On Facebook, MySpace and being ghetto

On the one hand, the ghetto is a part of a city historically defined by race and class. On the other hand, being ghetto refers to a set of tastes that emerged as poor people of color developed fashion and cultural artifacts that proudly expressed their identity. Just as physical spaces and tastes are organized around and shaped by race and class, so too are digital environments.

From “White Flight in Networked Publics? How Race and Class Shaped American Teen Engagement with MySpace and Facebook” by danah boyd. [Draft; PDF file]