1. The document discusses how social networks exhibit small world properties where all people or entities are connected through short chains of acquaintances or relationships. 2. It provides examples of how Facebook has helped reconnect people by finding lost items like laptops or long lost relatives, demonstrating the power of social networks to make the world feel smaller. 3. The author's business focuses on connecting people through social networks and their work highlights how ideas, information and connections can spread rapidly through online communities.

1. Facebook
Found my
Laptop
The Power of Small
World Math
kevin@webanatics.com
@kevinleversee

2. 1967
…Stanley Milgram Mailed some envelopes and
started everything

4. All organic networks are 6
degrees or less
This is small world math
This is how ideas spread
This is how the Web Works
This is how the Universe works
This is Important

5. 1997
…sixdegrees.com launches as the first social
network.

6. Evolutions
F
M
F
S

8. networks
…exhibit similar behaviours whether they are
networks of people, or computers, or
companies, or power lines.

10. June 12, 2010
My Macbook was Stolen

11. July 2, 2010
Facebook Found my Macbook!

13. July 5, 2010
They un-friend me on Facebook.
But that is okay…

14. August 2, 2009
Facebook Found my Biological Father

15. It is a Small World After all…

16. We are inherent social beings, the need
To communicate and connect is almost
Genetic to our being, aside from small worlds
Several other factors come into play.
Our business is the business of connecting
People to people and people to brands.
Kevin Leversee
@KevinLeversee
kevin@webanatics.com

17. Sources
• Experimental Study of the Small World Problem by Stanley Milgram http://www.jstor.org/pss/2786545
• http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/
• http://www.bordalierinstitute.com
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_world_experiment and http://www.amazon.com/Small-Worlds-Duncan-J-
Watts/dp/0691005419
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network
• http://www.amazon.com/Six-Degrees-Science-Connected-Age/dp/0393041425 and
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2003/oct/18/featuresreviews.guardianreview11
• http://livingtrends.blogspot.com/2010/07/stolen-macbook-pro-conversation-with.html and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinleversee/4754371658/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point and http://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-
Difference/dp/0316346624
• http://www.danah.org/papers/talks/Web2Expo.html "Streams of Content, Limited Attention: The Flow of Information
through Social Media" and http://www.uxmag.com/features/streams-of-content-limited-attention
• Idea Epidemics http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2000/03/17/gladwell/index.html
• A blog that started before the Web 2.0 social movement: http://www.corante.com/
• http://gapingvoid.com/2010/07/16/heartbreaking-r-i-p-brandon-haskins/ News of Death on Facebook Strangers Coming
Together and http://www.amazon.com/Ignore-Everybody-Other-Keys-Creativity/dp/159184259X
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wisdom_of_Crowds and http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Crowds-James-
Surowiecki/dp/0385721706