On-line Social Network sites incorporate a multitude of mediated platforms in which individuals can communicate with other individuals and/or groups. These mediated platforms include (but are not limited to) Facebook and Twitter which have provided a new and interesting way of communication within the virtual community. While this paper will deal with social network sites and friendship generally, Facebook and Twitter will dominate the paper as the mostly referred to social networking sites. Within this conference paper I will firstly discuss how people are adjusting the way they socialize and behave when using social network sites as another form of communication with friends and acquaintances. Secondly when researching the way users behave and communicate in these sites a new term ‘Ambient Awareness’ has been created to identify the excessive on-line contact. The constant flow of information provides users with the ability to piece together information to give an insight to that user’s life which has not been available through traditional forms of communication before. Thirdly when contributing to the social networks users are influenced by user generated content by which the user can not only to read information but create the information. And in conclusion I will discuss how social networks sites are a positive way of communicating and socializing because they allow a new way that users can intertwine friendships both on-line and off-line.
