ABSTRACT

Break-ups are a compelling topic for thinking about the networked society as they are both very common and run counter to the logic of connectivity that powers much of network society. The logic of connectivity is that connections between individuals or individuals and entities that are real should be accounted for. It is thought that the more such connections are accounted for, the more effectively any algorithm can facilitate future connections (Hogan), particularly for advertising purposes and enhanced user experience. A break-up signifies a dissolution of a link as two people change status from in a relationship to no longer in a relationship. A world of networks is a world of particulars and relationships between them. The particulars might be people, accounts, photos, or pieces of text. In social network analysis, everything contained by a particular boundary is a node. These nodes link to each other in some fashion. The set of nodes and relations define a network.