The document discusses differences in design aesthetics between MySpace and Facebook profiles from 2007. MySpace profiles tended to have flashy designs with many graphics, colors, and customization options, while Facebook profiles had a cleaner, simpler look with limited customization. This reflected the different target demographics - MySpace users tended to be non-white, working class, and "alternative" youth, while Facebook users were often white and from educated families. However, as Facebook has grown to include all demographics, it has incorporated some customization options previously associated with MySpace to allow self-expression.

1. Comments on
―Viewing American class
divisions through
Facebook and MySpace‖

2. The article written

3. A typical Facebook page (2007)

4. A typical MySpace page (2007)
• Overload of graphics
• Animated graphics
• Glitter
• Too many colours
• Bright colors (pink) or high-contrast
colour combinations (red on black)
• Or ‗transparent‘ text blocks (text on a
photo)
• Background: a large photo or bright
and/or animated picture

5. A typical MySpace page
Examples from MySpace layout generators
Sexy Love
The Queen
Burning Pink Lips
Glow Skulls
Grooviness

6. The article written
digital migration

7. Facebook kids vs MySpace kids
• Value education
• From educated families
• Mostly white
• ‗Good kids‘: good students,
athletes, socially active, have
goals, maintain a ‗right‘ circle of
friends
• Do not plan to go to university
• Usually from proletarian background
• Many immigrants, latinos
• ‗Burnouts‘ or alternative kids: punks,
emos, goths, gangstas, queers, etc
Aware of MySpace, but usually
despise it and its members
Either not aware of Facebook or find it
boring and useless, as many activities
of the ‗good kids‘

8. • MySpace allows a lot of design customization which negatively affects the
overall impression of the site
• Design customization on Facebook is very limited. It guarantees that the
profile pages look good
MySpace vs Facebook
• Most MySpace profiles are ―so ugly and inconsistent‖ [1]
• Facebook design is consistent and ―clean‖
The key differences
• MySpace looks very unprofessionally done (in the meaning of ‗Vernacular
web‘)
• Facebook has a professional minimalistic look
• Elements of ‗vernacular web‘ (glitters, animated gifs, flash) and ―screaming‖ media
(such as autoplay video/audio or HUGE pictures) and very encouraged on
MySpace
• Facebook has no tolerance to mentioned elements.
No animated gifs!

9. MySpace =―digital ghetto‖ (boyd)

10. How teenagers see their
online space
(from the dissertation of Danah Boyd [2])
Teens usually don‘t see virtual spaces as different from the ‗real life‘.
Social networks for them is just another space to ‗hang out‘ with there friends.
Therefore, social network and their circle there is a reflection of their ―true‖ life.
When teens are socializing, online and offline are not separate worlds—they
are simply different places to gather with friends and peers.

12. ‗Alternative‘ kids on MySpace
Goths,
emos,
‗art freaks‘
Queers

13. To kids and teenagers (regardless of their class)
MySpace is attractive for its functionality
• Kids see their virtual space as an extension of their room
• Kids have a need to decorate their room is a specific manner
• MySpace allows a complete ―redesign‖
How about adults, then?

16. Opinions
―If you‘re on MySpace now, you‘re a [expletive] cretin.
And you‘re not only a [expletive] cretin, but you‘re poor.
Nobody who has beyond an 8th grade level of education
is on MySpace. It is for backwards people.‖
Michael Wolff (american journalist) in
an interview with BusinessWeek, 2008
―BTW, MySpace just LOOKS ugly enough to be a ghetto or run-
down shanty town. Facebook, by comparison, looks like the
suburbs. You might prefer one or the other, but the design echos
the people it attracts, in a lot of ways.‖
Article commenter, [3]
I hardly ever get on either anymore, but I'd agree with the assessment
that Facebook has more the taiste the "upper class" kids would be
looking for: boring, pretentious, fake, and lacking in new, interesting
ideas.
Article commenter,
[3]

17. Facebook  Myspace
“The boldest Facebook
makeover” in its history
• Now (2012), when *all* people
are on Facebook, not just
education-oriented, Facebook
provides more space for self-
expression
• A huge eye-catching banner on
top of the Timeline
• The first step to blend the
difference between Myspace and
Facebook
• Are flashing, glittery backgrounds
or ad banners the next step?

18. Facebook cover collections
as extension of Myspace layout generators
http://www.myfbcovers.com

19. Graffiti on the face of Facebook

20. MySpace  Facebook
2010 – redesign
MySpace decided to get rid of the status of ‗digital ghetto‘
Design was generally cleaned up
Old profiles were reset to a default design
Design by default is ‗plain and boring‘, but strick.
Explore

21. The borders between MySpace and
Facebook designs are blurred now

22. Question 1
“Everyone is on Facebook now.”
Considering the increased audience of Facebook and
the latest developments in Facebook design, what do
you think the trend is?
Is Facebook at risk of becoming a new MySpace?
Do FB users need a space for self-expression (in terms
of gifs and customizable profile layouts)?
If yes, what is the chance that Facebook will satisfy this
need?

23. Viewing class difference through
*real-life* design choices

24. Viewing class difference through
*real-life* design choices

25. Viewing class difference through
*real-life* design choices

26. Money do not guarantee good taste
(or ‗class‘)

27. Viewing lass difference through *real-
life* design choices

28. Comparison of websites
Women‘s social sites
Femina.byGalya.ru
Blog platforms
LivejournalBlogs.mail.ru
News sites
Business news‗Yellow‘ news

29. Question 2
Think of other pairs of sites where the
visual solutions reflect the target
audience.

30. References
1. ―MySpace Now a ‗Digital Ghetto‘.‖ ―MySpace Now a ‗Digital Ghetto‘.‖
Inquisitr.com. Web. 6 Jun. 2012.
<http://www.inquisitr.com/27998/myspace-now-a-digital-ghetto/>.
2. Boyd, Danah Michele, University of California, Berkeley. Taken Out of
Context: American Teen Sociality in Networked Publics. ProQuest,
2008. Print.
3. ―Facebook, MySpace: a Race/Class Divide? | Technically Incorrect -
CNET News.‖ ―Facebook, MySpace: a Race/Class Divide? |
Technically Incorrect - CNET News.‖ News.Cnet.com. Web. 30 Apr.
2012. <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10283447-71.html>.

31. Used sources
• boyd, danah m. ―Responding to Responses to: ‗Viewing American Class Divisions Through Facebook
and MySpace‘.‖ Danah.org. Web. 6 Jun. 2012.
<http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ResponseToClassDivisions.html>.
• boyd, danah m. ―Viewing American Class Divisions Through Facebook and MySpace.‖ Danah.org 24
Jun. 2007. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html>.
• Boyd, Danah Michele, University of California, Berkeley. Taken Out of Context: American Teen Sociality
in Networked Publics. ProQuest, 2008. Print.
• Lialina, Olia. ―Vernacular Web 2.‖ Contemporary-Home-Computing.org 12 Jul. 2010. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.
<http://contemporary-home-computing.org/vernacular-web-2/>.
• ―Facebook vs MySpace - the Technology eZine.‖ ―Facebook vs MySpace - the Technology eZine.‖
Technology.Lilithezine.com. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://technology.lilithezine.com/Facebook-Vs-
MySpace.html>.
• ―Facebook, MySpace: a Race/Class Divide? | Technically Incorrect - CNET News.‖ ―Facebook,
MySpace: a Race/Class Divide? | Technically Incorrect - CNET News.‖ News.Cnet.com. Web. 30 Apr.
2012. <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10283447-71.html>.
• ―Make Facebook Look More Like MySpace with Timeline Cover Photos From FBCovers | TechCrunch.‖
―Make Facebook Look More Like MySpace with Timeline Cover Photos From FBCovers | TechCrunch.‖
Techcrunch.com. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/28/fbcovers-helps-facebook-look-
more-like-myspace/>.
• ―MySpace Now a ‗Digital Ghetto‘.‖ ―MySpace Now a ‗Digital Ghetto‘.‖ Inquisitr.com. Web. 6 Jun. 2012.
<http://www.inquisitr.com/27998/myspace-now-a-digital-ghetto/>.
• ―MySpace.com: Is It Really a ‗Digital Ghetto‘? - Yahoo! Voices - Voices.Yahoo.com.‖ ―MySpace.com: Is It
Really a ‗Digital Ghetto‘? - Yahoo! Voices - Voices.Yahoo.com.‖ Voices.Yahoo.com. Web. 6 Jun. 2012.
<http://voices.yahoo.com/myspacecom-really-digital-ghetto-3794802.html?cat=7>.
• ―The MySpace vs. Facebook Debate - Starpulse.com.‖ ―The MySpace vs. Facebook Debate -
Starpulse.com.‖ Starpulse.com. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/05/13/the_myspace_vs_facebook_debate>.