Scribd
Upload
3 views

Introduction to Social Networks

Social networks consist of individuals or organizations (nodes) connected by relationships (edges), with Online Social Networks (OSNs) being digital platforms for creating profiles and sharing content. Key concepts include nodes, edges, degree, communities, centrality measures, homophily, social influence, privacy issues, and network dynamics. Examples of OSNs include Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Reddit.

Uploaded by

tech4fresherss
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
3 views

Introduction to Social Networks

Social networks consist of individuals or organizations (nodes) connected by relationships (edges), with Online Social Networks (OSNs) being digital platforms for creating profiles and sharing content. Key concepts include nodes, edges, degree, communities, centrality measures, homophily, social influence, privacy issues, and network dynamics. Examples of OSNs include Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Reddit.

Uploaded by

tech4fresherss
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Introduction to Social Networks

A social network is a structure made up of individuals or organizations (called nodes) that are
connected by one or more types of relationships (called edges or links), such as friendship,
communication, work, or common interests.
In real life, examples include:
• Friends and family connections
• Professional relationships (colleagues, business partners)
• Academic collaborations
But when these networks are created, maintained, and expanded through the internet, they become
Online Social Networks (OSNs).

📱 What are Online Social Networks (OSNs)?


Online Social Networks are platforms that allow users to:
• Create profiles
• Connect with others
• Share content (posts, images, videos, etc.)
• Communicate (messages, comments, likes)
Examples: Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit

🔑 Key Concepts in the Introduction to Social Networks (Especially OSNs)


Here are the main concepts you should understand:

1. Nodes (Vertices)
• These represent individuals or entities in the network.
• In OSNs, a node is typically a user profile.

2. Edges (Links or Connections)


• Represent relationships between nodes.
• Can be directed (e.g., Twitter follow) or undirected (e.g., Facebook friendship).

3. Degree
• The number of connections a node has.
• In-degree: number of incoming links
• Out-degree: number of outgoing links
4. Graph Representation
• A social network is often modeled as a graph, with nodes and edges.
• Helps in visualizing and analyzing the structure.

5. Communities or Clusters
• Groups of nodes that are more tightly connected to each other than to the rest of the
network.
• Example: family, classmates, coworkers.

6. Centrality Measures
• Helps to find important or influential nodes in the network.
• Degree centrality: nodes with many connections
• Betweenness centrality: nodes that act as bridges between different groups
• Closeness centrality: nodes that can reach others quickly

7. Homophily
• Tendency of individuals to connect with others who are similar (interests, background, etc.)

8. Social Influence
• How behaviors, ideas, or trends spread across the network.

9. Privacy and Security


• Online networks raise issues about data privacy, fake profiles, identity theft, etc.

10. Network Dynamics


• How social networks grow and evolve over time.
• Who joins the network?
• How do connections change?
• How does information spread?

🧠 Summary
Concept Meaning
Social Network Set of nodes connected by relationships
Online Social Network Digital version of social connections (e.g., Facebook)
Node Individual (user profile)
Edge Relationship (friendship, follow)
Degree Number of connections
Community Group of closely linked users
Centrality Importance of a node
Concept Meaning
Homophily Similar people tend to connect
Influence Spread of ideas or behavior
Dynamics Changes over time in the network

You might also like