This semester I have learned a lot regarding the internet. Since I do not interact in SNSs, communities or basically anything on the internet I have learned a lot. I can say that I have learned a lot more linguistic language, acronyms and abbreviations. This was a very interesting class and I really learn that I am very different from other people because I seem to be the only one in the class that does not interact in SNSs, communities etc.

This class has opened my knowledge more regarding the internet and changed a lot of my perceptions. Although I do not feel that I would join SNSs or a community however, this class did make me more knowledge about the topics. I enjoyed the knowledge regarding bridging and bond because I actually never looked at things that way. My knowledge regarding the use of cell phones was confirmed. The blog conversations, readings and the class itself helped me a lot in my research class because I am writing a paper regarding the use of online language. I feel that I understand the impact of the internet on life better because of this class. Overall I really enjoyed the class.

All material this week provided valid facts regarding communicating on the internet and new technology. The use of technology and the problems that come along with it depends on the emphasis society place on technology. This week’s material focus on issues technology faces such as privacy, trust and acceptability.

Baym (2010) discusses how there is a difference in the views of technology between people that did not grow up with it and did. This has become the focal point of people’s view of technology.  Baym also talks about how the internet was not designed for the use they we use today.  When internet, cell phone and all this other technology was first developed people who had money were the people who obtained them. Therefore, the people without money maintain the perception that it was bad but it was not from personal use but because they did not have it or did not like the people who had it or the way they used it. Baym (2010) states “we see concerns that mediated communication damages our ability to have face to face conversations, degrades language, undermines our connections to our communities and families, and replaces meaningful relationships” (150).

Smith (2011) study focused on the usage of smartphones and how it is evolving. He states that there are advantages for users such as getting quick information, using it for emergencies and for entrainment as well as preventing unwanted interactions. We trust that technology will be available to do all of these things however; you could also look at all those things as disadvantages. Due to the ability to obtain information quickly people feel they can use their phone while driving because it will only take a minute and this has caused a big problem.  Although you have the ability to use it in an emergency situation the emergency dispatchers are not able to locate your location from a cell phone. Smith’s article points out that technology is encouraging people to use it to communicate and spend more time online.

Boyd and Hargittai (2010) talks about the privacy concerns with Facebook. This study as well as the BBC interview points out how young people are not concern with privacy but perception of their identity as being cool. They both point out that children now gather online instead of at the mall to gossip, flirt, joke etc. The BBC interview made a good point regarding the teacher’s privacy. Although the teachers have a right to their on life and privacy outside of school when does Society separate the two? If students obtain access to a teachers Facebook, Twitter or any other SNSs and find something that they or their parents feel inappropriate the teacher would be at risk of losing her job. The interview points out a good question where are boundaries?

Although I do not use technology that much I believe it will continue to grow and the demand for new technology will continue to increase. Technology will advance into more hand free interactions and easier ways to communicate. The choice of using technology will decrease because more jobs and schools will require the usage and privacy will continue to be an issue. With the grow of technology people will lose interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate face to face. Due to technology children no longer have the fear of actually meeting someone new by walking up to them for the first time. Instead they find them on SNSs and send them a message because they can hide behind the site. Technology will continue to cause more health problems because children no longer play and exercise they just stuck on technology.

The internet provides an avenue of communication regardless where you are located. It allows information access to be at our finger tips. This week research showed that people who interact in groups over the internet are more civil.  Rainie, Purcell and Smith (2011) study provided a breakdown how different people based on gender, race and sex all fit into different groups. Jansen’s study focused on how people different who use technology fit into the religious groups. Both articles discuss the positive effects of coming together in a group to bring about a change and good within communities.

Civic engagement relates to social capital because the development and participation within group over the internet will bridge and bond people together. It allows people to connect with new people and come together for the great good.  The articles informed this week that people are more likely to be involved or at least have access to more than one group therefore they have the ability to engage in civic networking. Facebook, Twitter and other SNS sites are just the start of where positive things can be posted. For example different church groups or groups in general can post community service events and although someone may not be a part of the group because they have access it would give them the option to take part in making someone else happy or just being civil. There for if bridging and bonding where to occur as a domino effect over the internet we would hear about more good things happening in communities instead of all the negative.

Norris 2004) and Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe (2011) are talking about connecting and benefiting from people who are similar to you on SNS and offline. Both articles discuss how interacting in SNSs and online communities have positive and negative develop social capital.

SNSs and communities gives people the opportunity to communicate and meet new people with the same interest. They allow people to free themselves and take on another identity as well as give or obtain emotional support. Norris article points out that bonding is occurring on SNS and communities however, we are not bridging. According to Norris (2004), “Bridging social capital refers to social networks that bring together people of different sorts, and bonding in social capital brings together people of a similar sort.” The drawbacks to me is not showing the real you. On SNS and communication people post pictures and say things that they think other people want to hear, see or would enjoy. Another drawback is that there is no connection with people you do not know. People have friendships with previous friends instead of developing a friendship with strangers. I agree this is reasonable because so much is occurring in the world that you have to be careful about the people you communicate with. However, how do you make new connections if you connect with the same people?

I do not have any experience with SNS or communities however, from the people I spoke with agreed that bonding was not an issue. They states they connect and have many “friends” on Facebook with people the either already knew or that they feel they have something in common with such as mutual friends, hobbies, interest etc.  Some people states they are bridging because they have connected with a lot of new people on Facebook and other SNS sites.

The two reading provides different definitions for social network sites mainly because Beer is trying to prove Boyd and Ellison wrong. Boyd and Ellison defines a social network site 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.” Beer feels that this definition is too broad and does not have any limitations.

Since I do not interact with social networks it is hard to say which one is right. I do agree that they both have some valid points. Beer made a valid point regarding Youtube that it is not offering “friend” or “networking” but it is solely for entertainment. Boyd and Ellis provided evidence and history of SNS sites with help to explain and justify their board definition.

It is hard to say how networking and communities are different or similar from my own point of view. However, based on the module readings communities are people communicating with something in common. Communities are more family orient where everyone feels open to talk about their feelings and obtain positive feedback. Only from observation social networks are more open to people stalling, causing problems and keeping up mess. Social networks allow the profiler to determine who they will become friend with and who or what they would allow people to see.

From the material this week a community is a place where people can leave and enter into a place of comfort where they can relate to other people and have genuine conversations. However, no one has been able to define an online community because it means something different for every person. The IRL Documents and the interview all agree that there is not a certain definition for community. All of the material this week goes into detail to provide passion and happiness within the speakers about the online community. Each person that was interviews on the documentary spoke with happiness and confident and their face lite up with joy or their tone of voice changed to express excitement. To many people online communities are like a child in a candy store.

I am not sure what the difference between a community and a random group of people. A community would be more like a family. Of course all families have their good and bad so everything will not be good within the community and it will obtain people that would stand out offer protection as discussed in the readings. People get involved within communities to escape the cares of the world and enter into a place where they are understood, have emotional support  as well as people that can relate to them as well as they can relate too. For example, in the IRL documentary the female talked about how the community helped her get over depression. Also Baym talks about how people gave money to the lady who lost her child.

I have never been involved in a community. I do not feel that I have time or maybe I do not spend much time online. I do not know anyone that is a member of a community. Therefore unless people reveal that they are part of a community we would never know because it would be a place of comfort so a person would tone out all of their surroundings and emerge themselves within the online community. For example, in the reading the lady tells her boyfriend good bye because she was going to the bronze as if she was leaving and going somewhere.

Huffaker & Calvert (2005) and Grasmuck, Martin & Zhao (2009) talks about how racial and gender identities are formed online and transferred offline. Huffaker & Calvert study came to the conclusion that there is not much difference between genders online. They looked at how each gender express themselves as well as how they use emoticons. Grasmuck, Martin & Zhao studies how race is presented in CMC thru Facebook.

Different sites focus on different things within their site. For example, “Black Planet” focuses on race and “Christian Mingle” on religion. Each CMC context allow different context to be shown in the profile. IM, email and text messaging does not allow the profile to be viewed by other people. On the other hand Facebook, blogs and other site do allow the profile to be shown which helps form the person identity.  Due to the openness the internet allows gender and racial identity to be exaggerated or revealed more easily. It also allows people to provide false or too much information which causes people to form a false perception.  As we view different CMC context we interpret and perceive the person in a way that we feel they fit not the way they really are.

I have not thought about the gender or race of the people in this class mainly because I do not feel that it makes a difference. I do not feel race or gender should place a parent in the interaction with a person. Although I do not pay attention to gender now that you have acted the question I can tell the difference in a female and male post but that’s it.

Turtle believes that people have many different identities through different parts of their life.  She talks about how people become who they want online as if they step into virtual world and become their hearts desires.  In many ways this is true because no one online know that you’re not who you say you are so it allows you to look within yourself and become someone that you many actually be afraid of becoming. Baym agrees with Turtle concept of identity and that when in the virtual world we develop a new identity which allows people to choice who they want to be. Baym actually quotes Turtle on page 107 regarding “the self is no longer simply playing a different role in different settings at different times.” Baym points out a good point that many people have relationships online which may be due to a lie being told and many try to use this a proof for a divorce however, physically nothing was done other than each other expressing words. She also states that with the use of avatars someone could steal but can that person be held accountable? As we develop these new identities does that give us a lead way to actually do what we want to do because we know that it is not reality?

CMC context in Turtle work differ from the blog that I am following. Turtle discuss that the internet is used as a way to escape reality and form the identity that you may have been suppressing. However, my blogger is not forming a new identity she is opening the door to herself to allow you to see her true side or identity. She is not escaping reality she is trying to show everyone what she consider to be normal. She present her identity to be as another, wife and friend and does not give the impress that she has taken on other roles or identities.

All of these studies this week talks about how internet and technology has evolved in our life and become a major part of our communication in relationships. Lenhart studied teens have cell phone and use them a lot to communicate with family, friends and interact on email, blogs and social media and chats.

These studies pointed out that face-to-face communication is are depleting with the increase of technology use. Baym claims that people are not replacing face-to-face communication by using texting, email, social networking but are enhancing face-to-face relationships. I have yet to see how texting, email, social networking sites, etc. enhance face to face relationships because people rarely communicate face to face. Have you ever walked in a room that was full of people but everyone was typing and communicating on their phone as if they were in the room alone. Rainie and Wellman talks about how communication devices are used to communicate with each other. I loved the story they gave at the beginning of chapter 1 of Peter and Trudy. This was a very touching story and it shows a great example of their idea of “networked individualism.”

I was confused when seeing that so many teens have cell phones at such a young age. I always ask my niece and young children I see with a cell phone what the purpose is. I don’t see who they actually have to talk to at such a young age.  Baym and the radio broadcast talked about the fear that CMC is ruining our abilities to communicate and that technology is going to destroy current way of life. I wouldn’t say that I believe it is going to talk over our life but I do believe that it does have an impact on our life. If you give a child in elementary a cell phone they attempt to do what they see or heard everyone else is doing rather it is bad or good and if there is not parental supervisor anything can happen. People will always fear new things and ways of communication just as they did TV and internet but with time we all find ways to balance out our usage and these things have become helpful in many ways.

I am not a networked individual I prefer face-to face interaction or talking over texting. I really do not use email or IM other than work and I do not use social network at all. I agree with the findings that girls are more active with texting and cell phone usage than boys. I was troubled that parents of girls are more likely to monitor behaviors because boys do just as much as girls and all children should be monitored. However, these findings go along with normal assumption that girls have to be watched more than boys.

Baron (2008) looked at how away messages in instant messaging are used. He talks about how messages have evolved from boards to the internet. Through a study he discovered that away messages where used for self-expression in many different ways. Although Instant message have preset away messages some people used humor, quotes and even lying in order to obtain a response from other viewers.   Technology today such as Facebook, twitter and even answer tone or custom text on phones are similar to Baron’s results. These technologies allow people to communicate in order to get a response without actually communicating.  Our away messages and status updates displays our self-expression of our identity of who we want others to see us as.

Davidson (2012) talks about memes and how they develop and why it is so common.  Three characteristic of memes are speed, ease of replication and lack of attribution. Technology is prevalent that data, photos etc. can go viral in seconds. This is a major problem that children do not realize that one simple post could be seen across the world and you will have to live with it forever. Then one the data or photo is retrieve it can be replicated into anything anyone want it to be. With the use of technology we can make a photo look so real when it actually never happened.

Although both of these articles talked about two different things they had something in common humor. Barron talked about how away messages are used to express humor and obtain responses from other people. Barron (2008) states “if there’s an opportunity for humor, the user takes it” (77). Davison talks about humor and how emoticons are used to help express humor. Davison (2012) states “Emoticons are a meme that serve a number of functions…….They can be used to frame content as positive or negative, serious or joking or any number of things” (125). Humor helps with self-expression such as releasing stress (laughing to keep from crying), get through an awkward moment or just to make someone else day.  Internet messages are hard to understand without humor or emoticon which helps to express our self with language since cues are message with the absence of face to face interactions.