Open or Closed?

Which groups work best.

A closed social network allows users to have a stricter grip on who can join and interact within the group (Elder, 2021). Closed social networks have an advantage when it comes to membership. Closed groups can have a more niche topic with more barriers to entry so they can have an authentic community and conversations.

Closed communities allow their members to break themselves down to get to know each other on an intimate level. Typically closed social networks and groups have a very narrow topic they discuss. These can range in terms of liking Squishmallows or everybody battling the same medical illness.

A con of closed social networks is if they are infiltrated by someone with bad intentions the members could be exposed. No matter what the topic of the group is, if it is closed those members did not need to general public knowing what they were discussing.

Open social networks can also be very niche, but anyone can join, there are no barriers to entry. For example, I am a member of a Facebook group called ‘Dogspotting.’ This page has 1.8 million members. The sole purpose of this group is for people, all around the world to post pictures of dogs just out and about in public. Groups like these are fun because they have such an eclectic group of people joining in on the conversation just to celebrate seeing dogs in public.

As with closed groups, public groups also have the potential to have users or members be exposed for something. Although open groups aren’t as niche, there can still be ways that peole could be called out.

I personally have been a member of both types of Facebook groups, opened and closed. When I was in college, closed Facebook groups were used for clubs to classes. And open groups like “Penn State Class of 2020,” an open group that allowed for all incoming freshman to “meet” each other and interact before we got on campus our freshman year.

Facebook has evolved so much over the years and has allowed users to get closer than ever.