Relations 2.0: Strategies of Friendship Management on Facebook in Tunisia

Abstract

The Facebook platform is ahead of other social networks in Tunisia in terms of some registered users and is characterized by extensive use, especially among young people aged 18 to 30. To better understand how these young people use this communication tool, this study proposed a reflection on social representations of friendship offline and online on this platform. It also aimed to understand how young Tunisian users define friendship in everyday life, to compare these definitions with those actually created and maintained online on Facebook. The survey highlighted the replication on the platform of implicit social and friendly norms. It was also able to determine the strategies of appropriation of the social network by users. Strategies are ranging from preserving privacy to improving professional life.