BASIC ANALYSIS FOR USAGE OF SOCIAL BOOKMARKINGSERVICES: DISTINCT PLATFORM AS A TOOL FOR
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Yoshiaki FUKAMI
Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University
yofukami@sfc.keio.ac.jp
Hideaki TAKEDAIkki OHMUKAINational Institute of Informatics{takeda | i2k}@nii.ac.jp
Jiro KOKURYO
Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University
jiro@sfc.keio.ac.jp
Abstract
While most social computing platforms like blogs and photo/video sharing sites are designed
to upload and share contents generated by users themselves, social bookmarking services(SBM) is a tool to store website information for further reference. The information itself is not
newly generated but rather scooped off the web by users. In this paper, we provide a basic
analysis of how users in fact utilize SBM. Data gathered from a quantitative survey shows that
SBM is used as tool for information management akin to the bookmarking function ofbrowsers installed on local computers. Most users make use of stored data generated byothers. Now, in order to effectively utilize the functions of such platforms as SBM and advancefrom activities reflecting self-interest to the actual creation of commons, we need to research
the specific design of these platforms.

1. INTRODUCTION
Among the array of current social computing platforms (Parameswaran and Whinston, 2007), Social
bookmarking services (SBM) occupies a unique position. While blogs and photo/video-sharing sites
are designed to upload and share contents generated by users themselves, SBM is a tool that allows
users to store website information on the Internet. There have been many studies dealing with what
motivates users and makes them participate in user communities on various social computing
platforms (e.g. Boyd and Ellison, 2006; Nov and Ye, 2008; Beenen et al., 2004). However, most of

these platforms have been designed with a view to support communication among users.
While contents on most social computing services are created by users, SBM provides a means
whereby users can store collections of website links to web pages which they wish to remember andshare. As users can thus share pointers to various categories of websites, SBM is regarded not only as
residing in the communications domain, but also as a knowledge sharing platform per se.

2. RESEARCH METHOD
To determine the extent to which SBM is put to use, we conducted a quantitative survey of users of theJapanese social network service (SNS) Buzzurl1 in May, 2007. We invited ‘active users’ of Buzzurl
via email to fill in and return a specific web survey form. ‘Active users’ were defined by the following
criteria:•

having registered a total of more than ten URLs with more than 10 tags attached•having registered more than one URL in the one month leading up to the survey

While 258 users qualified by the these criteria, 78 of them (30.2%) returned the completed webquestionnaire.

3. RESULTS OF ANALYSIS
3.1. REASONS FOR USING SBM
Table 1 shows reasons for using the social bookmarking service. Nearly 90% of subjects answered
they use SBM for personal information retrieval. Choices relating to communication with others cameto less than 20%. Few users are motivated to share or diffuse contents generated by others.
Table 1. Reasons for using SBM
total
retrieving personal information
sharing information with friends and relatives
attracting other users with posted URLs
other reasons

%100
89.7
15.4
19.2
5.1

N7870121543.2. REASONS FOR ATTACHING TAGS
Table 2 shows reasons for attaching tags. Nearly 70% of the subjects stated as their reason “to classifyand order URLs” or “to make it easier to search the sites later”. While individuals themselves generatetags for information management, the intention of attaching tags is not primarily related tocommunication among users.
1

Buzzurl:http://buzzurl.jp/

Table 2. Reasons for attaching tags

totalclassifying and ordering URLs
making it easier to search same sites later
keeping site evaluations
maintaining tasks or plans related to sites
leaving messages for authors of sites
other purposes

%100
71.8
69.2
33.3
15.4
14.1
0.0

N7856
5426
12110

These results indicate that SBM may be regarded as a tool for information retrieval. Most users appear
to be motivated by their own personal utility, using SBM mostly as a tool for information management
and not for communication purposes in the sense of other social computing platforms.
Table 3 provides answers to the question of how information generated by other users is in fact put touse. We find that 80% of the subjects make use of accumulated information on SBM in a variety ofways, while the remaining 20% never utilize information registered by others. In other words, mostusers make mutual use of information generated by others.
Table 3. Uses of information generated by others
total
accessing popular bookmark lists
accessing whole user tag clouds
searching URLs
searching tags
attaching tags of other users to own sites
attaching comments of other users to own sites
accessing URL lists with postings similar to own
browsing URL lists of others
othersnever referring to URLs and annotations of others

%
100
35.9
23.1
33.3
28.2
33.3
28.2
24.4
11.5
0.0
19.2

N78
2818262226
22199015

4. CONCLUSION
The data gathered in the quantitative survey of users of Buzzurl allows us to make certain assumptions
as to the motivation and attitudes of the subjects toward SBM.
•Users treat SBM as a tool for personal information retrieval and management.
While some users are interested in the responses of other users to existing URL lists, SBM is
primarily regarded as a repository of information gathered on the web. This aspect makes
SBM different from other social computing platforms.

•Few users communicate with others on SBM, which works as a tool for individuals.
Even though some users are interested in the activities of others, the majority utilizes theannotating function to increase the efficiency of managing their own information. So SBM
users rarely tend to accumulate URL lists and annotations for others. It can therefore be said
that the utilization of SBM is not directly related to actual communication.
•Users make use of metadata generated by others.
Nearly 80% of subjects using SBM answered that they refer to annotations and URL lists
posted by others. In short, data accumulated on SBM helps individuals with information
retrieval and knowledge management.

Our survey shows that SBM is regarded more as a tool than a communications platform. Even though
the function of SBM is to rationalize management of one’s own personal information, many users
benefit from information made available thanks to the activities of others. In this regard SBM differsfrom other social computing platforms such as SNS and photo sharing sites. The particular features ofSBM may open up distinctive mechanisms of diffusing benefits among users. The analysis of what
exactly triggers specific patterns of use and benefit on SBM while building loyalty to such platforms
ought to reveal important elements of architecture where users come to form communities andcollaborate to build commons.

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