Chapter . Social Networks

Why People Join Social Networks

The main reason people joined social networks was to connect with people they knew: friends, family members, colleagues, and acquaintances. Following companies and receiving updates from them was often a benefit of using social networks, but it wasn’t the main reason people decided to join and utilize these tools.

Many individuals joined these tools for the opportunity to keep in touch with their contacts. Users often joined social networks to check status updates, look at pictures, and send messages to their friends. One user said, “I joined as a way to connect with people that I don’t normally see or talk to.” Another user said, “I joined as a way to keep in touch with friends working overseas.” ...

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