Seeing the Ripples

Earlier this year, my fellow intern wrote about Social Network Analysis and how it can be used to study the connections that make up the social fabric of networks. Understanding these connections can help strengthen information flows, improve communication and build partnerships. Visualizing such connections can create interesting and beautiful images that are powerful illustrations of the reach of social networks. Moreover, these images can provide a better understanding of how we can leverage social networks to improve civic engagement. While demonstrations (like this video of how Google+ posts are shared) are simply cool, they also show how online social tools actively spread information. Similarly, this video shows an augmented reality simulation of Facebook friendships at work. These videos help show how connections develop and evolve over time. Such demonstrations can deepen our understanding of how we influence other people, and how that influence is spread throughout a network. Visualizations can also be used to demonstrate characteristics of networks and potential barriers to connection. This map illustrates the myriad of languages used on Twitter. Strong language communities exist regionally, but even English doesn’t cover the entire sphere. Similarly, this map shows a mash-up of a Facebook friendship map, and NASA’s map of the earth at night. It highlights the areas around the world where Facebook has yet to penetrate and can help explain why. (That dark gap around Russia? If you want to reach out folks there, you'll have to join Vkontakte instead.) Analysing Twitter use around this year’s Egyptian revolution demonstrates a real-world example of how useful these visualizations can be. An influence map showed the connections between Twitter users, and illustrated the influence each user had on those surrounding them. Further, this map demonstrated the effect of the internet blackout on the spread of information through Twitter. All of these cases show the importance of looking at the connections within a network, and how visualizing these connections can answer some of the questions around them. Such images can identify weak links and holes along with potential ways forward. Networks are a key component of NDI's work, and understanding spheres of influence and information flows help strengthen our information campaigns and mobilization projects. Social media is a great way to encourage citizen participation, but knowing how these tools work is vital to the success of a project. Suggesting Facebook to a Russian partner would lead them down the wrong road, but cases like Egypt show the impact well-used social media can have; using the right tool in the right way is essential.