introDuCtion Technology assessment employs social theory, social research, and ethics for assessing the impacts that specific technologies have on society. The purpose of this paper is to distinguish various causal logics of technology assessment, to introduce the approach of complex dialectical technology assessment and to apply this approach to the realm of social networking sites. Social networking sites (SNS) are integrated world wide web-based information, aBstraCt Social networking sites

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... SNS) are integrated world wide web-based information, communication and community platforms that allow the creation of personal profiles, the upload and sharing of multimedia data, networking with other users with the help of "friends lists", communication by tools such as e-mail, guest books, or forums. SNS combine a number of Internet technologies on one platform and are among the most popular Internet and web applications. Young people especially use them, which is why it is important to assess the implications of SNS usage by young people for society. In this paper, foundations of complex and dialectical SNS technology assessment are elaborated by introducing three different approaches of technology assessment: 1) technological determinism; 2) the social construction of technology; and 3) complex dialectical technology assessment. It is argued that technology assessment should be conceived as complex and dialectical and that it should try to identify contradictions of technology and society. An empirical study of SNS usage is presented as an example of complex, dialectical technology assessment.