Social networking and transnational capitalism

Kreps, DGP ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5776-2888 2011, 'Social networking and transnational capitalism' , tripleC - Cognition, Communication, Co-operation, 9 (2) , pp. 689-701.

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Abstract

Social Networking Sites (SNS) have become a key component of users’ experience of the internet. Whilst much has been made of the social dynamics of online SNS, the influence of the structures and operations of these sites – and the business models behind them – on users is rarely accounted for. This paper argues that behind the social behaviours sup- ported by SNS, there is a growing shift towards viewing online communities as commodities, and SNS as an extension of mainstream capitalist ideologies fostered by existing patterns of commercialization and consumption. Using the works of Gramsci, Gill and Hardt & Negri to provide a critical grounding, this paper explores the popular SNS site ‘Facebook’ and suggests that SNS may feel to the users to be free, social, personal, but in fact SNS are business as usual.

Item Type:	Article
Themes:	Media, Digital Technology and the Creative Economy
Schools:	Schools > Salford Business School > Salford Business School Research Centre
Journal or Publication Title:	tripleC - Cognition, Communication, Co-operation
Publisher:	University of Salzburg
Refereed:	Yes
ISSN:	1726-670X
Depositing User:	Dr DGP Kreps
Date Deposited:	12 Dec 2011 16:33
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2022 13:47
URI:	https://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/19145

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