social classes

A recent study performed by Ph.D. student Danah Boyd and covered by BBC News has determined that there is a “sharp division along class lines among the American teenagers flocking to the social network sites.” Boyd claims that Facebook users are primarily from wealthier homes and have a greater chance of attending college, whereas MySpace users graduate high school and go straight into the workforce.

As a college graduate and early adopter of Facebook (in 2004), I could definitely see that. But there are other factors at play here that may not necessarily have been considered when Boyd began her studies.

Initial audience. While MySpace was immediately open to all users, Facebook attracted college students first from the most prestigious universities. Why did I join in 2004? It was a real private but promising social network. Early adopters felt that the most elite students were given a sneak peek to the social site that would soon blossom.

And it kept getting bigger, but only for college kids.

I think this actually had a substantial effect on Facebook attracting the “wealthier, college-bound” crowd.