Social network sites (SNSs) are increasingly attracting the attention of academic and
industry researchers intrigued by their affordances and reach. This special theme section of
the Journal of Computer‐Mediated Communication brings together scholarship on these
emergent phenomena. In this introductory article, we describe features of SNSs and propose
a comprehensive definition. We then present one perspective on the history of such sites,
discussing key changes and developments. After briefly summarizing existing scholarship …