The Connector Website Model New Implications for Social ... - PRWeb

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A. Social Values and Tradeoffs. Connector websites offer convenience of choice, reliability of personal judgment, efficiency of communications and transactions, and the potential for tapping into others’ experiences and resources. What is the downside to these expanded freedoms? Issues of personal privacy and security have hit the headlines in 2006. Stories grow about pedophiles stalking on teen connector websites like MySpace ready to prey on vulnerable or overly trusting young girls and boys. A public reaction was inevitable. The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation held several hearings from June 21-28, 2006, which included testimony from the Federal Trade Commissioner, federal and state law enforcement officials, and executives from Facebook, MySpace, Xanga, Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and market research organizations. Major concerns aired about the confidentiality of members’ personal data and how websites monitor and enforce safety, rules, online community best practices, and adherence to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The Federal Trade Commission now has a “Facts for Consumers” bulletin for parents posted on the agency website. It is unclear which direction public policy will turn at this point, but it is possible state and federal government officials may seek to regulate connector websites. B. Differentiation and Specialization. As connector websites evolve, they appear to be differentiating with respect to their organizational missions and focusing branding efforts on users’ needs, interests, and priorities. This is happening in 2006. A sampling of new connector themes and organizing topics are related to: political campaigns and elections; religious expression and sharing; car and truck enthusiasts; female professionals; family-based networks; pet ownership; the World Cup; mental health issues; youth social initiatives; wedding preparations and references; and world travel. Many of these connectors will never approach the size of an eBay, MySpace or Match.com. However they are likely establishing a core competency and competitive advantage based on substance, and not relying solely on the novelty of is web application or timing of website launch. Many are also looking beyond usual demographic indicators like age or gender. Increased specialization should continue in the future, and the community scale of connector websites on average will probably shrink as the overall sector matures. It is timely to discuss connector websites because of their booming participation numbers, traffic growth rates, and evident social resonance. This report tries to bridge the disconnected information pools and audiences coming out of academia, the mainstream news media, bloggers, and the Internet industry’s insiders and analysts. Connector websites and their social applications continue to evolve and receive the public’s attention. Website principals are increasingly emphasizing the value of market research and study of their users. As a result, rich datasets should become available to continue analyzing these new massive institutions and the behavior of their online communities. iv
PREMISE In February 2000, Malcolm Gladwell published his best-selling book The Tipping Point to much controversy as well as popular acclaim. Gladwell’s thesis, building on the work of epidemiologists and social scientists before him, stated that a social “tipping point” is characterized by: (1) the contagiousness and subsequent “stickiness” of an idea, product, or message; (2) small causes leading to big effects and social change; and (3) a resulting social change that occurs quickly and exponentially. 1 How does tipping theory work? A disease epidemic is the metaphor. According to Gladwell, social tipping happens as a viral process by which ideas, products, and messages spread and infect a population. Gladwell’s “Connector” is a key human agent in social epidemics. Connectors are important because they know a lot of people, and the people they know come from diverse social networks and subcultures. Simply put, Connectors bring many people together who otherwise would have little chance to make an acquaintance. If these people casually interact by exchanging ideas, products, or messages (relying on the first factor of contagiousness and stickiness), interactions should exponentially increase across a defined population and lead to a social tipping point. 2 A classic social networking model put forth more than thirty years ago by Mark Granovetter explains one of the general processes driving tipping point theory. In an article published in the American Journal of Sociology, Granovetter explored how limited small-scale social interactions (he termed “weak ties”) can lead to large-scale phenomena such as diffusion of influence and information, social mobility, community and political organization, and social cohesion. 3 Weak ties tend to be low maintenance in terms of time, commitment, and energy. These relationships often provide a broad range of 1
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Monthly Unique Visitors (000) 500 4
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Monthly Unique Visitors (000) 1,000
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FIGURE 3 Seasonal Snapshot May 2005
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APPENDIX A Survey Research on Onlin
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APPENDIX B Brief Definitions of Onl
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APPENDIX C FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES & P
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2 Leslie Walker, “E-Commerce’s
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Website Selected Connector Websites
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The resulting combination of large
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Monthly Percent Change 100% 80% 60%
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