In this virtual field trip you will examine the taken for granted geographical and spatial features of Facebook. We’ll look at the spatial metaphors that Facebook uses and think about how Facebook’s spaces might function in ways that mirror or mimic more traditional offline interactions.  If you don’t have Facebook (and you know who you are), this could be difficult but work with someone else and be sure you do #1.   We'll discuss this one at the end of class.

Since this virtual field trip deals with information you may want to consider private, you’ll print this one out and hand it in.

Public and Private Space

Go to Google and search for your name and Facebook.  

1.      What did you find? Were you able to find yourself? Did you find yourself or someone else with your name? How much information about you or your doppelganger did you find? Were you surprised at or comfortable with what you found? 

2.       Is Facebook a public space?  Is it a private space? Why?

Metaphorical Spaces

Now log in to Facebook. You should find yourself at your home page.

3.      While at your home page take a look around.  In what sense is this like a home?  In what ways does the metaphor of home not apply to this page?

4.      Take a look at your news feed on the home page.  Is there a spatial metaphor that you can think of that might describe how the news feed functions? What kind of material space does it resemble in terms of its function?

5.      Now look at your profile. At the center of your profile is your wall.  “Wall is a spatial metaphor.  Is there a spatial metaphor that might better describe how this online space functions?

Control over Space

6.      Take a look at your profile.  Which elements of this page do you control fully?  Which elements are out of your control? Who controls the elements that you do not?  

7.      Studies show that people judge other people on social network sites in part based upon their friends.  What do your friends say about who you are? What does the quantity of your friends potentially say about you?

Geography of “Friends”

8.      Look at your Friends. What proportion of your friends would you estimate are people you already knew? What proportion of your friends did you first meet on Facebook? 

9.      What proportion of your friends live far away from where you live?  To what extent do you use Facebook to keep in touch with people you don’t see every day?

Conclusion

10.  What feature makes Facebook as a social network site (as opposed to a home page or other kind of site)? In other words, what feature or set of features makes Facebook a platform for generating communicative mobility?