Social Computing and Web 2.0 Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key concepts of Social Computing, including social theories, Web 2.0 tools, social commerce strategies, and relevant case studies from the lecture.

Social Computing

A type of IT that combines social behaviour, collaboration, information systems, and user-generated content to improve communication and create value through interaction.

Traditional Information Systems

Systems focused on productivity, automation, and cost reduction, where managers maintain control of online conversations.

Prestige Principle

A theory suggesting that people follow and respect high-status individuals, such as influencers and celebrities.

Social Capital

Relationships that provide access to resources or opportunities, such as networking through LinkedIn.

Relationship Maintenance

The concept that people behave in specific ways specifically to preserve their existing relationships.

Social Cognitive Theory

A theory stating that people learn behaviour by observing others, commonly seen in TikTok trends.

Social Identity Theory

The idea that people behave according to their group identity, such as being part of fandoms or political groups.

Behavioural Nudging

Using small design changes, such as notifications or ‘recommended for you’ features, to influence user behaviour.

Group Think / Polarization

A phenomenon where groups become extreme in their views when they are isolated from opposing perspectives.

Context Collapse

The merging of different social groups online where family, friends, and employers all see the same content.

Networked Individualism

A social pattern where people operate through multiple digital networks rather than being restricted to fixed groups.

Performative Authenticity

A version of ‘authenticity’ performed online specifically for attention or social approval.

Wisdom of Crowds

The idea that large groups can collectively make accurate decisions because individual biases average out and individuals think independently.

Web 2.0

The second generation of the internet focused on collaboration, participation, sharing, and user-generated content.

Tagging

A Web 2.0 tool where users assign keywords to content for easier searching and categorisation, such as using hashtags.

RSS

A tool that automatically delivers updates or content feeds to users.

Blogs

Regular online posts or opinions hosted on platforms like Medium or WordPress.

Microblogs

Web 2.0 platforms for short updates or posts, such as X/Twitter.

Wikis

Collaborative editing websites that allow multiple users to contribute to content, such as Wikipedia.

Social Bookmarking

The practice of saving and sharing useful web links on platforms like Pinterest.

Mashups

The combination of data or services from multiple sources, such as integrating Google Maps with reviews.

Social Commerce

E-commerce conducted through social computing where customers actively market, evaluate, and sell products.

Sentiment Analysis (SA)

The algorithmic analysis of customer emotions and opinions to understand the ‘voice of the customer’; also called opinion or review mining.

Group Buying

A social shopping method offering discounts when a large number of people buy, as seen with Groupon.

Collaborative Consumption

A sharing economy model including Airbnb and Uber, providing flexible self-management and environmental benefits.

Teespring

A social commerce company using a print-on-demand model where designers create merchandise and promote it via social media.

TikTok Shop

A platform combining entertainment and shopping that reduces friction between browsing and purchasing through algorithm-driven attention.

Social Advertising

Advertising that utilizes social contexts like friend recommendations, likes, and influencer marketing.

Viral Marketing

A marketing strategy where content such as memes or videos spreads rapidly through user sharing, resulting in low acquisition costs.

Native Advertising

Ads that blend naturally into a content feed, though they risk reducing trust if perceived as deceptive.

Network Effects

A phenomenon where the value of a service increases as more users join the network.

Conversational Marketing

Interactive communication with customers via chatbots, AI assistants, or social media replies instead of one-way advertising.