Cool tool. Thanks for pointing it out. My friends list is apparently also very segragated. :P

Though not SL vs RL (no SL friends on it and only 1 or 2 internet friends at all, too much RL information on Facebook). In my case mostly Finnish friends vs Flemish friends.

Actually, this phenomenon is not particular to facebook but can be found across a number of social networks.

There have been a various studies/research that have determined that certain social networks are favoured by people with common demongraphics.

Some research I read in a report on marginalised youth and their access to technology (by the INSPIRE Foundation, Australia) noted that Hi5 and Bebo were preferred by particular cultural groups/age groups and that other networks were more appealing to other groups. I can dig up the report and see which ones for which.

(As a side fact-let, it was found that marginalised youth had access to technology and that the ‘great digital divide’ was more about how youth, health and education used technology - or didn’t as opposed to the youths in the study).

I would not surprised to see a similar phenomenon across social networks but would expect to see a great variation on who was being excluded.

Social networks are like virtual clubs and many clubs tend to be frequented by a similar clientele (and often are a little bland as a result). I prefer the real life pubs, spaces and places I frequent to be a mish-mash of people or with changing groups depending on the entertainment but each to their own.

Thanks for sharing Vint.

I love your blog… it’s fantastic. Yours and Dandellion’s are among my favourites.