I found a blog post titled, “Teen Socialization Practices In Networked Publics” that has some really good information about why kids are using Social Networking sites to hang out instead of hanging out physically.  There is some great stuff here.

The first thing to understand about social network sites is that, for teens, they are not primarily about networkING. They are about socializing in a networked peer public with one’s social network. In other words, teens go onto MySpace and Facebook to hang out with the friends that they know from school, activities, church, and summer camp. Their online world is a reproduction of their offline peer networks. Their social interactions move fluidly between online and offline environments.

Teens don’t automatically exist online. They aren’t automatically a part of social network sites and their presence is simply an IP address. For this reason, teens begin by creating a presence. A digital body if you will. In social network sites, this digital body takes the form of a profile. Teens accessorize their digital body and attempt to express themselves to be as cool as possible, just like they do when they leave the house in their physical bodies. What exists offline is mirrored online.

Next, they start adding Friends, fleshing out their social network. In doing so, they create their peer public within the broader public context. Their understanding of the social context is created in this process. These are not teens’ closest and dearest, but the peer publics in which they socialize. They include classmates that they don’t particularly like but don’t want to offend as well as their best friends.

There are teens who go online to make new friends, but this is not standard. At the same time, just as you meet new friends or potential love interests at your friends’ dinner parties, teens meet new people through their friends and classmates and cousins and shared affiliations.

danah: Have you met anyone thru MySpace?
Samantha (18, Seattle): Not really. There was a girl who knew me, but I didn’t know her, but I added her anyways and she started talking to me… We both attended Young Life at different schools, but then one night there was an all area young life and I met up with her there.

That’s one of the benefits of socializing in a public setting. Teens enjoy being exposed to new people through trusted networks.

The third key component of a social network site is the comments section or Wall. This is where teens publicly converse. Often, the specific content is less relevant than the way in which that content helps teens maintain their relationships. In other words, “yo, wazzup” “not much, how you?” “goood” may seem pointless, but it has tremendous value. That supposedly meaningless interaction was a re-affirmation of friendship, a tightening of social bonds, and a confirmation that there is no drama. Those meaningless interactions are what builds the social ties that we rely on. In other words, what was really being said was: “I’m thinking of you and want validation that we are still friends and that you’re willing to spend time talking to me.” “Yes, of course we are friends. To prove it, I will say it publicly so that others know that we’re still friends.” “OK, cool. Thank you!!”