A short history of “the virtual”

1975 MUD

1978 BBS

Anonymity > JK Jacobus: Hi …

> JK Jacobus: Hi …

Anonymity

Avatars

Identity

Academics Psychology of online gaming, BBSs and workplace email Social psychology of Computer mediated communication (CMC) R educed Cues theories etc E nhanced social cues E ffects on communities and decision making Identity in MUDs (e.g. Turkle)

Psychology of online gaming, BBSs and workplace email

Social psychology of Computer mediated communication (CMC)

R educed Cues theories etc

E nhanced social cues

E ffects on communities and decision making

Identity in MUDs (e.g. Turkle)

Virtual Community

1990s Community threats Putman – Bowling Alone, social capital argument Trust, social cohesion, social exclusion Kraut et al 1997 – reduction in community participation Wellman et al 1998 – Reverse. networked individualism Social network analysis. Weak tie/strong tie ‘ Glocalism’ I m agined Communities, Third Spaces C ommunity online or online community

Putman – Bowling Alone, social capital argument

Trust, social cohesion, social exclusion

Kraut et al 1997 – reduction in community participation

Wellman et al 1998 – Reverse. networked individualism

Social network analysis. Weak tie/strong tie

‘ Glocalism’

I m agined Communities, Third Spaces

C ommunity online or online community

Cyberspace Where the banks ‘keep’ your money

Where the banks ‘keep’ your money

Virtual Worlds

Information Society theories Surveillance Society Digital Economy Virtual organisations Post-industrial society Post-modern society Virtual Community Post-nation-state Space of Flows Flexible, non-hierarchical Death of Distance Simulations

Surveillance Society

Digital Economy

Virtual organisations

Post-industrial society

Post-modern society

Virtual Community

Post-nation-state

Space of Flows

Flexible, non-hierarchical

Death of Distance

Simulations

2000s Use of internet USA 76% of adults (Pew May 08) 24% UK 67% (OxII 2007) 33% non-users

USA 76% of adults (Pew May 08) 24%

UK 67% (OxII 2007) 33% non-users

Gossip

Participation Posting to the Internet OIS 2005

Posting to the Internet

OIS 2005

Dense communications: multi-modality

New Virtual Data trails become a shadow of reality ‘ Real’ virtual spaces, Simulations of ‘reality’ e,.g. Maps, databases How is real world modelled, controlled, virtual world linked to ‘real’ world?

Data trails become a shadow of reality

‘ Real’ virtual spaces, Simulations of ‘reality’

e,.g. Maps, databases

How is real world modelled, controlled, virtual world linked to ‘real’ world?

Virtual Presence

Pure virtual - M ixed reality No longer a minority interest – core to all social, economic and political activities Mediated sociality. IT appropriated to facilitate forms of symbolic interaction New forms of community, new structures of society

No longer a minority interest – core to all social, economic and political activities

Mediated sociality. IT appropriated to facilitate forms of symbolic interaction

New forms of community, new structures of society

Concerns Dangers – esp children, policy for this. Stalking, bullying Relationships between children and parents Transferable social capital from purely online domains. Generation issues in participation Building trust – experience of trust Digital exclusion Microsocial habits How do communities work in age of network individualism, CMC etc Global subcultures Criminality Migration – international networks Privacy – changing concepts of privacy Privatisation of public space Networked organisation of work ‘ Flexiblity’ telework New forms of interactions and communities New roles for virtual objects and exchanges Intimacy and the net Memory that never dies Future of neighbourhood New politics

Dangers – esp children, policy for this. Stalking, bullying

Relationships between children and parents

Transferable social capital from purely online domains.

Generation issues in participation

Building trust – experience of trust

Digital exclusion

Microsocial habits

How do communities work in age of network individualism, CMC etc

Global subcultures

Criminality

Migration – international networks

Privacy – changing concepts of privacy

Privatisation of public space

Networked organisation of work

‘ Flexiblity’

telework

New forms of interactions and communities

New roles for virtual objects and exchanges

Intimacy and the net

Memory that never dies

Future of neighbourhood

New politics

Implications for methods Stage 1 – study how people interact using electronic media Stage 2 – study of ‘virtual’ spaces and relationships Stage 3 – electronic comms, organisation, community and identity in everyday life – look at the interactions Stage 4 – Normalisation of CMC – any social research includes virtual spaces, sources and relationships

Stage 1 – study how people interact using electronic media

Stage 2 – study of ‘virtual’ spaces and relationships

Stage 3 – electronic comms, organisation, community and identity in everyday life – look at the interactions

Stage 4 – Normalisation of CMC – any social research includes virtual spaces, sources and relationships

Sources Email exchanges Blog posts Mailing lists and discussion groups Chat and ‘realtime’ online logs Video and audio communocations – prerecorded and ‘live’ Social network sites Microblogging – twitter etc Realtime recording of everything PO at a distance. Huge datasets Crowdsourcing Mobile logging R eal-time questionnaires Transparent communities Status of texts Ethics of PO

Email exchanges

Blog posts

Mailing lists and discussion groups

Chat and ‘realtime’ online logs

Video and audio communocations – prerecorded and ‘live’

Social network sites

Microblogging – twitter etc

Realtime recording of everything

PO at a distance.

Huge datasets

Crowdsourcing

Mobile logging

R eal-time questionnaires

Transparent communities

Status of texts

Ethics of PO