Does it qualify as a sort of "Third Place", and if so, in what ways might social networking on the Internet be similar/different to Oldenburg's notion of a Third Place in real life?
From Internet: Knowledge and Community
In Oldenburg's The Great Good Place, the importance of socialization is emphasized and I wonder if we are in some ways meeting this need through regular excursions into the realm of social networks. It could be argued that sites like Facebook have been effective at bringing people together; social networks may thus be helping to fill a void left by lack of a tangible Third Place, or perhaps they are merely distractions, (or worse, personal data gathering machines utilized to sell you more stuff!)
I think it's both. It can be used to bring people together in a positive way, but I'm also concerned that it might be used as a way for corporations and governments to keep track of everyone's personal details and goings-on while still making it feel consensual.
I'm skeptical whether a virtual space could ever replicate fully the experience of getting together with friends in "real-life". But that doesn't mean that its not used as such by a lot of people. At it's best, I think it helps facilitate the nurturing of relationships that allows people to get together more often in actual Third-Places. I personally find it much easier to keep in contact with a lot more people than I did before MySpace and Facebook. It allows you to see and RSVP to events that people are holding and set up dates to get together with people much easier. I know a lot more about what's going on in people's lives, for better or worse.
I wonder, do we know the people in our lives any better thanks to social networking? Is that a good/bad thing?
It seems to me that people are in some ways more candid on Facebook than they might be in real life. Some post their every move and I actually feel like I learn more than I need to know! The thing is, sometimes these are people I already know, some are folks I only know on Facebook. That makes it all the more weird to read the constant goings on of someone I've never met in person!
As for those who are already good friends outside of Facebook, it can nurture those friendships by being a virtual Third Place, especially for friends that live far away. I like being able to check in intermittently and see how everybody's day is going. Conversely, I know of some people who spend so much time on Facebook that they never get out and do anything real; it's their loss, I suppose, but maybe they're happy? The point is, in some weird way, Facebook does increasingly seem to me like a catalyst towards a longed for Third Place.
Here's a thought, do people make plans for real life on Facebook and when they get together, the Third Place is wherever they meet, regardless of whether or not it's the same physical space every time?
Social networks like Facebook, My Space, Linked In, and others are fulfilling the role of the "Third Space" by serving as the coordinating hub or node in a network of friends or like minded individuals. It does not serve as a real Third Place but rather a virtual Third Place that can lead to actual physical face to face meetings and activities. The issue of privacy has been and will continue to be problematic for anyone using these networking services.At the end of the day they are all corperate entities with purposes and agendas that have proven divergent from customer or member wishes.
