I know I wrote about Web ethnographer danah boyd not long ago, but she came out with another talk a few days ago that’s too good to pass up. “The Not-So-Hidden Politics of Class Online” is about the role that class identification plays in social networking; in particular, how race, economic status, and education influence the choices that teenagers make in creating their social spaces online.

One very interesting point she makes is that the social division between MySpace and Facebook, and the movement from the former to the latter, mirrors that between the working and educated classes, particularly where unconscious awareness of class was involved:

What happened was modern day “white flight.” Whites were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. The educated were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those from the suburbs were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those who deserted MySpace did so by “choice” but their decision to do so was wrapped up in their connections to others, in their belief that a more peaceful, quiet, less-public space would be more idyllic.

And, also, that those in the upper class (Facebook) show a familiar condescension toward those in the lower class (MySpace), as well as a distrust of their taste and values:

The fact that digital migration is revealing the same social patterns as urban white flight should send warning signals to everyone out there. And if we think back to the language used by teens who use Facebook when talking about MySpace, we should be truly alarmed. Those who are from privileged backgrounds tend to be far more condescending towards those who are not than vice versa. Many of us in this room come from privileged worlds where we want to “help” those who are not well-off. Here is where a privilege-check is necessary. How often do our language and mannerisms reflect a problematic level of condescension? Perhaps we should look at our teens. They are certainly speaking in a manner that reveals distrust and condescension.

“Class” is a forbidden topic in the United States, so much so that most of us–at least, those of us not at the very top–are barely aware of its existence. But despite our deplorable lack of class consciousness, the classes themselves are very real, and social technologies have only enhanced our ability to wall ourselves off in our own communities. boyd uses the excellent term “homophily” to describe our instinctive drive to stick to those like ourselves. How many of us really know anyone outside of our own class? Or would have anything to say to them if we did?

I do wonder, however, what kind of role social aspiration and upward mobility might play. Do those who have migrated from MySpace to Facebook see it as a place where they can be around a better class of people?

Anyway, I think that those who are interested in creating social spaces online would be wise to take these social attitudes into account. You might think that your cool new technological playground is the perfect place for people of all kinds to work and play together–but your intended audience may not see it that way. We should always look at the assumptions of the people we’re aiming our work at–and our own assumptions most of all.