An Online Community is a social network of people who come together in a virtual space. People create and join online communities because they want to share their interest or passion for something particular, share knowledge or advices, work or learn together. Online communities have been present since the emergence of the internet but have become even more relevant due to the rise of Web 2.0. Often social media operate as platforms for online communities on which people can connect with each other and form different networks.
History
editThe definition of online community has undergone some changes in the years since the emergence of the internet. One of the first definitions was provided by Howard Rheingold in 1994, who talks about a "virtual community” in cyberspace as “a group of people who may or may not meet one another face to face, and who exchange word and ideas through the mediation of computer bulletin boards and networks”[1]. In 2000 Jenny Preece pointed out that there are “millions of different communities […] on the internet”, all of them being joint by their participants for different reasons or purposes[2]. In 2001 Preece provided a definition of the term online community as "any virtual social space where people come together to get and give information or support, to learn, or to find company”[3]. In terms of location and scale she noted that these online communities “can be local, national, international, small or large" [4]. Concerning technical aspects, Preece emphasized the supporting software as a crucial element. Examples of assignments are "chats, bulletin boards, listserver, UseNet News or web-based communities"[5].Ten years later, in 2010, Preece had developed her definition further and provided five characteristic, which shape the foundation of online communities: “A shared purpose or common interests, participants’ interaction, user-generated content, the existence of clear boundaries that define the purpose and practices of the community, a unique communal culture”[6].
Influences
editWhat happens in an online community is influenced by several things. First of all, the medium plays a big role within actions and interactions in online communities because it can enable or restrain the user, for example through structural limitations or technically fixed mechanism. Also the topic, which frames the online community, influences actions naturally because it is the reason why people come together in cyberspace in the first place. Also the participants themselves – either in a group or individually – are for a large part responsible for what is happening in communities on the internet [7].
Examples
edit- Fan-communities: Within fan communities online, people share their interest or passion for a particular person or celebrity, an object, a practice, and many more. Often, as Byam pointed out, a “shared identity” is created, as well as “collective intelligence and affect”[8].
- Online-gaming can also be a form of online community because it involves a shared passion of its participants and often user-generated content is produced[9].
- Online communities for the sake of a common interest: There is a huge number of online communities devoted to special interests which offer great opportunities for bonding with like-minded persons[10]. Examples could be scientific research online communities, fashion or beauty online networks, online book clubs etc.
References
edit- ^ Rheingold, Howard (1994). A Slice of Life in My Virtual Community. In L. M. Harasim (Ed.), Global Networks: Computers and International Communication (pp. 57-80). Cambridge: MA: MIT Press.
- ^ Preece, J. (2000). Online Communities. Designing Usability, Supporting Sociability. John Wiley & Sons. West Sussex, England.
- ^ Jenny Preece (2001) Sociability and usability: Twenty years of chatting online. Behavior and Information Technology Journal. P. 3
- ^ Jenny Preece (2001) Sociability and usability: Twenty years of chatting online. Behavior and Information Technology Journal. P. 3
- ^ Jenny Preece (2001) Sociability and usability: Twenty years of chatting online. Behavior and Information Technology Journal. P. 3
- ^ Preece, J. & Rotman, D. (2010) The ‘WeTube’ in YouTube – creating an online community through video sharing’, Int. J. Web Based Communities, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp.317–333.
- ^ Baym, Nancy K. (2000). Tune in, log on. Soaps, fandom, and online community. Sage Publications. California.
- ^ Baym, Nancy K. (2007). The new shape of online community: The example of Swedish independent music fandom. First Monday, Volume 12, Number 8 - 6 August 2007.
- ^ Preece, J. & Rotman, D. (2010) The ‘WeTube’ in YouTube – creating an online community through video sharing’, Int. J. Web Based Communities, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp.317–333.
- ^ Tippins, Robyn and Marquit, Miranda Marquit (2010). Community 101: How to Grow an Online Community. Happy About. California, USA. p. 7