Over the past few weeks we have been investigating an online community of interest to us. We were asked to comment on the services this community provides, reasons why users contribute to it and what they get out of it. We also looked at ethical issues concerning its use and its content.
1. Provide the web address and the name of the community you are investigating:
I have been following facebook.com
2 – 3. Brief focus of this community, what services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute?
Facebook is a social networking site that allows users to communicate and share their lives with others all over the world. People can up-load photos and videos and report their daily thoughts, feelings and events to friends via private messaging or on the daily new feed. After activating a Facebook account, users can search for their friends and family and “add” them, creating a list of their contacts, who are then able to follow their page. Users can also join groups such as “Otago OT Guinea pigs”, play games such as Farmville and take quizzes.
4. Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on why people choose to contribute to this community. What is it they are seeking?
One of the reasons why people choose to contribute to this community is that it provides the user with a convenient way to communicate with friends and family whether they are living close by or on the other side of the earth. Friends can keep up to date with mates while on their travels and can share their great experiences with others via messages, photos and videos. People can also send event invitations to a number of users at one time which can save money and time on postage and text messaging.
5. The following is an example of the topics which are discussed on Facebook:
Title of Facebook Blog: Groups
Our goal is to make this Community Page the best collection of shared knowledge on this topic. If you have a passion for Groups, sign up and we'll let you know when we're ready for your help. You can also get us started by suggesting a relevant Wikipedia article or the Official Site.
Retrieved May 30, 2010 from: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=
109594135727701&v=app_2373072738&ref=search#!/pages/Groups/
397557634458?ref=ts
6. Considering material presented during the course and make comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability.
Potential issues concerning this site include lack of consent and privacy violation as users are able to post embarrassing photos of their friends which will be in full view of many other users who may not be friends. However Facebook allows users to report inappropriate photos to site organisers which can then be deleted off the site. Users can choose to display private information on their profile which can be viewed by many users.
7. Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on the benefits this community holds over traditional notions of community e.g. communities reliant on geographic proximity
Facebook enables the user to sit in the comfort and privacy of their own home while connecting with others eliminating the need to venture out into the cold and drive for half an hour to speak with someone. For some it is a more comfortable way to communicate with others as there is no need to speak over the phone or in person. Users are able to chat via live messaging or send more personal messages through a private inbox.
8. Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or cannot provide which traditional communities can.
Facebook does not allow users to communicate verbally as a telephone would. It also doesn’t offer a video/audio option.
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