Central European Journal of Communication

ABSTRACT: Tendencies of mediatization, globalization, commercialization etc. in modern societies cause a loss of relevance of traditional agencies of socialization. Individuals are increasingly challenged to enfold their socialization on their own. Media products become highly relevant for an individual’s socialization. To be able to manage the demands of socialization, the individual needs to develop sophisticated competences of communication. The competences of communication enable the individual to identify and reflect his/her personal needs. Identity is conceived as the realization of an individual’s competence of construction of communication in interactive situations. Online social networks such as Facebook.com provide spaces of communication, in which individuals can work on their identity in processes of interaction. By methods of network analysis this research explores the impact of structures of social networks on the individual’s competences of communication and, hence, the impact on identity constructed on social networks.