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Online social networking can be intimidating. The mere thought of putting yourself or your finances on social venues like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and even professional sites like LinkedIn, can lead to feelings of apprehension. This can be especially true for those people who were born in years preceding the “online generation,” and who have not grown up with technology as a means of day-to-day social interaction. Some people are comfortable with technology, but hesitant to take the leap, perhaps because the benefit of social networking is not evident to them, or for their fear of the unknown.

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It’s not news that younger generations have ventured where no other past generations have gone before when it comes to use of technology in everyday life. Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Second Life, and other online destinations have morphed into bonafide social venues that are a part of the day-to-day lives of most teens and young adults.  So much so, that academics and industry followers have become increasingly eager to understand.

On March 30, 2006, during the birth of growing mainstream attention and popularity for online social networks, CNN’s Bill O’Reilly invited Danah Boyd, a renowned expert and anthropologist to offer her opinion regarding controversial news coverage about the popular website MySpace. Boyd gave insight into the cultural reasons that are at the root of why people have turned to the Internet for socializing. Archived video of the interview is found on YouTube.  Paraphrasing Danah Boyd:

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