OFcom referance (794221), страница 7
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These figures suggest that although rules about,for example, giving out personal information on these sites may be well understood bychildren, the importance parents place on rules about meeting new people is not beingcommunicated to children as effectively.25Social NetworkingFigure 15: Rules and restrictions on what children use social networking sites for –parents vs. children33%No rulesRestrictions around meeting new peopleRestrictions around giving out personal detailsRules around meeting in person new people meton SNSRules on privacy settingsRestrictions around posting photosOnly add others as friends if parent approvesRestrictions around posting videosOnly be added to others' SNS if parent approvesRestrictions around viewing photosRestrictions around viewing videosOther13%43%30%27%26%17%10%13%7%10%7%12%4%8%6%8%3%7%7%4%6%17%15%Parents of 8-17sChildren (8-17)Q. Do you/your parents have any rules around the use of social networking sites?Base: All parents of 8-17s whose child has a page/profile on a social networking site (175)/all children(8-17) who have a page/profile on social networking sites (220).Source: Ofcom – Children, Young People & Online Content, October 2007.Figure 16 shows that 68% of parents reported having rules and restrictions about theinternet generally.
This was similar to the number who reported setting rules specificallyabout social networking sites (Figure 14).33 This may indicate that in terms of rules andrestrictions, parents see social networking sites as just another activity that their children doonline. Accordingly, it seems that the rules that parents set for using social networking sitesfit within the wider context of the rules they set for the internet more generally.However, this did not appear to be the case among children.
Sixty-four per cent of childrensaid that they had rules and restrictions on their internet use, but only 53% reported havingrules on their use of social networking sites.33Caution should be used in comparing the two charts as they have different base sizes.26Social NetworkingFigure 16: Rules around internet use – parents vs. children100%80%32%36%60%No rulesRules40%68%64%Parents of 8-17sChildren aged 8-1720%0%Q. Do you/your parents have any rules or restrictions about using the internet?Base: All who/whose children use the internet: Parents of 8-17s (526), children aged 8-17 (513)Source: Ofcom – Children, Young People & Online Content, October 200727Social NetworkingSection 55 Understanding behaviours and attitudestowards social networking sitesOfcom commissioned a piece of qualitative research to examine in depth people’s attitudesto online social networking, their behaviours while using social networking sites, and thereasons why they used the sites.
This section contains an analysis of this research basedaround several distinct user and non-user segments.Ofcom’s qualitative research found that use of, and attitudes towards social networking sites(both for users and non-users) fell into several distinct segments. Although qualitative innature, these segments provide an interesting insight into how people currently use and viewsocial networking sites. They also help to highlight that site users are not a uniform group interms of use, attitudes or behaviour.
Further information, including detailed case studies, canbe found in Annex 3.34It is important to note that the segments for users and non-users had different bases. Usersegments were organised on the basis of how users behaved when using social networkingsites. The non-user segments were drawn up using the basis of non-users’ reasons for notusing the sites.5.1User segmentsThe qualitative research found that users fell into five distinct segments based upon howthey used social networking sites, and in particular, how they interacted with others on thesesites. The following table summarises the segments:Figure 17: Table summarising social networking site user segmentsStyle of useGenderAgeSocioeconomicgroupTypical sitesNumber ofpeopleAlphasocialisersFlirting, meetingnew peopleMostly maleUnder 25sC1C2DBebo,MySpace, Hi5MinorityAttentionseekersPosting photosto getcomments fromothersMostly femaleTeens to 35+(esp.
mothers)C1C2DBebo,MySpace, ICQSomeFollowersKeeping up with Male & femalefriendsAllABC1C2DBebo,MySpace,Facebook, Hi5,ICQManyFaithfulsFinding oldfriendsMale & femaleOlder 20+ABC1FacebookManyFunctionalsPursuinginterests &hobbiesMostly maleOlder 20+ABC1C2DFacebook,MySpace, BeboMinoritySource: Ofcom Social Networking Sites research, September-October 200734Published separately online at www.ofcom.org.uk28Social NetworkingAlpha Socialisers (Male, under 25, C1C2D, a minority of the sample)This group consisted of regular users who went on social networking sites often, but for shortbursts of time. They searched through the profiles of people they didn’t know (usually thoseof the opposite sex), commented on their pictures in flirtatious ways and added them asfriends.
For Alpha Socialisers, ‘friends’ on social networking sites were anybody they hadadded to their friends’ list.I’d add anyone who is fit. [How would you find them?] Through friends, I’d look throughfriends and add them like that - Male 17, rural/semi-ruralIt’s a great way to socialise and to get known, I like being centre of attention and this is awicked and fun way of doing it – Boy 20, rural/semi-ruralFor this type of user the focus was very much on entertainment and on casualcommunication with others, usually people they didn’t know.
It was common for users tosearch through the online friends of their existing contacts to find new people to contact.Through contacting friends of friends, and even friends of friends of friends, it was possiblefor their networks to be very large.Some of these users reported meeting in person people they had met online, and sawmeeting ‘friends of friends’ as safer than meeting complete strangers.Attention Seekers (Female, teens to 35+, C1C2D, some of the sample)This group comprised social networking site users who craved interaction with others, oftenfrom the Alpha Socialisers. Most of these users had posted photos of themselves andfriends in provocative poses, partying, drinking and portraying glamorous lifestyles.This type of user was keen to customise their profile.
They regularly updated their ‘skins’ (thestyle, colours, and design of their site home pages) to reflect an aspirational image, e.g.glitter and sparkle and images of ‘hunky’ men. Attention Seekers were willing to collectfriends from all over the world, but tended to have actual online interaction with only a fewpeople.Attention Seekers’ profiles had a big effect on their social identity. They were typically quiteinsecure, and for them social networking sites were all about entertainment and ego.
It wasimportant to them that others commented on the photos they posted. This gave them asense of acceptance and increased their self-esteem.Users from other groups could be quite dismissive of Attention Seekers, as these quotesshow:She seems really vain; 20 pictures of herself but no pictures of her friends – Boy 16,rural/semi-ruralI think some [girls] feel self-conscious…so they’ll put explicit pictures on and hope people willsay they look good, and then they’ll feel better about themselves – Girl 15, urban/suburban29Social NetworkingFollowers (male and female, all ages, ABC1C2D, many in the sample)Users in this group tended not to be early adopters of social networking sites but insteadfollowed trends in order to be part of what was going on with their peers. For Followers, itwas crucial to behave and look like their friends online – it gave them access to the ‘incrowd’.
They tended to have an intensive relationship with social networking sites initially,which then diluted over time as they were not as passionate about the sites as were theother typologies.Users in this group were much less likely than Alpha Socialisers or Attention Seekers tocontact or meet people who they did not know.I joined because most of my friends were joining and I didn’t want to feel left out, once Ijoined I realised how fun it was, before that I was only really doing it because most myfriends were- Girl 13, rural/semi-ruralOne of my friends suggested that I become a member of Bebo so I did. To begin with I wason it most nights, now it depends what it going on in my street and what is on the TV – Boy14, rural/semi-ruralI do spend quite a lot of time on it, some of my friends are really outrageous with the photosthey post and the things they say, I find it funny to look at but wouldn’t do it myself – Female29, urban/suburbanFaithfuls (male and female, older 20+, ABC1, many in the sample)These social networking site users had high self-esteem, tended to be settled in their livesand social worlds, and did not crave external affirmation as strongly as the AttentionSeekers.
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