Following others’ feeds strengthens friendships and community closeness

Evidence

In addition to connecting faraway friends and acquaintances, lifestreaming helped people in the scene feel closer to each other. By scrolling through the day’s Twitter updates or Facebook feed, people could see what others were doing. Video blogger Veronica Belmont, a self-described homebody, said, “I feel very connected to the community still because I know the minutiae of their lives through Twitter, through FriendFeed and Facebook. So you still have that sense of familiarity every time you run into them.” Others said they became better friends with acquaintances after following them on Twitter. The virtual discussions and short messages reinforced in-person friendships. This was especially important for shy people who found online socializing easier, or were intimidated by the bustling social life of the technology community. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 566

Categorization

• XREF: The ‘sense of familiarity’ from knowing minutiae anticipates the ambient intimacy concept and connects to Goffman’s co-presence ideas. — connects to: Face-to-face encounters persist more effectively when reinforced by social media ties. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 198; Tracking prominent figures’ output is a form of community participation — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 324; Digital tools reinforce existing ties rather than create new communities — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 598