Ahhh, the dreaded essay.

Virtual Communities; At the Forefront of Communication
by Carmen Hamilton

The media’s representation of social interaction via the internet is not a positive one. With headlines on the tragic suicide of cyber-bully victim, Megan Meier and reports on cyber stalkers, hackers, and angry parents who claim it is the cause of their children’s poor marks, many people are unaware of the bigger picture. As such, they regard this new form of communication as dangerous or simply a waste of time. In this essay, it will be argued that social networking sites serve a greater purpose than simply fulfilling the recreational pursuits of Generation Y. They offer valuable virtual communities that benefit users of all ages and backgrounds. The key terms relevant to this argument will firstly be defined. The advantages of social networking sites will then be outlined. Finally, a variety of virtual communities will be explored.

It is first necessary to define the key terms that are relevant to this argument. For the purpose of this essay, social networking sites are defined as ‘web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system’ (Boyd et al, 2007). Generation Y is used herein to refer to the children of the baby boomers, born between the early 1980s and late 1990s, who have been “heavily immersed in a digital world” whilst growing up (Yan, 2006). http://www.oberlin.edu/stupub/ocreview/2006/12/08/features/Understanding_Generation_Y.html
For the purpose of this essay, virtual will mean computer mediated and communities are in the nature of a Gesellschaft society, where links are impersonal and temporary, yet functional and more flexible to suit our modern lifestyle and constantly changing circumstances (Memmi, 2006).
http://foster.20megsfree.com/544.htm

There are a number of advantages associated with the use of social networking sites. These advantages go beyond those linked to previous means of communication, such as the telephone. They allow people to send larger amounts of information, over greater distances, with greater speed, for a smaller cost. As discussed by Di Maggio et al (2001), another advantage of a social networking site is the possibility to combine text, image and audio in a single medium to achieve a more complex interaction. Furthermore, social networking sites allow users to connect through common beliefs, hobbies, backgrounds and interests (Memmi 2006). In some cases, these interactions can prove to be more beneficial than interaction with a friend in real life, as the relationship is based on a clearly expressed common interest.

Although Generation Y are the predominant users of social networking sites, there are also large communities of adults, who find them very beneficial. A poll conducted by Myspace, a popular social networking site, has revealed that adult users regard their time online as ‘time out’, whilst allowing them to reconnect with the adult world. Other respondents stated that these sites help them to overcome the isolation of motherhood by acting as an online coffee shop which is convenient in busy times when meeting up with friends in real life is too time consuming (Healy, 2008). Also included in Healy’s (2008) work is the story of Tanya Nielson, mother of a son with Asperger Syndrome, who keeps a blog to share her experiences with other parents in her situation. For her, a blog is a useful tool, as it provides a space for discussion for a wider community and allows those involved to share news on therapies and support groups.

There are also numerous virtual communities that cater for people who suffer from a disability or illness, as well as for their family and friends. Saidi gives one example of such a community titled ‘Naughty Auties’, a virtual resource centre for people with the condition, Autism, in a virtual world called Second Life.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/28/sl.autism.irpt/index.html
Computer mediated communication is particularly beneficial for people with Autism, as they often have difficulty with social interaction. Communities like ‘Naughty Auties’ allow them to socialize and observe how others interact from the comfort of their own home, rendering the whole process much less daunting. It also allows them to construct everyday situations that may occur and practice how to cope with them. It is for these reasons that psychologists believe that these virtual communities may one day be used to assist in treating such disorders (Saidi, 2008). http://motherofshrek.blogspot.com/

With an ever increasing user population, minority groups are able to connect with others who share similar interests. Social networking site, Facebook, offers an extremely wide variety of groups. The site allows users to create their own group and invite people to join. This creates a network of people with something in common, and this “something” can be as serious or light-hearted as users want it to be. For example, a group called, ‘A Cup of Tea Solves Everything’ currently has 147202 members. They discuss nothing but ‘tea’, with members writing comments such as, ‘Going to drink my tea and have a good read! Here's to tea! c\_/ *raises mug*’. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2211762009

Throughout history, new technologies have fuelled passionate debates, bringing with them a wave of hype and hysteria. Social networking sites are no exception, and have been the subject of much criticism. Studies conducted by Kraut et al (1998) raised the issue that ‘the Internet may induce anomie and erode social capital by allowing users to retreat into an artificial world’. To the contrary, research has proven that the internet compliments offline socialization, as opposed to replacing it (Di Maggio et al, 2001).
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23675950-5007191,00.html
Numerous claims have also been made, implying that social networking sites are an invasion of privacy and are therefore, extremely dangerous. Thurlow et al (2004) rebuts this by explaining that technology itself is not damaging, but our application of it can be. Furthermore, social networking sites give the user control over what information is entered about them, making the user’s safety and privacy dependent on their own common sense.

It was argued in this essay that social networking sites serve a greater purpose than simply fulfilling the recreational pursuits of Generation Y because they offer valuable virtual communities that benefit users of all ages and backgrounds. Firstly, the key terms were defined. The advantages of social networking sites were then stated and a variety of virtual communities were explored. As new technologies are pioneered, it is likely that these sites will become more popular and prove increasingly beneficial for an even broader audience.


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