In the information age, infomediation is the basic function of the internet, which means “a set of social-technical mechanisms” that “provide internet users with all types of information online and connect them with other users”. (Smyrnaios, 2018)In other words, information is disseminated broadly and users could interact with others through infomediaries, which refer to those online media platforms that depend on information intermediaries. Infomediation makes the connection between information supply and demand, enables users to meet their needs, and shapes network types by filtering, selecting, prioritizing information between supply and demand. (Smyrnaios, 2018) Moreover, infomediaries combine various aggregation, distribution and edition via links to shape network types as well.
Internet oligopolies, such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, tend to control infomediation to earn more advantages to consolidate their positions in specific segments of the digital industry so that they pay much more attention to vertical integration, which is “bring together a complementary set of business activities that constitute a production chain under the same decision-making power.” (Smyrnaios, 2018) And four markets that are related to infomediation play significant roles in obtaining more control for those internet oligopolies, which are “operating systems, consumer electronics, telecommunications networks and data centres.” (Smyrnaios, 2018) In terms of vertical integration, oligopolies attempt to approach to internet users as much as possible by offering diverse information and dominating those four markets. At the same time, they also control internet users’ choices of electronics, uses of different operation systems’ apps, individual data, and mobile access to shape network types.
With regard to network types, Smith, Rainie, Shneiderman and Himelboim indicated six structures of Twitter conversational networks: polarized crowds (divided), tight crowds (unified), brand clusters (fragmented), community clusters (clustered), broadcast network (in-hub and spoke), and support network (out-hub and spoke). (Smith et. al, 2014)After reviewing the NodeXL Graph Gallery, I chose to discuss one community clusters graph and one broadcast network graph since these two kinds of structures are relatively common.
The network type of the first graph is community clusters. It indicates a network of 1,013 Twitter users who recently send tweets include “#HealthTech”, or who were replied to or mentioned. The content of all tweets is related to applications or effects of new advanced technology on human health.
(Retrieved from: https://nodexlgraphgallery.org/Pages/Graph.aspx?graphID=171132)
“Some information sources and subjects ignite multiple conversations, each cultivating its own audience and community” and “revealing a diversity of opinion and perspective”. (Smith et. al, 2014) One main topic can develop many various smaller subtopics since too many diverse thoughts, focuses and angels exists. The graph is composed of around 90 subgroups that were separated by different relative topics and each subgroup has its own hubs, information senders and receivers; many topics that associated with health and technology are included, such as DNA test, cancer, 3D printing, artificial intelligence and so on. And these topics are reflected in top URLs, hashtags and words in each subgroup. Differ from other network types, community clusters have more interconnections among subgroups. From the Connected Action NodeXL-Reports, besides the main hashtag “#HealthTech”, most top hashtags and words in tweet in first ten subgroups overlap to establish more interconnections, though each group involves different subjects.
As Rainie and Wellman (2012)discussed the collaborative content creation on Wikipedia, networked individuals who do not have to be professional experts, are able to create, edit and manage the content collaboratively to produce an online encyclopedia. All these networked individuals are networked creators. Rainie and Wellman (2012) also argued that “a space for collaboration” and “a place to connect with community” are two of advantages of being networked creators. These networked creators who work on Wikipedia contribute to build up a community because tons of interconnections are created among people, articles or links. Similarly, in the first graph, all these 1,013 Twitter users are networked creators, who are either professional experts from different fields or normal internet users, to build up the “#Healthtech” community or smaller communities collaboratively. They extend and create relative information to enrich the content of the main topic from different perspectives.
The network type of the second graph is broadcast network. It indicates a network of 958 Twitter users who recently send tweets include “parkmgm”, or who were replied to or mentioned. Park MGM, which is a new Las Vegas resort from MGM Resorts and Sydell Group unfolding in 2018, is the specific central in this network.
(Retrieved from: https://nodexlgraphgallery.org/Pages/Graph.aspx?graphID=171117)
According to Smith and his colleagues’ findings, broadcast network “has a distinctive hub and spoke structure”, audiences are connected to the hub source only and people may connect with others in some cases. (Smith et. al, 2014) In this graph, Group1 shows many spokes surround the hub and only retweet the hub’s material. And there are several interconnections between Group 3 and 4 or Group 3 and 6; several users connect with others by discussing the hub of this network. In addition, the content of all top URLs in tweet in the network are merely related to Park MGM as well as almost all top URLs in tweet in subgroups are tweets from Park MGM’s official Twitter account.
Rainie and Wellman (2012)stated that everyone who has digital literacy to connect internet has opportunities to create online information and approach to more audience potentially. (Rainie & Wellman, 2012)In the second graph, Twitter, as an infomediary, is utilized by Park MGM to create their own online information to appeal to more audience who might be their potential customers. In other words, infomediation shapes this network type by setting the account “parkmgm” as the hub and make connections with other Twitter users to exhibit the “content dissemination”, which is one of general functions of the internet. (Smyrnaios, 2018)
Admittedly, infomediation and vertical integration shape network types as mentioned above, they also empower networked creators to shape network types since oligopolies have to approach to users.As examples of those two common network types graphs, whatever building up a community collaboratively or disseminating information to reach more audience, all professional experts, Park MGM and normal Twitter users are networked creators as main actors and directions to form the distinctive network type. Like Rainie and Wellman (2012) mentioned, two other advantages of being networked creators are “a form of self-expression” and “a sense of empowerment”, networked individuals can express themselves freely and make online creation according to their own perspectives. These subjective expressions and creations have power on forming which kind of type the network should be. All in all, in addition to those internet oligopolies strategies, networked creators can also affect network types.
References
Rainie, L., & Wellman, B. (2012). Networked: The new social operating system. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Smith, M. A., Rainie, L., Shneiderman, B., & Himelboim, I. (2014, February 21). Mapping Twitter Topic Networks: From Polarized Crowds to Community Clusters | Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/02/20/mapping-twitter-topic-networks-from-polarized-crowds-to-community-clusters/
Smyrnaios, N. (2018). Internet Oligopoly: The corporate takeover of our digital world. BINGLEY: EMERALD GROUP PUBL.