Class divide in Facebook and MySpace

Danah Boyd has an interesting essay about class divide in Facebook and MySpace (in short Facebook = middle class, MySpace = working class). I think there is something in this, I’ve always felt happy promoting Facebook as an educational platform, but I'm a bit snobbish about MySpace. It may be an aesthetic thing, a content thing or even a Murdoch thing, but I, and increasingly more of my colleagues, have a Facebook profile, but we don’t have a MySpace site. It reminds me of when I was young – you were either an ITV or a BBC household, particularly with regards to kids TV. We were BBC – Swap shop instead of Tiswas, Blue Peter instead of Magpie, The Wombles instead of Dangermouse. There seems to be something similar with Facebook and MySpace, which further demonstrates that these platforms are the new broadcast.

Comments

[Laura]

So does that mean we'll be pushing the WP agenda through myspace and fundraising in facebook in the future? :) Check out http://www.myspace.com/openlearn. Bringing a bit of class to myspace don't you think?

[Martin]

Hi Laura
like the myspace site - of course to be in the true nature of MySpace it would need some Goths on it ;)
It's not just a class thing mind - it is a split though, MySpace is a bit more anarchic, which appeals to some people and Facebook a bit cleaner. People do tend to be a MySpace or a Facebook person (or a 'couldn't give a monkeys person')
Martin