Teenagers frequently use social media sites like Facebook and MySpace as their new "hangout" space to socialize with friends. These sites have become integrated into teen friendships and are used to represent social status and explore shared interests outside of school. While social media allows for bonding over shared interests, it can also be a place where social drama, issues of status, and negative interactions between friends occur online.

1. Hanging Out, Messing Around,
and Geeking Out
Kids Living and Learning with New Media
Chapter 2: Friendship
By: Maha Jaber
CMS 298

2. Friendship and Social Media
• Chapter 2 discusses how social media is embedded
in friendships amongst teenagers. Social network
sites like Facebook and Myspace have become the
new “hangout” for teens. Other social media such as
mobile phones and instant messaging offer a more
intimate one on one friendship interaction (p.80).

3. Friendship and Social Media
• FYI note :I have never had a MySpace account 
• Facebook and MySpace are frequented as the new peer groups for teens and
their friendships.
• “While the dominant practice of teens in MySpace and Facebook conform to a
hanging out, friendship driven genre, kids sometimes also use these practices
as jumping –off points to messing around and more “geeked out "interests “
(p.81)
• I suppose this can mean anything from exploring technology, uploading and
watching videos to inventing a new application or new use for an existing
social media or technology. The messing around part could possible lead to
not maximizing time well, to even leading to cyber bullying.

4. Making Friends, Keeping Friends, Drama between friends, Issues of Status and
Attention:
(p.81)
I suppose all that (drama ) exists in real life friendships not only in social media: do you agree?
www.bitrebels.com
www.bitrebels.com

5. Will all these methods be old news in
20 years? I wonder………..

6. Status in Social Media
• Teens use social media to represent and play out
means of status when they are away from school.
• Online “spaces” have become the new high
school grounds where kids of like interests can
bond and connect with “fitting in, being cool and
standing out” (p.84).
• These full time connective technologies methods
of social media provide seamless methods to
carry on what starts into full time interactions.

8. Status in Social Media

9. What is the gain from social
networking sites?
• Norms are developed and maintained.
• This new form of media allows for literacy
exchange.
• Teens are in harmony (more often) with their
peers and friends.
• Ideas, emotions and cultural are shared and
strengthen connections.
• Allows parents to monitor new developing norms
and interfere (as appropriate, when aware).

10. What is the gain from social
networking sites?
• Given the importance of social media ,
networking can help attain interactions with
college connections.
• Sociability is strengthened (this is an
important skill).
• Positive interactions may be intensified
• May become more technology savvy and
encourages technology skills.
• A new communication tool.

11. The downside?
• Responsibility!!!! Youth must be aware of what they
post and how it can harm/affect another person.
Some good advice might be: if
You are unwilling to say it in person, do not say it on
Facebook, MySpace, or other social network sites.

12. The downside?
• This quasi-public space is also owned and
controlled by a corporate entity.
• Negative interactions may be intensified.

13. Summary
• Use common sense and be aware that once it
online it is so hard to get rid of or take back.
• And be careful of what you say, who you
communicate with and what information you
exchange with Facebook friends, especially
those who are only “friends” on Facebook (or
other “friends” on different social media
sites.

14. References
• Mizuko Ito et al (2010). Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning with New Media.
Cambridge, MA: MIT.
• www.bitrebels.com
• http://www.themediamarketingco.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/social-network-advertising.jpg
• bvanthro.wikispaces.com
• www.facebook.com
• http://www.google.com/search?q=status+on+facebook&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&biw=1440&bih=799&bvm=pv.xjs.s.en_US.
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• http://gigaom.com/2011/06/21/the-downside-of-facebook-as-a-public-space-censorship/
• http://www.hercampus.com/love/relationships/importance-facebook-relationship-status-its-well-complicated