From “What?” to “Why?”: The Social Uses of Personal Photos

To predict the uses of new technology, we present an approach grounded in science and technology studies (STS) that examines the social uses of current technology. As part of ongoing research on next-generation mobile imaging applications, we conducted an empirical study of the social uses of personal photography. We identify three: memory, creating and maintaining relationships, and self-expression. The roles of orality and materiality in these uses help us explain the observed resistances to intangible digital images and to assigning metadata and annotations. We conclude that this approach is useful for understanding the potential uses of technology and for design.