Comments on: The Perfect Virtual Community

By: Bupguence

Bupguence — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:14:15 +0000

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By: Unit Structures – NY Times Botches SNS Privacy

Unit Structures – NY Times Botches SNS Privacy — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:16:11 +0000

[...] American Life Project for context. Since he didn’t, he actually gets the issue backward. I’ve written about this before, but the basic idea is this: Young people didn’t simply decide to give up privacy. Rather, [...]

By: Unit Structures – Facebook and the Death of Networks

Unit Structures – Facebook and the Death of Networks — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:43:03 +0000

[...] risks 2) context collapse and 3) the aggressive nature by which Facebook manages the community. As I’ve written previously, Facebook’s users have adapted to this new reality, and accordingly enforce a high level of [...]

By: Amy Jo Kim

Amy Jo Kim — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:18:00 +0000

>> … the term community is ill-fitted to what goes on in Facebook, etc. I think “Network” is a more appropriate descriptor. Networks are not defined by shared activities but by shared connections that may or may not lead to shared activities. Networks aren’t as place-bound as communities. Conceptually, the term is more indicative of how we actually live together in virtual space.

I totally agree. FB is a textbook example of how communities scale. Pretty much all long-lasting communities START OFF small and cohesive (like early FB) but then grow and splinter and re-constitute as Networks with internal clusters of sub-communities (AKA groups).

By: Bertil Hatt

Bertil Hatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:16:00 +0000

I’m not sure about neighbourhood, but the list of my friends’ group is fairly political, in the broad sense: I’d say 60% of groups have a clear goal, if no real objective (“One million for/againt ~”). I’m in a social science lab, which is a typical left-wing area, and many of my friends are active — in the right wing area, hence my need for separation features :^] — so I might be atypical: what about you?

I’m European, so I’m not subscribed into the hotbed of current militantism, MyBO but I’m assuming some of you are: what features are there that you can’t find on Facebook, apart from the selective entry?

By: Suzanne Aurilio

Suzanne Aurilio — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:44:00 +0000

I’ve been thinking about this issue too in a slightly different albeit related context, developing a community of faculty and instructional staff across a university system. http://transform.csuprojects.org/

I think rl examples are useful to a point. I live in a neighborhood that does have community(ies) embedded in it. I have to seek them out and participate in them.

Communities typically have a purpose, however loosely structured that is, and that purpose is often related to shared goals and activities. Socializing is not a goal in that sense. I’m thinking that the term community is ill-fitted to what goes on in Facebook, etc. I think “Network” is a more appropriate descriptor. Networks are not defined by shared activities but by shared connections that may or may not lead to shared activities. Networks aren’t as place-bound as communities. Conceptually, the term is more indicative of how we actually live together in virtual space.
I think the sensibilities we derive from community involvement (feeling connected, known, inside (verses outside) are currently more possible through the embodied experience of 3D virtual spaces like Second Life. Again, I’d say though, that simply “being somewhere” doesn’t generate the feeling of community necessarily.
Also, I hate to say it, but Americans have a nostalgia for community that many have never experienced except through watching Cheers. My experience of community has come out of need, of being part of a (sub) culture, like the gay community. Interestingly, there are today many gays and lesbians who have no sense of community. They are, like many Americans, homongenized by mass market ideals, which by definition contradict the notion of community.

By: Bertil Hatt

Bertil Hatt — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:21:00 +0000

History is repeating: forum used to be that, then cafés, then internet came and on-line fora came and went as the place where enough people staid to have a conversation. All communities, platform, format have been able to cut themselves and the find the right walls to be useful.
Will Facebook replace it self, in addition to replace e-mail, or StumbleUpon? Certainly if they get their hands on Yahoo! execs.

By: Bradjward

Bradjward — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:15:00 +0000

I’ve been chewing on this topic for awhile now too, and just put some thoughts down in this blog post yesterday:
http://squaredpeg.com/index.php/2008/03/20/building-community-inwith-social-media/

Seems like we have a lot of similar viewpoints on this topic! I’d love to hear your feedback on my thoughts.