---
title: "Networked: The New Social Operating System"
description: "In their new book, \"Networked,\" Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, and Barry Wellman show how the large, loosely knit social circles of networked individuals expand opportunities for learning, problem solving, decision making and personal interaction. "
date: "2012-05-30"
authors:
  - name: "Pew Research Center"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/2012/05/30/networked-the-new-social-operating-system/"
---

# Networked: The New Social Operating System

![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/old-assets/publications/networked.png)

Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, has written a book with sociologist Barry Wellman showing how the large, loosely knit social circles of networked individuals expand opportunities for learning, problem solving, decision making and personal interaction. This new system of "networked individualism" offers some advantages in liberating people from the restrictions of tightly knit groups.

[Read more](http://networked.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/internet/2012/05/24/networked-individualism-what-in-the-world-is-that-2/) about "networked individualism" and hear Lee Rainie discuss the subject [in a video](http://networked.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/internet/).