Throughout the semester I had to write 14 blogs. Before this course I never wrote a blog, so it was a great experience to learn another form of online social interaction. Writing my own blogs and participating with the other students’ blogs by writing my comment give me the chance to express my thoughts and share my ideas. I also enhanced my understanding about blogs by doing the semester analysis on a blog for someone who is stranger to me and learn how blogs evolved from journals to an important tool to socialize online.

          In my first short paper I read four different researches about linguistic diversity online.  I learned the effects of dialect and gender on the representation of consonants in Jordanian chat; the internet language system that created by Chinese to communicate; how teens in the United Arab Emirates adapted a new internet language that is cool and funky to communicate; and the variation of linguistic in internet relay chat channels of in German-speaking Switzerland.

          The second short paper was my favorite. It was very interesting thing to analyze the self-presentation strategies of a stranger on the internet by examining her MySpace profile and learn how this person introduced herself publicly to show her unique identity and share her photos and posts with her friends.

          The last short paper was also a valuable experience where I had to analyze online community and see how people support each other financially and emotionally and exchange the information to cope with their daily stressors.  I found this online community have strong ties and bonding with each others. Also they are bridging the information between each others and using the online resources to improve and expand the voluntary work online and offline.

          The development of the internet and the other technologies such as the iPhones and iPods changed my life to the best.  For example, whenever I have long boring doctor appointment, instead of sitting in the waiting room doing nothing and feeling sicker I can use my iPhone to Google something to read. If I was waiting for an important email from a professor I can check it anytime instead of waiting my time in school looking for a lab to use the computer or carry my laptop with me everyday to school as I used to do before I start using iPhone.

          Some questions such as whether the excessive use of internet and other new technologies would affect the language and the face-to-face social interactions of our children and many other questions need to be re-examined. However over all the researchers are optimistic about the future of these new technologies.

Smith (2011) argued that there are many advantages can be found to cell phones users such as: getting quick information, using it on emergency situation and for entertainment, and preventing them from having unwanted interactions with people. At the same time, cell phone may cause people to get frustrated when it takes too long to download something. Smith also noted the numerous opportunities Smart Phones added to people’s life where it can be used for texting, going online, sending photos or videos, downloading applications, accessing the internet, using social networking such as Facebook or Twitter, and YouTube, and many more. On the other side, people who use smart phones more often may have trouble accomplishing desired tasks when their phones are not available.

            Boyd and Hargittai (2010) noted that youth do not care or engaged with managing the setting of privacy on Facbook, and that there is no differences between men and women in how they manage their Facebook settings. Boyd and Hargittai also argued that many teens were scared ,especially girls, and wanted to protect, but if they learned the some skills in how to manage their privacy setting on MySpace when teens can make them feel more confidence when they go to college to manage their Facebook privacy setting. After all, the companies consider how default privacy settings and changes in these setting can affect population differently

            Baym (2010) asserted that some people might have fears CMC and the use of internet may “damage the ability to face-to face conversations, degrade language. Undermines our connections to our communities and families, and replaces meaningful relationships” (150), however, today, most people think that CMC strengthen their connections with their families and friends. Also because it is faster and cheaper to use the internet for socializing, more people are interacting with each other 24/7 from all over the world, more volunteer groups are available to help support all individuals in our society. After all people can choose the way to interact and make their balance between the old and new media. Overall, both Baym and danah boyd BBC interview are optimistic and assured that the key to continue using CMC and internet successfully would by balancing what we do and how we do it and in what way.

            From all the above readings we can conclude that despite of the fears people used to think about the CMC and internet use that is damaging the language, social interactions, and privacy, it seems that there are more advantages than disadvantages that forces people to think more positively about their future with all the new media.

According to Rainie, Purcell and Smith (2011) study, 75% of Americans are active in using either the internet or cell phones and other devices, and that “internet and cell phone owners are more likely than non-technology users to be active in groups.”They also argued that some factors such as: age, gender, racial, ethnic and social status can influence how much people are active in certain group. For example, they noted that women are more than men, African American more than Hispanic to participate in church or support groups. Additionally higher educated people and those who lived in the same community for longer time are more likely to participate in groups. On the other hand, factors such as lack of interest in participating with groups, health issues, and time pressure are reasons that might prevent people to participate in groups. Generally speaking, people who use the internet more they also participate more in “charitable, donations, volunteering, attending meetings and events and taking leadership roles “(20) .

Whereas, Jansen (2011) noted that “with regard to technology, religiously active Americans use the internet, email, broadband, cell phones and social media platforms at similar rates to other Americans”(2). He asserted that being women, African Americans, parents, highly educated, earn high income are more likely to participate in these religious groups. Jansen concluded that 72% of those people who they are active in religious groups said that internet has no impact on their involvement with groups.

Both of the articles pointed out the importance of the group work and how these groups can strengthen the ties in our communities. The internet and the SNSs faster the work of these groups and helped it to expand and enlarge itselves to help as many people in the society. The more civic engagements the more benefits people would get and the higher the social capital. Therefore, either we do not engaged in any social groups and not be an important part of the society, or we all engage in different social groups, work hand in hand to eliminate our social problems such as class, racism, and discrimination and build better America, just like Shakespeare’s stated in his famous quote “to be, or not to be, that is the question”

According to Norris (2004) asserts that “internet participation bridging social divisions of generation, race, and class or bonding with people with similar interests and beliefs.”Norris also argued that both bonding would and bridging social networks strengthen the relationships between the online participants, build social capital, which is like the financial or human capital as Norris described, build trustful connections and get people close together.

However, Norris noted that some drawbacks such as social division into groups according to different ethnics beliefs, race, religion, or racial with which conflicts may arise. Norris also argued that “the more passive internet population ‘normalization’” can kill the enthusiasts among the internet. In addition, there are certain features of the internet that might transfer those traditional divisions.  Norris also expected the textual communication via the internet might replace the “standard visual and aural cues of social identity” such as: race, age, and socioeconomic status. Norris noted that anonymity may affect certain groups such as: single mothers working at home, gay men, and rural poor population and become isolated.

Whereas, Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe (2011) found out that: “only social information-seeking behaviors contribute to perceptions of social capital.” They also found that there are many benefits of social interactions such as: emotional support, share ideas, and find new information, and that people who have more friends profile list are more likely to have social capital.

Just like Norris, Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe also noted that bonding and bridging strengthen weak ties and that social network sites such as Facebook are connecting and getting people together because it is cheap and fast way to communicate. Facebook also contain features that connected strangers to friend each other such as:  Groups, networks, fan pages, social games (Farmville), applications, photographs, interest-based profile fields, status updates. Therefore, the more people have skills and ability to use to the more they engage into social networks, and the more they would have social capital benefits.

On the other hand, the study concluded that “using the internet to meet new people was associated with higher depression scores seven months later.” In addition, those weak ties can construct and replace the time spent with strong ties.

After all, I agree with both of the studies that SNS helped bring people together and build social capital. Not only can people connect with close friends and old friends and family members, but also they can find new friends through their friends with the help with the Facebook variety of its features such as:  poke, message, brows, and try friend them, and much more, I was able to expand my friend list. Also some of my friends invited me to become member of certain groups that I have common interest with them such as national origin or religion beliefs which added to my friend list hundreds of new friends who they are strangers that I never met before in real life. Finally, I agree with the idea that those social networks may be danger in which they can divide people into different ethnic groups and lead to racial conflicts in our society.

Boyd and Ellison ( 2007) defined social network sites 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”(2). Where as, Beer (2008) article was a response to Boyd and Ellison’s essay. Beer argued that to Boyd and Ellison definition of social network is too broad and it be more classified. Additionally, Beer suggested that Boyd and Ellison’s definition should be used as a base for categorizing different types of websites. Therefore, Beer suggested that “ in place of a very general vision of these sites as social network sites, why not use a term like Web 2.0 to describe the general shift and then fit categories, such as wiki’s , folksonomies, mashups and social networking sites within it”(5)

I strongly agree with Boyd and Ellison’s definition of the networking sites, and think that it is clear and valuable. However, unlike what Beer thinks of the networking definition, I do not think that Boyd and Ellison’s definition may cause misleading. Thu, I think that Beer’s suggestion of categorizing the networking definition to make it clearer and more precise is a valuable suggestion as well.

People may use social network to maintain old relationships (classmates, coworkers, friends, family members…so on), or look for new relationships within the social network system such as Facbook and Myspace. Therefore, in social network you would have unique connections with others and can not fake your identity because everyone knows you. However, people use online communities because they have a common interest that held them together such as a hobby, profession, national origin, religion, or similar lifestyle and so on. Online communities’ users may have pre-established interrelationships, but not necessarily, so they are mostly do not know anything about each others at all in which would make it easier for users to use a fake identity and not have a unique relationships because the connections within this system will overlaps. Also when conflict arises it would be harder to solve the problem within the system in online communities than the social network sites.

Based on the readings and videos on online community, there was no specific definition for online community. Baym (2010) explained the definition of online community through the five qualities of : space, practice, shared resources, shared identities, and interpersonal relations . However, from my understanding of the readings I can describe it as a group of people who they have interest on something specific , such as TV show, and where each member of this group can attack more people, to finally form an entity that is just like the local community called online community. The members are not from a specific location, profession, or age, but they all share their feeling, thoughts, ideas, and support each other. After a long time of online interactions, they can meet in certain place face-to-face like any family reunion.

I think that the difference between a community and random group can be seen in political topics or discussions because people will always have different opinions. The random group is smaller in number, its members might already know each others offline, and have interest in specific religion, ethnic, politic topics or certain profession. Therefore, when a political conflict arises, they would have more solidity and can solve the problem easier or compromise the politics discussions to maintain peace. However, the opposite is true for the online community, where political discussions can create divided and problems that are difficult to solve.

People get involved in online communities for many reasons:

• They do not have the time to form face-to-face relationships because they work long hours
• They work in an office where they have plenty of spare time that might borer them.
• For emotional support, for example, if someone’s parent passed away and he or she lives in a place away from their family members or friends.
• If they feel ugly and have low self-esteem because of their face features or any kind of disability, they decide not to socialize fear of social criticism.
• If somebody is not sociable, but know that he or she can express their feelings better in writing, they definitely would rather to socialize online.

I am a member of the “Jerusalem’s Families” online community. My brother, who lives in Maryland, established this community last year so we can have friends who they or their parents were born in Jerusalem. It doesn’t matter how old are you, what is your religion, where you live now, what is your profession or level of education. We started last year with 12 members, today; we are more than 1950 members. We talk about different topics (politics, art, music…We posts paints, jokes, photos, poems blogs…etc) nothing specific. Thu, we feel like a family, support each other in everyway, and planning to do like a family reunion in Jerusalem very soon so we can meet face-to-face.

Baym (2010) explained two ways that online communities can fit into our social lives by civic and political engagement. Baym argued that people who use the internet and members of in online communities are more sociable, have more neighbors and friends, engage more in clubs and associations to collect charities to help their communities, more educated, and more likely to engage in politics offline.

Based of Huffaker and Calvert (2005) study about the online identity and language use among male and females, they found out that there were no gender differences for the following:

–          In most of the categories of the personal information (first name, age, birth date, full name…etc). But females make a link to personal web site available more often than males.

–          In how often emotions were used, and that males use more sad emotions than females.

–          In the aggression or passive language patterns.

–          And in communality language patterns.

Huffaker and Calvert (2005) concluded that the blogs created by both genders are more alike than different. Also, the freedom and flexibility that online interactions offer led both genders to present and express themselves, their ideas, experiences, and feelings by using adapted language that is unique and more creative.

However, in Grasmuck and Martin (2009) study they investigated self–presentation in anonymous setting and explore differences in self-presentation by distinct ethno-racial groups Facebook profiles of African Americans, Latino, Indian and Vietnamese ancestry students. To do this, they use different identity modes (photos and pictures uploaded by users themselves, or the pictures along with the “wall posts….” They found out that “the identity construction on the internet is influenced by the characteristics of the online environment, users‘social positions including race and ethnicity.”The authors concluded that the presence of minority groups is alive and extremely well articulated in the Facebook community of this study and that different groups use different strategies in identity constructions on face book.

Since I belong to a micro-minority group who lives in the U.S., I am supposed to be more sensitive to racism. Honestly speaking, I never cared about race or gender issues, especially, when it comes to my classmates whether they are offline or online. I have a lot of friends who have the same country of origin changed their names because they are afraid of discrimination. I did not change my name and I will never change my identity because I believe that people like me the way I am .  When somebody asks ” where your accent from?”This does not hurt my feelings instead it is what makes me feel Unique. It is true that most of people have some sort of racism deep inside them even if they were not aware of it, but I never had any problem or felt that somebody hates me or discriminated me because of my race or gender. I believe that people will treat you the way you treat them. I treat everybody with full respect that’s why everybody treats me with full respect. When someone asks  about my home country I do not take it personally or in a sensitive way, instead, I take it as advantage to tell them about my home country and how beautiful it is.  Therefore, I think it is very wrong to treat people differently just because of their gender or race, but instead we should respect each other and learn about the other part of the world and new cultures.

I n Chapter 5, Baym, asked “when people’s bodies aren’t visible, will people lie about who they are? Can they be trusted? Can they be known” My answers to all these questions are as follows: Some people prefer to use their real name, others prefer to by anonymous. Some people they have different identities in different names on different online sites. They would use a certain identity in blogs, another one in Facebook or Twitter or MUDS and MOO. It all depends on the role they are playing and the context of the interaction. Just as the identity scholars Goffman described “the self plays multiple roles in everyday life and cannot be understood adequately as a single unified entity.”

Baym also asserted that the researches did not support the idea that “anonymity makes people lie.”Therefore, yes, we can trust those people; especially, if they are well known in public and it is dangerous for them to use their real names. Finally, yes, we know people through their written language because it is significantly powerful language where people can express their thoughts and ideas and have strong relationships with their fans and readers.

In Turkle (1995) compared people in the past with those in the postmodern times and found out that today it is not unusual for people to “experience identity as a set of roles that can be mixed and matched, whose diverse demands need to be negotiated,” which was described by different psychological theorists as the flexible self, protean, or saturated self (multiple masks). Turkle also noted out the characters of MUD (a new kind of social virtual reality) can converse with each other, exchange gesture, express emotions, win and lose money…etc can also provide worlds for anonymous social interactions where people can play a role that can be either too close or far away from their real selves as they wanted to be.

My blogger, Teresa Walsh Ciarrusso, is real, not faking anything or hiding her identity. In her profile, she had all the information about herself, college, marriage, parents, and about her three kids in details. Their ages, names, what they are doing…etc. She is journalist, used to work in a newspaper but now she is writing in her own blog in a personal style for all busy moms. She always talk about very important topics that they are real (happened recently in real life) and ask her readers for their opinions. Her blogs are very informative not only for busy mothers, but for all parents in genera. Most of her readers knew her writing from the newspaper that she used to write in, therefore, she does not need to change her name or have multiple identities, or like an object as Turkle described.

After I finished reading Baym chapter 6, Rainie & Wellman (2012), Lenhart et al. (2010), and listened to Nancy Baym on WBUR’s Radio Boston, I have learned that the internet and new technologies such as email, IM, Chat, blogs, texting, and mobile devices are evolving very fast to become a very important part in our lives. These new technologies are not affecting our lives and relationships in a bad way; instead, they are adding into it and facilitating it. Therefore, the over all message from these studies is that very soon all these new technologies will be the norm in our society just like the telephone and the television and the other technologies that faced the same criticize when they first come out. Everything new can be under notice and critique from people, but when people take their time and experience it they will get used to it, and then it will become something not unusual.

One expression that I liked from listening to Nancy Baym Radio is when they had the discussion about how people can stop anything they feel not comfortable doing it because they have the choice to do so. For example, if they think that texting too much everyday is taking from their valuable family time, they can stop it and make certain hour everyday for family face-to-face time. After all we should control our devices not the opposite. Additionally, we should find a balance in everything in our lives so we won’t do something that would affect something else in a bad way. Though, unlike what Baym think that it is rare to walk into a room where five people in it not looking to each others in the eye because they are busy looking down at their laptop or IPod or any other devices. In fact, I disagree with Baym on this point because I have seen this lots of time; especially, in school. As soon as I enter any of classroom on campus I found everybody busy texting or checking their emails, etc. Until ten years a go you would go to the classroom chat with your classmates until the professor comes. Today, the semester would finish and you do not know the name of your classmate who is sitting next to you or remember how they look like.

Another thing that I like is in Baym, ch.6 ,P. 141 “ people who had more social ties in their local communities were more likely to use internet in order to meet new people…Belongers belong everywhere.”This is so true because if someone sociable in nature wherever he goes can make new friends whether it is in his or her community or online. Whereas,  if someone is not sociable in nature no matter where he go or what kind of devices or technologies they own they would never use it or try to find new friends. My husband is a good example for this. He has zero friends and all the friends that we have they are mine. After all his brothers put too much pressure on him he created a Facebook account but he never used it and whenever his brothers need something from him they send me a message. He always say that the only reason he carry his cell phone is for emergencies and if he is missing someone it would be nicer to call this person or visit him. Even though I am completely the opposite, and my friends list is getting larger day after day, I do respect his opinion because we are all different and each one of us has the choice to chose what to do in his or her life in the way they feel comfortable about it. The main point is to respect and love the others the way they are and not try change them if you really wanted to have them in your life.

One interesting thing I was struck by in Davison’s article was the comparison he made between the Genes and Meme to introduce the definition of the internet Meme as “a piece of culture, typically a joke, which gains influence through online transmission,” (Davison122).He explains that the speed of the Meme transmission and the fidelity of their form what makes it unique. For example, if a joke was stored on a website it can be viewed by many people as many as they want to, and as quickly as they can request it. Contrary, a spoken joke, or a printed joke cannot be viewed or transmitted as many and quickly as the one exists on the Internet. Davison also explains the Emotion Meme that serve a number of functions in the transmission of information such as to frame content as positive or negative, serious of or joking. He gives the example of the “Hamster Dance” which its function is to entertain. “The Advice Dog” is another example of Internet Memes that is used which can be used to communicate humor or offer various kinds of advice.

On the other article “My Best Day,” Baron, at virtual platforms such as IM and social networking sites ( Facebook or MySpace) are good sources for socializing and conveying information, and that online sites are places for constructing images in how persons wish others to perceive them. In “The IM Away-Messages Study,” Baron, found out that people us the IM away- messages to covey information or start a conversation, or to provide entertainment. Some examples of information IM are: Itinerary (posting out the activities a person will be doing), randomly selected Message, and remaining in the loop – which function is similar to telephone voicemail; for example, “I can’t take your call now. Please leave a message.”Baron also explains other ways messages can be used to convey personal information, opinions, or sense of humor by saying “More often than not, if there’s an opportunity for humor, the user takes it.” One of his examples is “this chick needs filla,” (Baron 77).

Over all, I found both of the articles very informative and interesting to read. I use the one word style of writing to comment on my friends’ posts on Facebook because I am always too busy and do not have much time to write more. I think that this way I won’t hurt anybody’s feeling by not writing anything at all and they will understand that I really care even if I wrote only one word. In the end, I do agree with Baron that ,today, Facebook is the best socializing site where we can  use it for entertainment, post the latest jokes, inspiring quotes, family pictures, and lyrics.