Social Media and Romantic Relationships

Abstract

We already know that social network sites (SNS) represent a set of technological capabilities that allow individuals to (i) construct a public or semipublic profile within a bounded system, (ii) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (iii) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. We also know that these platforms have different functionalities: Some of them emphasize capabilities like photo or video sharing tools, others focus on blogging or instant messaging technologies, whereas others aim to share locations (to name only a few). And, finally, we also know that the presence of these pivotal features afforded by SNS depends on the system design intentions or the intended purpose. Thus, these platforms are designed in terms of “affordances,” a term that suggests how a technology should be used according to the capabilities offered by it. However, it is important to note that, whereas technological affordances refer to the embedded functions in a technology, social affordances refer to the relationships developing within a technical structure. What we do not know yet is the impact that social media affordances may have on romantic relationships.