Chapter Two

1. What was your first encounter with the Internet like? How did it compare with your first encounters with other mass media?

I have trouble recalling my very first experience on the Internet because I hardly remember a time when it wasn't around. My earliest memories, however, are of the very first Internet service that was commercially available in America. CompuServe charged users by the hour to use their services and I still remember the excitement of hearing the dial-up tone as I anxiously awaited for the Internet to load up. As a kid, I didn't do much with the Internet but we always had it in our home. After CompuServe died out, we began using AOL and this is where my most vivid memories come to mind. I remember my first AOL user name was "flwrpwr98" and it was set on the most strict parental controls, as I was only seven years old. I remember visiting the AOL kids page, visiting the moderated kid's chat rooms and playing games on Nickelodeon.com. I was really intrigued about how the Internet worked and I was always fascinated by the idea that I could communicate with other kids in other states and countries. I think that because I was introduced to the Internet at such a young age, I became de-sensitized as other forms of mass media were brought to my attention. Printed media was just always "there", so I don't remember forming an opinion on it. When it comes to social networking and social media, as well as television media and radio, it seems very natural and almost a second nature for me to utilize. I think that this shows that my generation as well as the generations to come will be very comfortable with mass media and will not only be content, but will grow to expect bigger and better things during their lifetime when it comes to different types of media.

2. What possibilities of the Internet's future are you most excited about? Why? What possibilities are most troubling? Why?

 I am very excited about the future of social networking and social media. Lately, I have been more active when it comes to research and use of social networking websites such as Twitter and Face Book and how they can positively impact the success of businesses and education. I think that the idea that we can connect with the world through social media is so intriguing because their are endless possibilities available when we literally have connection to the world through our fingertips. For example, through Twitter updates to my cell phone during the snowstorm I was able to learn about road conditions and weather forecasting during a time of power outage. Another example of social networking at it's finest is a story I heard on the news, where a man and his wife were at home and his phone was almost dead as he discovered she had fallen and had a suspected heart attack. One tweet and five minutes later, someone had seen his cry for help and an ambulance arrived to save the life of a woman. While there are several positive benefits to social networking, I am hesitant to say that it could be known as a new way of life. To begin with, I am a big advocate of not replacing personal relationships with online relationships. It is very easy to rely on text messages, twitter and Face Book to keep a relationship going, and in turn, the intimacy and specialness of a relationship can quickly be subtracted. I find it troubling that many will assume that because social networking allows relationships to thrive that it is the only way to keep one intact and that is simply not the case. It is in my opinion that the best form of communication is still a conversation that can happen when two people are face to face.

3. Do you think virtual communities are genuine communities? Why or why not?

I have very mixed emotions when it comes to this question. I think that if I had to chose either a 'yes' or 'no' answer, that I would say no. Virtual communities offer an incredible amount of flexibility when it comes to staying in contact with society. Social networking websites such as MySpace and Face Book allow users to customize a profile, upload pictures and videos and communicate with others through comments and private messages. The level of connectivity that is generated through this form of media is overwhelming. On my personal Face Book page, I have over 700 'friends'. While there are many I've never really spoken with, there are hundreds that I would never make the effort to keep in touch with sans Face Book. This being said, I feel like the level of intimacy in virtual communities is very low. It takes little effort to communicate with millions of people, and often times, people will connect with hundreds of people they don't really know in order to gain a higher "status".  I understand that many people find it easier to talk to people through the Internet, but I also feel as though online communication eliminates much of our verbal communication and in turn, makes it harder for us to truly get to know other people. To say that virtual communities are not genuine is a rather large accusation, but to say that a virtual community is a well maintained, intimate community is also untrue. For a virtual community to be effective, one must keep in mind that it is simply an amplification of real life and that it cannot replace human contact.