According to the six-month study, News Corporation-owned MySpace attracts a higher proportion of users from Latin American, Hispanic and Asian backgrounds, whereas users of Facebook, which was set up to reunite college and university students, appeals to users from primarily white, middle-class backgrounds whose parents went to higher education institutions.
The study, which was compiled by Danah Boyd, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, found that Facebook users "tend to come from families who emphasise education and going to college", whereas MySpace is "still home for Latino and Hispanic teens" and other minority or socially ostracised groups.
Boyd said the socio-economic divide in social networking websites was underlined last month when the US military banned personnel from using MySpace, but allowed them to continue using Facebook.
According to Boyd, "soldiers are on MySpace, officers are on Facebook", suggesting there was a hierarchical reason for the US military's banning MySpace and not Facebook.
Boyd said: "The military appears to replicate the class divisions that exist throughout the military. I can't help but wonder if the reason for this goes beyond the purported concerns that those in the military are leaking information or spending too much time online or soaking up too much bandwidth [using MySpace]."
The report has already provoked intense debate, with teen social media website Shiny Shiny offering its own interpretation of the results by claiming that "MySpace kids are too busy freebasing crack and catching STDs to worry about things like prom and college".
Meanwhile, more than half of social networking website users are "chronically unfaithful" and migrate to rival sites, according to a report issued by Parks Associates.
The industry and consumer research company said that user migration to rival sites posed a problem for the owner's business models and long term benefits, with 40% of MySpace users having an account on Friendster or Facebook too.
Comments
I think you'll find that Shiny Shiny is a tech blog aimed at women and *not* a 'teen social media website'. This is indicated by the site's banner, 'a girl's guide to gadgets'. I suggest you do a bit more research before nicking commentary from blogs.
Whooa there! No offence intended - perhaps the incorrect description was used but "nicking commentary from blogs" suggests Shiny Shiny has the UGC elements seen on many social media sites.
Anyhow, interesting thing about the report is whether the perceived socio-economic divide is as pronounced in the UK as it is in the US...
No offence taken - us shiny bloggers have to stick together! We've commented on this as well on bst - see http://www.bigshinything.com/the-myspacefacebook-class-divide
I think in the UK the divide is much more along the lines of myspace = clubkids and musicians, bebo = kids, and facebook = students and post-students. In the absence of any kind of rigorous analysis - like they have in the states via Pew - we'll have to keep on guessing (sigh). - Anne-Fay (masquerading as Minnie).
The study found that "Facebook users "tend to come from families who emphasise education and going to college", whereas MySpace is "still home for Latino and Hispanic teens" and other minority or socially ostracised groups."
Does that mean that those minorities does not come from families who emphasize education and going to college? I don't think so. And I do find this deeply offensive.
I would interpret it as given the very expensive costs of higher education in the US (more so than in the UK), it is economically beyond the reach of many young people from average to underprivileged backgrounds to attend university.
I don't think the comments were intended as an attack on families from a particular economic or ethnic background.
Minnie Moll has a point. The vast majority of myspace users (certainly in the UK) have an interest in music. My own 'friends' are dominated by bands and people in the industry. Facebook does tend to be friends and acquaintances. I've discovered a lot of great musicians through myspace, many of who are 'educated'. I've come across some real ex-uni 'buffoons' on facebook too. Both operate in different ways but you couldn't compare a US study to UK social networking usage. If your friends are on a site, you sign up and hey presto, you're all on it. I would imagine anyone on facebook was 'invited' just as anyone on myspace 'heard about it'. Think about the set-up. Facebook asks where you know someone from (we met to Uni), myspace doesn't ask this.
I would agree with much of what has been said by Minnie & Hannah, certainly from my experience people I know using Myspace are on it primarily for the music, However, more interestingly I was advised that a professional deregistered from Facebook, when her tweenie niece invited her to join her network. Personally, I prefer the less social but more professional networking site Linkedin, which is I believe the site to watch - any other thoughts?
Linkedin may yet do something interesting having done precisely nothing for the past four years. Facebook is doing a good job of 'training' users in the ways of social media and certainly redressing the technophobia out there. Interestingly, older people are being migrated by Facebook because of its simplicity and because all their mates are there - Anne-Fay.
Alex, interesting article. From my experience, Facebook is also a community of people who are proud to be associated with brands as myspace was more for people who were anti-the brand. This is evident from all the branded groups and willingness of people to be associate with them.
Also remember facebook was originally started for only uni/college students therefore is likely to spread and grow amongst college/uni students and those friends with them...
Comments
Minnie Moll - 26/06/2007
I think you'll find that Shiny Shiny is a tech blog aimed at women and *not* a 'teen social media website'. This is indicated by the site's banner, 'a girl's guide to gadgets'. I suggest you do a bit more research before nicking commentary from blogs.
Alex Donohue - 26/06/2007
Whooa there! No offence intended - perhaps the incorrect description was used but "nicking commentary from blogs" suggests Shiny Shiny has the UGC elements seen on many social media sites. Anyhow, interesting thing about the report is whether the perceived socio-economic divide is as pronounced in the UK as it is in the US...
Minnie Moll - 26/06/2007
No offence taken - us shiny bloggers have to stick together! We've commented on this as well on bst - see http://www.bigshinything.com/the-myspacefacebook-class-divide I think in the UK the divide is much more along the lines of myspace = clubkids and musicians, bebo = kids, and facebook = students and post-students. In the absence of any kind of rigorous analysis - like they have in the states via Pew - we'll have to keep on guessing (sigh). - Anne-Fay (masquerading as Minnie).
Glenda Cardenas - 26/06/2007
The study found that "Facebook users "tend to come from families who emphasise education and going to college", whereas MySpace is "still home for Latino and Hispanic teens" and other minority or socially ostracised groups." Does that mean that those minorities does not come from families who emphasize education and going to college? I don't think so. And I do find this deeply offensive.
Alex Donohue - 26/06/2007
I would interpret it as given the very expensive costs of higher education in the US (more so than in the UK), it is economically beyond the reach of many young people from average to underprivileged backgrounds to attend university. I don't think the comments were intended as an attack on families from a particular economic or ethnic background.
Hannah Lines - 27/06/2007
Minnie Moll has a point. The vast majority of myspace users (certainly in the UK) have an interest in music. My own 'friends' are dominated by bands and people in the industry. Facebook does tend to be friends and acquaintances. I've discovered a lot of great musicians through myspace, many of who are 'educated'. I've come across some real ex-uni 'buffoons' on facebook too. Both operate in different ways but you couldn't compare a US study to UK social networking usage. If your friends are on a site, you sign up and hey presto, you're all on it. I would imagine anyone on facebook was 'invited' just as anyone on myspace 'heard about it'. Think about the set-up. Facebook asks where you know someone from (we met to Uni), myspace doesn't ask this.
Lucy Long - 27/06/2007
I would agree with much of what has been said by Minnie & Hannah, certainly from my experience people I know using Myspace are on it primarily for the music, However, more interestingly I was advised that a professional deregistered from Facebook, when her tweenie niece invited her to join her network. Personally, I prefer the less social but more professional networking site Linkedin, which is I believe the site to watch - any other thoughts?
Minnie Moll - 29/06/2007
Linkedin may yet do something interesting having done precisely nothing for the past four years. Facebook is doing a good job of 'training' users in the ways of social media and certainly redressing the technophobia out there. Interestingly, older people are being migrated by Facebook because of its simplicity and because all their mates are there - Anne-Fay.
Musa Tariq - 29/06/2007
Alex, interesting article. From my experience, Facebook is also a community of people who are proud to be associated with brands as myspace was more for people who were anti-the brand. This is evident from all the branded groups and willingness of people to be associate with them. Also remember facebook was originally started for only uni/college students therefore is likely to spread and grow amongst college/uni students and those friends with them...