Mobile Social Networks

Mobile social networks are services accessed through mobile devices that enable users to connect with others and share information, images, content, and news. Early mobile social networks began in the late 1990s and facilitate social interaction in public spaces. Research on mobile social networks draws primarily on media sociology, critical theory of media, and design studies. Key tensions addressed in mobile social network research surround sociality, sense of place, and privacy. Topical areas of research on mobile social networks focus on social identity and collective action, pervasive computing, and gaming. Future areas for development and exploration include the combining of interpersonal communication and media theories, commercialization of data and networks, historical comparisons, and privacy. Keywords: commercialization; mobile communication; mobile gaming; pervasive computing; privacy; social identity; urban computing