1. an article by danah boyd and nicole ellison (2007) social network sites: definition history and scholarship from the journal of computer mediated communication defines and explains the history and innovation of social networking. it briefly discusses teh different types of social network sites and their basic roles or functions. it is relevant to my essay as it directly relates to facebook the biggest of all the social network sites.

2. an article by ellison steinfield and lampe "the benefits of facebook friends" looks at the benefits and disadvantages of facebook. this is clearly relevant to my essay as the various positives and negatives indicate the overall impact facebook may be having on our lives.it discusses teh bonding and bridging benefits of facbook as well as maintained social capital ( the ability of a person to stay connected to a previously inhabited community eg an old school job etc. the journal also discusses benefits such as improving self esteem and overall psychological well being.

3. an article by stuat boon and christine sinclair " a world i dont inhabit: disquiet and identity in second life and facebook" examins some of the disadvantages of facebook in education eg schools universities in particular the affect that teh "disquiet" of these sites have as well as the existence of users commonly having virtual personalities.

4. an article by harvey jones and jose hiram soltren (2005) "threats to privacy" examins the security aspects of facebook to its users. the reality of marketing by large firms and the use of perosnnal information for marketing purposes by firms. it discusses teh difffernt measures that facebook takes to allow its endusers to make their perosnnal information only availble to teh peole they wish it to be made available to although information is stil used by firms for marketing purposes.

5. an article by sarah birnie and peter horvath (2002) " psychological predictors of internet social communication examins the psychological aspects of online communication and social networks in particular the role it plays upon a users tendency toward sociability and shyness but more importantly it supported the theory that internet communication and social networks were merely an extension of traditonal social forms and didnt necessarily replace them.

6. an article by jonathon kandell (2009) " internet addiction on campus: the vulnerability of college students" outlines the exisence and the nature of addictive internet usage among many college students and the possible reasons for this addictive behaviour.

7. alessandro acquisti and ralph gross (2006) :imagined communities: awareness, information sharing and privacy on facebook. discuss the various implications both positive and negative with facebook in particular negative aspects such as the availablitity of personnal information that many endusers provide publicly on facebook.