Community Relationships and the Internet

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the growth of the Internet as a means of mass communication. The paper notes that, as the Internet has developed over the years, more services have been added and users can access huge amounts of information. The author also describes the concerns that are emerging today as to its potential to reduce social interaction and isolate users from the community.

From the Paper:

"From the beginning of the Internet as a means of mass communication, critics have seen this development as having the potential to reduce social interaction and isolate users from the community. As more and more types of service are added to the Internet, these concerns have only increased. However, at the same time, the Internet has developed its own sense of community, though certainly this is a community with minimal personal interaction, leaving open the question of how damaging a shift from a face-to-face community to an online community may be.
"Kraut (1998), a professor of social psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, conducted a study and found that the Internet was dangerous to one's social and psychological well being (Plotnikoff, 2001, paras. 1-11)). Tranvik (2001) addresses a the key question when he asks about the new technologies, "will they cause unimaginable levels of social isolation, or will they bring a new society with a friendlier face" (Tranvik, 2001, para. 1). The fear has been that they will bring more isolation, though many users believe they interact more with others online than they do in life. Cyberspace most certainly does constitute a new community to which virtually anyone may belong, and how helpful or harmful this may be will be clear in time."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bain, B. (2000, February 29). Internet linked to loss of social interaction University Wire. Retrieved March 4, 2007 from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-25101971.html.
• Computer and Internet use in the United States: 2003 (2005). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 4, 2007 from http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-208.pdf.
• Dingle, J. & Gooch, W. (2000, February). Today's Fad or Tomorrow's Future? Issues Challenging Education, retrieved November 6, 2004 from http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/issues/papers/Dingle.asp.
• Lack of Social Interaction Biggest E-Learning Problem; Vault.com Survey Uncovers Drawbacks of Online Degrees (2000, November 20). Business Wire. Retrieved March 4, 2007 from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67141894.html.
• Plotnikoff, David. "Study Revisits Social Isolation and the Internet." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (14 Aug 2001). June 11, 2005. <http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc3.asp?DOCID=1G1:77216619&num=1&ctrlInfo=Round11%3AProd%3ASR%3AResult&ao=&FreePremium=BOTH>.

More papers on Community Relationships and the Internet:

• Comparison Essay # 14389 : "The Navajo Nation and The Internet"
• Research Paper # 99075 : "The Effects of the Internet"
• Analytical Essay # 132204 : "The Internet and a Sense of Community"

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