exploring Users’ Information Behavior in Social NetworksBehavior in Social Networks

By Juan Daniel Machin MastromatteoBy Juan Daniel Machin Mastromatteo

Supervised by Sirje VirkusSupervised by Sirje Virkus

International Master in Digital Library International Master in Digital Library LearningLearning

Tallinn UniversityTallinn University

Institute of Information StudiesInstitute of Information Studies

Prepared for the Prepared for the 2nd  QQML 2010 International 2nd  QQML 2010 International ConferenceConference

Chania, Crete (Greece), 25-28 May 2010Chania, Crete (Greece), 25-28 May 2010. .

To appear on the Conference’s ProceedingsTo appear on the Conference’s Proceedings

InformationInformation BehaviorBehavior

““the totality of human behavior in relation the totality of human behavior in relation to sources and channels of information, to sources and channels of information, including both active and passive including both active and passive information seeking, and information use.” information seeking, and information use.” (Wilson, 2000)(Wilson, 2000)

““how people need, seek, give, and use how people need, seek, give, and use information in different contexts, information in different contexts,

including the workplace and everyday including the workplace and everyday life.” (Pettigrew, Fidel & Bruce, 2001)life.” (Pettigrew, Fidel & Bruce, 2001)

… … there is a “movement in social network research towards there is a “movement in social network research towards attention to contextual variables mirrors a similar shift of attention to contextual variables mirrors a similar shift of

information behavior research.” (Shultz-Jones, 2009)information behavior research.” (Shultz-Jones, 2009)

Social Networks… and web Social Networks… and web 2.02.0

Web 2.0 is generally taken to encompass a Web 2.0 is generally taken to encompass a variety of sites and tools for shared information variety of sites and tools for shared information creation and updating, and social networking creation and updating, and social networking and communication. and communication.

blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, podcasts, sites for blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, podcasts, sites for sharing photographs and videos, sites for social sharing photographs and videos, sites for social interaction and social bookmarking, and virtual interaction and social bookmarking, and virtual worlds.worlds.

(Bawden & Robinson, 2009) .(Bawden & Robinson, 2009) .

Via

: http

://ww

w.fl

ickr.c

om

/ph

oto

s/dan

moyn

ihan

/4321733771

Via

: http

://ww

w.fl

ickr.c

om

/ph

oto

s/dan

moyn

ihan

/4321733771

Issues of Web 2.0 and Social Issues of Web 2.0 and Social NetworksNetworks

TrustTrust Decision Decision MakingMaking

Users’ Users’ SatisfactiSatisfacti

onon

InformatioInformation Overloadn Overload

Quality Quality ControControll

PermanencPermanencee

RepackaginRepackagingg

CrowdsourcCrowdsourcinging

Clash with the Real Clash with the Real WorldWorld

Psychological IssuesPsychological Issues

PrivacyPrivacyLoss Loss of Identityof Identity

Research on Social Research on Social Networking SitesNetworking Sites

MOSAICAMOSAICA

Social Social TiesTies

ComputerComputerMediated Mediated

CommunicaCommunication tion

GroupsGroups

Internet Internet Discussion Discussion

GroupsGroups

Aim and objectiveAim and objective

Explore the impact the web 2.0 is Explore the impact the web 2.0 is having on people’s information having on people’s information behavior when using social networks behavior when using social networks and how users deal with some of the and how users deal with some of the issues of the web 2.0 identified in the issues of the web 2.0 identified in the literature.literature.

The objective: find trends and The objective: find trends and tendencies in user’s information tendencies in user’s information behavior and also explore how they behavior and also explore how they confront web 2.0 issues.confront web 2.0 issues.

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

What are the trends and tendencies of What are the trends and tendencies of users’ information behavior in social users’ information behavior in social networks?networks?

How users confront web 2.0 issues?How users confront web 2.0 issues?

Via: Via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cau_napoli/4438809405/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/cau_napoli/4438809405/

MethodologyMethodology

Qualitative approachQualitative approach Sample: 4 Second Year Students and 4 Sample: 4 Second Year Students and 4

Professors from DILL Master Program Professors from DILL Master Program (4 males, 4 females)(4 males, 4 females)

Privacy statementPrivacy statement Semi structured interviewSemi structured interview Pilot interview (from 28 to 25 Pilot interview (from 28 to 25

questions)questions) Discourse/Comparative AnalysisDiscourse/Comparative Analysis Coding answersCoding answers Topic CategorizationTopic Categorization

Via

: V

ia: h

ttp://g

iveu

pin

tern

et.c

om

/2008/1

2/2

0/c

om

ic-

http

://give

up

inte

rnet.c

om

/2008/1

2/2

0/c

om

ic-

the-d

an

ger-o

f-socia

l-netw

ork

ing

-by-h

ale

y-nah

man

/ th

e-d

an

ger-o

f-socia

l-netw

ork

ing

-by-h

ale

y-nah

man

/

Categories (1)Categories (1)

The Different Roles of Social The Different Roles of Social NetworksNetworks

The Friendship FactorThe Friendship Factor A Question of PurposeA Question of Purpose Sharing is CaringSharing is Caring What to Use and Why?What to Use and Why? Be Careful Who You TrustBe Careful Who You Trust On the Negative ViewsOn the Negative Views The Wisdom of the CrowdsThe Wisdom of the Crowds Quality ControlQuality Control

Categories (2)Categories (2)

Information NeedsInformation Needs and Overloadand Overload The Problem of Permanence and The Problem of Permanence and

Volatility of InformationVolatility of Information Reblogging and repackagingReblogging and repackaging On PrivacyOn Privacy Organizations and Social NetworkingOrganizations and Social Networking Communication vs. AlienationCommunication vs. Alienation Negative ConsequencesNegative Consequences

Via

: V

ia: h

ttp://c

lifmim

s.com

/blo

g/w

p-

http

://clifm

ims.c

om

/blo

g/w

p-

con

ten

t/up

load

s/2008/0

8/re

alfo

llocon

ten

t/up

load

s/2008/0

8/re

alfo

llow

er.jp

g

wer.jp

g

Some Results (1)Some Results (1)

No significant differences in answers No significant differences in answers among intervieweesamong interviewees

No need to know someone in personNo need to know someone in person Means of communication, know our Means of communication, know our

friends better, keep friendships, monitor friends better, keep friendships, monitor studentsstudents

Share means having social life, personal Share means having social life, personal visibilityvisibility

Top 5: Facebook, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, Top 5: Facebook, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, Twitter, TumblrTwitter, Tumblr

People is trustable, not platformsPeople is trustable, not platforms Some embrace them, some fear themSome embrace them, some fear them Wikipedia and Quality ControlWikipedia and Quality Control

Some Results (2)Some Results (2)

Keep undesired content outKeep undesired content out

Hiding, blocking, don’t be there too Hiding, blocking, don’t be there too much, measures for Overloadmuch, measures for Overload

Needs? When is the need to know about Needs? When is the need to know about people, quick reference, light stuff…people, quick reference, light stuff…

Reblogging for multiplying informationReblogging for multiplying information

Privacy is essentialPrivacy is essential

Useful for educational/working Useful for educational/working environmentenvironment

Banning is nonsenseBanning is nonsense

Some Results (3)Some Results (3)

Balance on the time invested, a Balance on the time invested, a question of avoiding misusequestion of avoiding misuse

What you or your fiends share about What you or your fiends share about yourself constitutes your imageyourself constitutes your image

Avoid controversies, careful with Avoid controversies, careful with defamation defamation

What about the children?What about the children? Horror storiesHorror stories

Via: Via: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/07/mike07http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/07/mike07222009.jpg 222009.jpg

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!