In this research, the power and identification of the gaze in SNS services were analyzed through the cases of mobile SNS Service, and a mutual relation-oriented structure was examined. According to Foucault’s concept of authority, power is interpret...
In this research, the power and identification of the gaze in SNS services were analyzed through the cases of mobile SNS Service, and a mutual relation-oriented structure was examined. According to Foucault’s concept of authority, power is interpreted as ‘the process’ which is identical with ‘relationship.’ The power of gaze in panopticon has a one-network surveillance system. However, in modern media, a super panopticon structure, a two-way multi-networks surveillance system, has appeared instead of the one-network surveillance system. SNS service, which is so popular that it has been recently selected as one of top ten trends in Korea, has a super panopticon structure, a two-way multi-networks surveillance system, but from the viewpoint of communication, power from the gaze of the one-network surveillance system has been also formed. In this study, it was analyzed through three kinds of viewpoints, that is, the authority relation of gaze, identification and the relationship with others. The analysis results through these are as follows.
First, while the power relation of the gaze in mobile Cyworld and Facebook has the panopticon organization of one-network surveillance, the power structure of the gaze at the information displays a different aspect. In other words, as both the two services are offered by mobile, the power of gaze on others’ information and range of activities is generated through matrix interface. This is similar to the authority structure with the one-network surveillance of panopticon. However, in terms of the power structure of the gaze at other’s information, in Cyworld, the authority of ‘first Kinship’ operates as an excluding system and only the information of ‘first Kinship’ is posted and consumed in the authority range of a narrator’s gaze, but in Facebook, even the relational communication information among others is posted so that the power of a general relational gaze can be exercised in that structure. Therefore, even though Cyworld offers mobile service and ostensibly assumes the power system of the one-network surveillance as in Facebook, its structural limitation has brought about the result of watching oneself rather than others.
Second, the identification of mobile Cyworld appears through communication with others, and that of Facebook through its supplier’s relation-oriented structure. In case of Cyworld, its online service displayed the identification phenomenon through the visualization of self-expression, but the focus of its mobile service has shifted from visualization of self-expression to communication with others, and in this case, identification has appeared through communication with others. On the other hand, mobile Facebook does not have this kind of visualization element of self-expression, its relationship-oriented element by its supplier’s intention has caused identification phenomenon in the process of consuming the service seeking a relationship with others.
Third, the type of service of both mobile Cyworld and Facebook are ‘relation-oriented,’ which means pursuing and assuming a relationship with others. As the human network relationship online service in the past has been offered via mobile, communication has changed from an individual’s mini homepage to a relationship with others. Namely, the consumption centered on other’s updated information has caused the structure to pursue a continuous relationship with others. Eventually, mobile Cyworld has changed to the type of service seeking a relationship, and its detailed service has become similar to the relation-oriented service structure offered by Facebook and Twitter.
In this research, the power of gaze in SNS services and the relationship-oriented structure of their users and services to secure this authority of gaze were analyzed, and it was found out that there were identificational expressions and following communication hidden behind this structure.
This research is expected to be a suggestive example to those planning to develop this kind of SNS service in the future, and its comparison and analysis approached from still changing structure and users of SNS are expected to be suggested as an example for new direction.