Structure and Network in the YouTube Core

Abstract

In this paper, we present results of an empirical investigation into the social structure of YouTube, addressing friend relations and their correlation with tags applied to uploaded videos. Results indicate that YouTube producers are strongly linked to others producing similar content. Furthermore, there is a socially cohesive core of producers of mixed content, with smaller cohesive groups around Korean music video and anime music videos. Thus, social interaction on YouTube appears to be structured in ways similar to other social networking sites, but with greater semantic coherence around content. These results are explained in terms of the relationship of video producers to the tagging of uploaded content on the site.