Project

Social Network Fragments

Social Network Fragments is interested in exploring the structure of an individual's social network. The relationship between actors in one's network says a great deal about the individual, revealing how he or she segments his or her social circles to reflect different facets of his or her life and social identity. In our research, we use visualization techniques to reveal the network structure that people develop during their email correspondences, thereby creating the tools to help understand aspects of social interaction. Additionally, this research reveals how much information can be derived about a large group of people by analyzing one person's habits. This is particularly interesting given our desire to understand communities as a whole, not just individuals. Such research raises serious questions about privacy, representation, and analysis that must be addressed as we move forward.