Online vs Offline Communities

Online and offline worlds often overlap, but are generally quite different to one another. They generate different cultures and the way they organise themselves seems to be quite different. Although they do overlap and may share similar qualities, there are characteristics of online communities that seem vastly different to characteristics of a "real world" geographical community.

Online communities foster a world that is independent of physical or geographical location or identity. A user can become a part of an online community, irrespective of their own personal or physical qualities. They are free from physical judgement, they are judged only on their contributions that they can choose themselves to publish or not. The rise of the networked environment and cultural diversity allows for the creation of many varied niche cultures and interests to develop through online communities. Online communities, therefore, allows for collaboration amongst other people of similar interests to yourself. They can collect and share information that may be of interest to other people in a similar interest group. The rise of the participatory culture (Jenkins 2006) means that users can be active participators in the online world, regardless of the time of day, or geographical location. Jenkins describes this participatory culture as one that is created by users who are connected through a multitude of local and hyperlocal cultural communities.

Shenton and McNeeley (cited in Flew 2005, 69) sum the above idea up perfectly by arguing that virtual communities have become so popular because of the following reasons:

• Online communities provide an easier opportunity to develop friendships with people, compared to the offline world.
• Online communities allows for the ability to interchange and play with personas and different identities.
• Online communities allows interaction with like-minded people.
• Online communities allow people to find others with shared interests, even obscure or odd interests that may be a niche or minority group.
• Online communities allow people who may feel discriminated against, or marginalised in society, to express their opinions and point of views.

Personally, I find online communities useful because you can contribute to them as often or as little as you like. When I don't have time or when I have something else to do that I believe is more important at the time, then I may not contribute as much. And this doesn't matter in an online community. However, if you're involved in an offline community you're expected to be committed to that community.

However, after having said all this, I believe there are still some challenges for online communities. The vast network of information can sometimes be overwhelming. We're constantly exposed to an abundance of information in the online world. With an increasing number of content creators contributing to the networked environment it sometimes becomes hard to decipher the reliable sources that are trustworthy and credible. Some information can become confusing and contradictory.

References:

Flew, T. (2005). New Media: An Introduction (2nd ed.). Victoria: Oxford University Press.

Jenkins, Henry. (2006). Introduction: “Worship at the Altar of Convergence" in Jenkins, Henry, Convergence culture: When new and old media collide, New York: New Yoork University, pp.1-24. Retrieved April 7, 2008, from Queensland University of Technology Course Materials Database https://qutvirtual.qut.edu.au/portal/pls/portal/olt_material_search_p?p_unit_code=KCB201