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New computer media have been portrayed in contradictory ways (Rice, 1999;Wellman et al., 1996). On the one hand, they are seen as providing a reduced cues environment that is ill-suited to emotional, expressive or complex communications , and responsible for longer decision times, anti-social aming behaviors and decreased social involvement (Daft & Lengel, 1986;Finholt & Sproull, 1990;Fish et al., 1993;Kiesler & Sproull, 1992;Kraut et al., 1998;Lea et al., 1992). On the other hand, new media are seen as integrative, connecting disparate others (Constant et al., 1996;Feldman, 1987;Pickering & King, 1995), increasing the involvement of peripheral players (Eveland & Bikson, 1988;Sproull & Kiesler, 1986, 1991, consolidatin g existing connections (Lind & Zmud, 1995), and supporting rich online communities (Jones, 1995(Jones, , 1998Kiesler, 1997;Smith & Kollock, 1999; Sudweeks et al., 1997). These contradiction s make it dif cult to assess the impact of new media, and to plan for its implementation and use. The emphasis on explanations about the impact of electronic media alone often fails to consider that medium in its context, along with more traditional media and face-to-face communications , and the needs and tasks of communicators. Although researchers in communication technology have put forward theories of media use, there is still a need for theories that provide a "framework for synthesis and integration of empirical ndings" (Stein eld & Fulk, 1990, p. 13).This article argues that viewing these results from the perspective of the strength and nature of the social network tie between communicators can help integrate and synthesize these disparate ndings, as well as the use of both electronic and nonelectronic means of communication. The main argument of this article is that the use and impacts of media are dependent on the type of tie connecting communicators. The tie determines the ways, means, and expression of communications , and it determines the motivation, needs, and desires for communication. This perspective begins with the social network tie between communicators and the way in which they 385

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When a computer network connects people or organizations, it is a social network. Yet the study of such computer‐supported social networks has not received as much attention as studies of human‐computer interaction, online person‐to‐person interaction, and computer‐supported communication within small groups. We argue the usefulness of a social network approach for the study of computer‐mediated communication. We review some basic concepts of social network analysis, describe how to collect and analyze social network data, and demonstrate where social network data can be, and have been, used to study computer‐mediated communication. Throughout, we show the utility of the social network approach for studying computer‐mediated communication, be it in computer‐supported cooperative work, in virtual community, or in more diffuse interactions over less bounded systems such as the Internet.