Quantifying Connection: Tech & Online Social Capital
Can Algorithms Measure the Warmth of Human Connection? Technology's Quest to Quantify Social Capital Online Social capital – the intangible network of relationships that fuels our communities and provides support, information, and opportunities – is increasingly being studied in the digital realm. While traditional measures rely on surveys and interviews, a new wave of technology is attempting to quantify social capital in online networks. But can algorithms truly capture the nuances of human connection? The Promise of Algorithmic Measurement: Proponents argue that analyzing online interactions offers a vast, untapped dataset for understanding social capital. By tracking likes, shares, comments, group memberships, and even message frequency, algorithms can identify patterns and connections that would be impossible to discern through manual observation....