The context in which the term community is used, has changed due to the advances in technology. Initially,the feeling of belonging to a community was felt when one is within close physical proximity to others from his community. However, changes in technology have paved the way for the ‘global village’ as coined by McLuhan. These changes have modified the actual meaning behind the word community which is being in a community despite the fact that the members are not physically close to one another (Wellman,Gulia, 1996).An online community is a “a group of people who interact via Internet Web sites, chat rooms, newsgroups, email, discussion boards or forums”(Dictionary.com). McLuhan’s predictions about the technological determinism seem to be happening after all as the human race goes back to square one,that of the tribal age.
Twitter was launched in March 2005 . One can have pesudoymns in order to maintain their privacy. These pesudoymns may allow your real identity to be revealed.Hence,this may facilitate interaction between strangers or people wanting to make friends. It allows users to inform their friends what they are doing and thinking through short posts, because of the 140 word limit ,through IM(Instant Messaging) or SMS(Short Message Service). These short posts are considered micro-blogging. The posts get updated every two minutes.Wow!
The very idea of Twitter is pretty nifty especially since almost everyone owns a mobile phone.However,I would consider Twitter as an online community as it allows interaction among strangers and friends. Rheingold defines virtual communities as “social aggregations” that “emerge from the Internet when enough people sustain public discussions long enough to form webs of personal relationships in cyberspace. (Fernback, & Thompson, 1995). Perhaps the real attraction behind Twitter is the fact that everyone gets to be a mini celebrity based on a couple of words they type on the display board. This is stark contrast to normal blogs where the writer’s writing abilities or content determines if they become a celebrity.
Twitter won the SXSW(South By SouthWest) Web Award for the “Blog” category this year.() This shows the huge extent of influence Twitter has over people.Furthermore,it highlights the fact that Twitter is not a fleeting piece of technology and is here to stay.
IRC(Internet Relay Chat) is a “multi-user synchronous ‘chat’ line that was designed for social…uses” which focused on specific topics. IRC can not be considered as a community if no textual cues were used to replace non-verbal language(Fernback, & Thompson, 1995).Twitter is similar to IRC in these two aspects. Critics of it consider IRC’s sole purpose to be that of “information processing”. Users can easily post anything and promptly receive information back. They feel establishing close relationships in IRC is not realistic. (Wellman,Gulia, 1996).I do not think this is the case, as I know of people who have fallen in love over virtual communities like IRC.
“Enthusiasts “who” hail the Net’s potential for making connections without regard to race, creed, gender or geography express the fascinating feature about online community. (Wellman,Gulia, 1996). The ability to communicate without being face to face with the other person.However, critics of it feel that the distinction between real world and the virtual world may become blurred as people are consumed into the raging fire of technology. This on going debate may never end like some conflicts around the world.
Trivia
A video about Twitter
http://www.laist.com/archives/2007/03/14/the_twitter_boys_answer_obvious_questions_in_austin.php
Picture of the guys behind Twitter receiving the award
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/418633438
References
Wellman, Gulia, B, M (April, 1996). Net Surfers Don't Ride Alone. Retrieved March 16, 2007, from Association for Computing Machinery Web site: http://www.acm.org/%7Eccp/references/wellman/wellman.html
Virtual Community. (n.d.). Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.6). Retrieved March 16, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/virtual%20community
Fernback, Thompson, J, B Virtual Communities:Abort,Retry,Failure?. Retrieved March 16, 2007, from Howard Rheingold Web site: http://www.rheingold.com/texts/techpolitix/VCcivil.html
Beale, Scott (2007,March,11). Twitter Wins SXSW Web Award. Retrieved March 16, 2007, from Laughing Squid Web site: http://laughingsquid.com/twitter-wins-sxsw-web-award
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