Connected Action » Cultural Representations http://www.connectedaction.net Sociology and the Internet, Social Media, Networks and Mobile Social Software Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:47:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 23-26 August 2011 – Summer Social Webshop (Webshop 2.0) – The return of a great tradition http://www.connectedaction.net/2011/06/10/23-26-august-2011-summer-social-webshop-webshop-2-0-the-return-of-a-great-tradition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=23-26-august-2011-summer-social-webshop-webshop-2-0-the-return-of-a-great-tradition http://www.connectedaction.net/2011/06/10/23-26-august-2011-summer-social-webshop-webshop-2-0-the-return-of-a-great-tradition/#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:00:32 +0000 Marc Smith http://www.connectedaction.net/?p=3742


Summer Social Webshop
on
Technology-Mediated Social Participation
University of Maryland, College Park
August 23-26, 2011

Several years ago a program at the University of Maryland called “Webshop” (Web Workshop) was organized by Professor John Robinson and held for three consecutive Summers.  I visited and spoke at two of these events and know many people who attended or spoke at one or more and remember the event enthusiastically.   The students who attended include some of the now leading researchers in the field of social science studies of the internet.  There is an impressive alumni list.

The last Webshop was held in 2003 and many years and significant changes have occurred in the time since.  Twitter, Facebook, StreetView, iPad, FourSquare, Android, Kinect, EC2, Mechanical Turk, Arduino, were all new or non-existent when the first Webshops were run.  Today we have more reason than ever to focus on the details and patterns of computer-mediated human association. Ever more people channel more of their communications with others through more digital media, often of the social kind.  A new data resource for the social sciences is growing in scale and promise: from billions of events it is possible to start to build a picture of an aggregate whole, and to start to grasp the terrain and landscape of social media.

The Summer Social Webshop (@Webshop2011) is happening again!  With the generous support of the National Science Foundation and additional assistance from Google Research, this August 23-26 at the University of Maryland, College Park, a group of students will hear and engage with more than two dozen leading researchers exploring digital social landscapes from a variety of perspectives.  Organized by a collaboration between the University of Maryland’s Human Computer Interaction Laboratory (HCIL), the College of Information Studies, the Sociology and Computer Science Department, and the Social Media Research Foundation, the event will gather students from a wide range of disciplines to get a concentrated dose of advanced efforts to gather data from social media and people’s understanding and practices around digital technologies.   Doctoral students in computer science, iSchools, sociology, communications, political science, anthropology, psychology, journalism, and related disciplines are invited to apply to attend this summer’s 4-day intensive workshop on Technology-Mediated Social Participation (TMSP).  The workshop explores the many ways social media can be applied to national priorities such as health, energy, education, disaster response, political participation, environmental protection, business innovation, or community safety.  The workshop should be of interest to graduate students at US universities studying social-networking tools, blogs and microblogs, user-generated content sites, discussion groups, problem reporting, recommendation systems, mobile and location aware media creation, and other social media.

For more information, please contact Alan Neustadtl (alan.neustadtl@gmail.com).

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Photos

Vladimir Barash (Morningside Analytics) at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandVladimir Barash (Morningside Analytics) at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandScott Golder (Cornell), Vladimir Barash and John Kelly (Morningside Analytics) at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandQ: Which is worse? Ignorance or apathy? A: I don't know and I don't care. From John Kelly (Morningside Analytics) at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandScott Golder and John Kelly at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandScott Golder, John Kelly, and Vladimir Barash at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandLise Getoor at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandLise Getoor at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandAmy Bruckman at Webshop 2011 at University of Maryland20110825-Webshop 2011-Group at White HouseJen Golbeck at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandJen Golbeck at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandMugizi Robert Rwebangira at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandMugizi Robert Rwebangira at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandMugizi Robert Rwebangira at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandMike Nelson at Webshop 2011 at New America FoundationLee Rainie from Pew Internet at Webshop 2011 at New America FoundationTom Glaisyer at Webshop 2011 at New America FoundationWebshop 2011 at New America FoundationWebshop 2011 at New America FoundationScott Golder at the Bureaucracy Bureau - Webshop 2011Ben and Jenny at the White HouseRobert Kraut at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandAlan Neustadtl Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandAlan Neustadtl Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe and Jenny Preece at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandNicole Ellison at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandErwin Gianchandani at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandDelicia Greene at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandErwin Gianchandani at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe, Sarita Yardi and Scott Golder at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandNoshir Contractor presents Brian Keegan's network visualization of Wikipedia links at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandNoshir Contractor at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandNoshir Contractor at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandNoshir Contractor at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCody Dunne and Vladimir Barash at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandJenny Preece at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandEdi Chi from Google at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandBen Bederson at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandBen Bederson at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandLoren Terveen and Ben Shneiderman at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandLoren Terveen at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandVladimir Barash at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandPJ Rey at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandBen Shneiderman and Jenny Preece at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandOutdoors after the earthquake, Jonathan Lazar speaks at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandOutdoors after the earthquake, Jonathan Lazar speaks at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandOutdoors after the earthquake, Jonathan Lazar speaks at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandVladimir Barash and Scott Golder at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandDavid Sparks at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCody Dunne at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandLoren Terveen at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandJonathan Lazar (Towson University) at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandSean Munson at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandVladimir Barash at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandCliff Lampe at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandCandice Roberts at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandNoshir Contractor at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandBe Shneiderman at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandJenSchradie at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandDana Rotman at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandEden Litt at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandTim Hale at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandCasey Spruill at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandPJ Rey at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWill Youmans at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandAlan Neustadtl at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandBen Shneiderman at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandEszter Hargittai at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandWebshop 2011 at University of MarylandTom Malone and Ben Shneiderman at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandTom Malone at Webshop 2011 at University of MarylandJenny Preece at Webshop 2011 at University of Maryland
]]> http://www.connectedaction.net/2011/06/10/23-26-august-2011-summer-social-webshop-webshop-2-0-the-return-of-a-great-tradition/feed/ 0 November 8, 2010 – Seoul, Korea: 3rd International Conference on Digital Culture http://www.connectedaction.net/2010/11/06/november-8-2010-seoul-korea-3rd-international-conference-on-digital-culture/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=november-8-2010-seoul-korea-3rd-international-conference-on-digital-culture http://www.connectedaction.net/2010/11/06/november-8-2010-seoul-korea-3rd-international-conference-on-digital-culture/#comments Sat, 06 Nov 2010 23:56:12 +0000 Marc Smith http://www.connectedaction.net/?p=3726

On November 8th, 2010 I spoke in Seoul, Korea at the 3rd International Conference on Digital Culture on the topic of “Smart Society and Civic Culture“.

2010-November-8-NIA – Smart Society and Civic Culture – Marc Smith

View more presentations from Marc Smith.

Several of my colleagues also spoke at the event, including Leslie Tkach-Kawasaki from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, Han Woo Park from YeoungNam University, Korea, George Barnett from the University of California, Davis and Robert Ackland from The Australian National University, AU.

Professor Robert Ackland speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, Korea
Robert Ackland from The Australian National University, AU

George Barnett speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, Korea
George Barnett from the University of California, Davis

Professor Han Woo Park speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, Korea
Han Woo Park from YeoungNam University, Korea

Professor Leslie Tkach-Kawasaki speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, Korea
Leslie Tkach-Kawasaki from the University of Tsukuba, Japan

8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium
Marc Smith, Connected Action Consulting Group

Han Woo Park's research group from YeugNam University, in Daegu, South Korea

Han Woo Park‘s research team from YeoungNam University, Korea

8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - Marc Smith with George Barnett and Leo Kim at the NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - NIA Digital Cultures Symposium8 November 2010 - NIA Digital Cultures SymposiumSeoul Korea November 2010George Barnett endorses NodeXL in Seoul, KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaMarc at the Gyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaLeo Kim at the Gyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaMarc Smith and Leo Kim at the Gyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaMarc at the Gyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaLeo Kim at the Gyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaGyeongbokgung (Royal Palace), Seoul, South KoreaSeoul Korea November 2010Happy Police Characters in Seoul Korea November 2010Everyone is staring at their phone, on the Seoul Metro, Seoul, Korea November 2010Kyle Koh demonstrates his improved word cloud tool at Seoul National University, Seoul Korea November 2010Seoul Korea November 2010Seoul Korea November 2010Seoul, Korea November 2010Seoul, Korea November 2010Old Train Station, Seoul, Korea November 2010New York Hotdog in Seoul, Korea November 2010Guards in Daegu, South KoreaDaegu, South KoreaDaegu, South KoreaHan Woo Park's research group from YeugNam University, in Daegu, South KoreaDaegu, South KoreaSeoul SkylineSeoulSeoul StationSeoul StationSeoulDawn in Seoul, KoreaMarc in Seoul, Korea with Giant Bi Bim BopDinner in Seoul, KoreaDinner in Seoul, KoreaCalligraphy shop in Insadong, Seoul, KoreaArt in Insadong, Seoul, KoreaRobots in Seoul, KoreaProfessor Robert Ackland speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaProfessor Robert Ackland speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaGeorge Barnett speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaGeorge Barnett speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaProfessor Han Woo Park speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaProfessor Leslie Tkach-Kawasaki speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaProfessor Leslie Tkach-Kawasaki speaks at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaHan Woo Park and George Barnett at the NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaView from NIA Digital Culture Conference, Seoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, KoreaSeoul, Korea

]]> http://www.connectedaction.net/2010/11/06/november-8-2010-seoul-korea-3rd-international-conference-on-digital-culture/feed/ 0 Conversations on Innovation, Power and Responsibility with Jeff Ubois http://www.connectedaction.net/2010/02/09/conversations-on-innovation-power-and-responsibility-with-jeff-ubois/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=conversations-on-innovation-power-and-responsibility-with-jeff-ubois http://www.connectedaction.net/2010/02/09/conversations-on-innovation-power-and-responsibility-with-jeff-ubois/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:50:02 +0000 Marc Smith http://www.connectedaction.net/?p=2305 My good friend and colleague Jeff Ubois recently edited and released a volume entitled Conversations on Innovation, Power and Responsibility for the Fondazione Giannino Bassetti. Some of my comments on the topic of innovation from a conversation with Jeff are included in the volume which collects a wide range of thoughts about the nature and consequence of technical change.

Table Of Contents

Foreword
Introduction
About the Question
Related Concepts
Choosing Subjects: Where Does Responsibility Matter Now?

Genetics And Healthcare
Thomas Murray, The Hastings Center
Ignacio Chapela: Drawing a Boundary Around the Lab
Arthur Caplan: Innovation as Politics
David Magnus & Mildred Cho: True Fictions

Nanotechnology
Christine Peterson: Nanotechnology and Enhancement
Lawrence Gasman: Nanomarkets

Robotics And Computing
Ronald Arkin: Embedding Values in Machines
Jeff Jonas: Applying the UN declaration of human rights
Marc Smith: Invention, mitigation, accounting and externalities
Mikko Ahonen: Open Innovation … and Radiation Safety

Design
Roberto Verganti: Varieties of Design Innovation
Michael Twidale: IRBs, Design, Empowerment,
Accountability, Sustainability

My comments from the volume are after the fold…

Marc Smith: Invention, Mitigation, Accounting and externalities

If responsibility is about effects, then systems of measurement and observation are key to any understanding of responsible innovation.

Dr. Marc Smith (http://www.connectedaction.net) is formerly a Senior Research Sociologist leading the Community Technologies Group at Microsoft Research in Redmond, Washington. His group focused on computer-mediated collective action, and studied and designed enhancements for social cyberspaces.  Smith now leads the Connected Action Consulting Group in Silicon Valley. In particular, he is interested in the emergence of social organizations like communities in online conversation and annotation environments. The goal is to identify the resources groups need in order to cooperate productively.

Smith is the co-editor of Communities in Cyberspace, which explores identity, social order and control, community structures, dynamics, and collective action in cyberspace, and has developed software called Netscan that measures and maps social spaces in the Internet, starting with the Usenet. A related effort, Project AURA, allows users to associate conversations (and more) with physical objects using mobile wireless devices and web services.

Responsibility in innovation often comes after the fact. “The history of the technology is seize new power—then mitigate, mitigate, mitigate all the pathologies,” Smith says. “How long was it from the Model T Ford to safety belts?”

Responsibility can be improved through measurement of effects. “May I suggest that your best method for mitigation is documentation of negative externalities?” Smith says. “You can ‘govern’ innovation when the language and the data to document negative consequences are more available, freely available, easily used. Then you have a technology regulation and negative externality problem, and that I think is one that is more tractable.”

Part of that is stakeholder identification. Smith argues that it is easy to identify stakeholders, at least after the fact, because, “They’re at the top of the legal documents that are served to you. That’s how you identify the stakeholders, the ones that actually get the job done, make themselves known, tell you that you’re creating negative externalities for them, and insist that you [provide] remedy.”

But it’s also important to recognize the initial position of most innovators. “Innovation typically comes from the people who are most squeezed out of the sweet solution space,” Smith says. “You don’t innovate unless you have to… Innovation is the behavior, I think, of marginal actors in an ecological landscape.”

]]> http://www.connectedaction.net/2010/02/09/conversations-on-innovation-power-and-responsibility-with-jeff-ubois/feed/ 0 Event: Maker Faire 2009 http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/05/30/event-maker-faire-2009/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=event-maker-faire-2009 http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/05/30/event-maker-faire-2009/#comments Sun, 31 May 2009 04:20:53 +0000 Marc Smith http://www.connectedaction.net/?p=1047 makerfaire

I attended the Maker Faire down the hill in San Mateo at the County Fair Grounds.

The event is the gathering of the many forms of craft, tinkering, building, mashup, hacking, and experimental communities.

Here are some photos from today’s event.

Maker Faire 2009Jelly Fish at the Maker Faire 2009Pin-wheel art car at the Maker Faire 2009Maker Faire 2009Maker Faire 2009Robots at the Maker Faire 2009Maker Faire 2009The Visible Pinball Machine at the Maker Faire 2009Wings sculpture at the Maker Faire 2009Wheels of flame at the Maker Faire 2009GoBe, a cool battery bucket and solar charger for power off the grid at the Maker Faire 2009Video screen guitar at the Maker Faire 2009Video of Telsa Coils in Action at the Maker Faire 2009Video of Telsa Coils at the Maker Faire 2009Telsa coil discharge at Maker Faire 2009Light seeking solar robots at the Maker Faire 2009Robots at the Maker Faire 2009A clock work walking robot at the Maker Faire 2009Soda Bottle Sculpture at the Maker Faire 2009Soda Bottle Sculpture at the Maker Faire 2009A cool bicycle spoke display with LEDs at the Maker Faire 2009A cool bicycle spoke display with LEDs at the Maker Faire 2009Video of bicycle wheel spoke display at the Maker Faire 2009Maker Faire 2009Lost in Space Robot ("B9") at Maker Faire 2009Lost in Space Robot ("B9") at Maker Faire 2009Robbie the Robot at Maker Faire 2009

My highlights: the full sized replicas of TV and movie robots from Lost in Space and Forbidden Planet; the littlebits snap together circuits, the LED bicycle wheel displays, the Telsa coils (of course), the flame throwers (of course), and the rolling metal ball robots.

It was a well attended event with many great displays.

]]> http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/05/30/event-maker-faire-2009/feed/ 0 Summer 2009 – Stanford Media X Workshop: New Metrics for New Media: Analytics for Social Media and Virtual Worlds http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/05/16/july-2009-stanford-media-x-workshop-new-metrics-for-new-media-analytics-for-social-media-and-virtual-world/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=july-2009-stanford-media-x-workshop-new-metrics-for-new-media-analytics-for-social-media-and-virtual-world http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/05/16/july-2009-stanford-media-x-workshop-new-metrics-for-new-media-analytics-for-social-media-and-virtual-world/#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 21:01:38 +0000 Marc Smith http://www.connectedaction.net/?p=994 Stanford University - Media X Program

I will lead a workshop with Martha Russell on social network analysis of social media as part of the Stanford Media X Summer Institute on New Metrics for New Media: Analytics for Social Media and Virtual Worlds this Summer.  I am looking forward to working with the folks at Media X which hosts a range of cutting edge events devoted to exploring the newest trends in technology and society.

Places&Spaces

It is also worth noting that the traveling exhibit “Places and Spaces” will be displayed through the MEDIA X program at Stanford until December 18th, 2009.  There is a May 18, 5-6:30pm Reception in Wallenberg Hall on the campus.  The show includes an image I worked on with Danyel Fisher and Tony Capone that represents an overview of Usenet newsgroups.

2005 Usenet Treemap

The show includes a variety of information visualizations and maps that illustrate the utility of graphical representations of complex concepts and terrains.  From the Media X site:

“The Places & Spaces exhibit, at Wallenberg Hall has two components. The physical component is available for display and allows for close visual inspection through high-quality prints. It is meant to inspire cross-disciplinary discussion on how best to track and communicate human activity and scientific progress on a global scale. It includes hand-on science maps for children. The online counterpart provides links to a selected series of maps and their makers along with detailed explanations of why these maps work.” [Link]

There will be a reception following the May 18 Seminar that will include Jeff Heer and students, Katy Borner (virtual presence) and other mapmakers of the Places & Spaces exhibit.

]]> http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/05/16/july-2009-stanford-media-x-workshop-new-metrics-for-new-media-analytics-for-social-media-and-virtual-world/feed/ 1 Social Networks in the News at NYT http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/03/30/social-networks-in-the-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=social-networks-in-the-news http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/03/30/social-networks-in-the-news/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:19:21 +0000 Marc Smith http://www.connectedaction.net/?p=827 My colleague Scott Sargent at Telligent notes that there are two sections of the March 29th Sunday New York Times feature articles illustrated with network graphs.  The Business section runs an article “Is Facebook Growing Up Too Fast?“ (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/technology/internet/29face.html) and the Style Section has an article on The Celebrity Twitter Ecosystem.

20090329 NYT Facebook Ego Networks

20090329 NYT Facebook Ego Networks

My colleague Prof. Ben Shniederman is positively impressed by these images.  He writes, “Notice how the node layout remains stable as edges are removed, so by the 4th figure the edges can all be followed easily….”.  This is one of the themes he highlights in his paper and presentations about problems and improvements in network graph drawing (see: http://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/nvss/and in particular http://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/pubs/presentations/NVSS-3.ppt). Prof. Shniederman’s  5th edition of Designing the User Interface is now available with two full chapters on the website with wordles to open each chapter.

A somewhat related article ran the same day in the Style section on The Celebrity Twitter Ecosystem (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/fashion/29twitter.html). This image focused on the linkages between well known people using Twitter and, by extension, revealing who they follow and who follows them in the social network.

2009 -03- 29 - NYT - Twitter Ecosystem

In the first image no names are associated with the nodes, in the second the names are the major point of the diagram.

The practice of “anonymization” of network graphs may be moot in light of a recent publication mentioned on the Social Network Analysis email list (SOCNET) by Mark Round from QinetiQ of a paper:

De-anonymizing Social Networks – Arvind Narayanan & Vitaly Shmatikov
 (http://33bits.org/2009/03/19/de-anonymizing-social-networks/)

which suggests that just publishing the unique pattern of links around an individual is sufficient to identify them in an otherwise anonymized data base.

Abstract:
Operators of online social networks are increasingly sharing
potentially sensitive information about users and their relationships
with advertisers, application developers, and data-mining researchers.
Privacy is typically protected by anonymization, i.e., removing names,
addresses, etc.
We present a framework for analyzing privacy and anonymity in social
networks and develop a new re-identification algorithm targeting
anonymized social-network graphs. To demonstrate its effectiveness on
real-world networks, we show that a third of the users who can be
verified to have accounts on both Twitter, a popular microblogging
service, and Flickr, an online photo-sharing site, can be re-identified
in the anonymous Twitter graph with only a 12% error rate.
Our de-anonymization algorithm is based
purely on the network topology, does not require creation of a large
number of dummy “sybil” nodes, is robust to noise and all existing
defenses, and works even when the overlap between the target network
and the adversary’s auxiliary information is small.

]]> http://www.connectedaction.net/2009/03/30/social-networks-in-the-news/feed/ 0