Ellison and colleagues pointed out particularly intriguing remarks. Users often connect with people whom they already knew or met using SNS regardless tie strength. Despite its abilities to connect with strangers, people use SNS as an additional communication tool to reinforce existing relationships. It can maintain weak tie that otherwise perish over time and even convert such weak tie to stronger one. Internet and SNS technologies supplement users to accumulate social capital by 1) removing physical and temporal barriers, 2) expanding one’s reach, 3) restricting information flow with access control, 4) managing dependencies, 5) maintaining a history of interactions, and 6) reifying roles or creating a group identity through naming. Vitak and Ellison (2012) also share such similar remark. They suggested that participants of social media, such as Facebook, use the ability to connect with others to maintain and reinforce currently existing relationships rather than acquainting with complete strangers. In that sense, social media are an extension of human communication and network building using a series of applicable technologies.

The advantages of tapping into a diverse network with various individuals were also noted (Vital and Ellison, 2012). Despite weak ties, participants still access vast information even with the inherent risk of privacy compromise and possible contact collapse. Although one may voluntarily refuse to share information and interact with others, the benefits of acquiring vast information from weak ties and highly relevant advises from strong ties are hard to refuse and the potential advantages will likely grow exponentially as technologies advance.

Burke and colleagues (2011) also suggest that SNS have strong potential to influence users’ social capital and the psychological wellbeing. Among three types of social activities—1) directed communications, 2) passive consumption of contents, and 3) broadcasting—only directed interpersonal exchanges were appear to be associated with increases in bridging social capital. Nevertheless, we need to note that broadcasting of messages can be also effective on bridging social capital in a cost effective manner. Given the media multiplexity, it may be effective enough to reinforce message contents in an additional channel.

Unlike traditional computer-mediated communication platforms, social network sites foster many kinds of relationships in varying degrees. Even from passive consumptions of contents, social capital can be gained, and messages can be delivered and reinforced. Since features lowering the barrier for conversation initiation will have positive effects on social capital, various interactions feature of social media can generate positive social capital. Even considering varying degree of interactions intensity, users can be prompted to engage interactions with the display of contents. Also, highly time-sensitive nature of social media content can stimulate communication by connecting prior contents to concurrent communication. Therefore, the potential implications of social media call for more attention. Although SNS can be a flavor for the current decade, it will surely alter our lives, just like the advent of radio, TV, or VHS tape did.