http://andrew‐long.name
@socialspace
Who needs friends
when you can have
followers?
Information
Science

“The Bath Item Gift
Hypothesis"
“You bought me a
present? Why would
you do such a thing? I
know you think you're
being generous, but
the foundation of gift
giving is reciprocity.”
-- Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory, season 2, episode 11
http://xav‐drawordie.deviantart.com/

“The Bath Item Gift
Hypothesis"
“You haven't given me
a gift. You've given me
an obligation.”
-- Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory, season 2, episode 11
http://xav‐drawordie.deviantart.com/

socialspace
There is no explicit support for
reciprocity on Twitter.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Ties are directed; formation can
be easy, organic, ad hoc and
intimate (see ambient intimacy),
but not necessarily reciprocal.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Friendship is reciprocal.
Maintaining good relations over
time, requires mutually beneficial
exchanges and effort.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Embedded in these exchanges is
a sense of obligation, in which
participants can feel compelled
to reciprocate, in kind.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Friendship also requires consent
(amongst other things) from
both parties to establish a
potentially long lasting bond .
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Twitter does not require consent
nor reciprocity in order to play
an active part in others’ lives.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Therefore, any sense of
obligation is removed as a
consequence.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
If this is true, then why are
people prepared to help others
on Twitter, when their only
connection is to follow them?
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
One answer I would like to
suggest is that, it is the
interwoven narratives that
Twitter users share overtime.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
People are motivated to help
those to whom they feel apart of
their stories, as they unfold in
real-time.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
The nowness creates a sense of
urgency, inspiring action and
providing social capital where
only the weakest ties exist.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
The point being, that the benefits
of friendship can still be had with
out the burden of reciprocity and
therefore, obligation.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Is Twitter stripping friendship to
its essentials, like its done to
mediated communication?
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
I’m not sure, but I think it might
be an interesting phenomenon
to follow.
five hours ago from New Zealand

socialspace
Thanks to Erika for showing the
slides, danah and Stephanie for
doing their thing, and to all of
you for bearing with me.
five hours ago from New Zealand