week 7 mediation

There are many groups that the internet can mediate. One group that I am a member of that the internet partially mediates is my group of friends. I have moved many times, and have friend in a number of different places. The internet allows me to stay in touch with these individuals easier than any other way. The technology that I use most on the internet is AIM. AIM is one of many programs on the web that facilitate internet or computer mediated communication. According to wikipedia computer mediated communication, commonly known as CMC, is communication that occurs via computer-mediated formats (i.e., instant messages, e-mails, chat rooms) between two or more individuals. AIM allows you to instant message multiple people basically at the same time. This is beneficial because you can sit down in front of your computer and catch up with 3, 4, or many more depending on who is online at that time.

For me I would say that this internet mediated social group has already been developed before our communication though the net. However, AIM does help strengthen ties between many of my friends and myself by providing a way for me to stay in contact with them even over long distances. Another cool way that AIM helps to strengthen tie between friends is that people are more open to discuss things that are going o with them when the communication is not face to face. This allows you to learn things about your friends that often times they would be hesitant to share face to face. This technology could also damage or weaken relationship ties because of this same factor.

Often times when people are behind there computer they will share things that they would never share in person. As I said before this can be a benefit, but it can also be a disadvantage to a relationship. Often times, especially in high school, AIM and other computer mediated communication would be abused in order to say things that you would not otherwise say in person. For example I remember a situation with an old girlfriend when I was in 9th or 10th grade every time she had a problem with something she would never say anything to me when we were together. As soon as she got behind her computer she would either talk to me via email or AIM, but if she had a problem with something she would sure express it through these channels. I assume that partially had to do with immaturity and not knowing how to handle certain situations, but the other part is when people are behind there computer they feel protected and free to say whatever they want. In this example Internet mediated communication weakened this relationship.

There are many situations that Internet mediated communication can strengthen relationships also. Like is said before I have moved a lot so I have a lot of long distance friends that I try to keep in touch with. Through mainly internet communication I have been able to remain friends with a girl named Rosary that I went to elementary school with. We have both moved and are living on separate coast, but still I am able to keep up with what’s going on in her life, as is she in mine. This is a prime example of how internet mediated communication can strengthen relationships, because each time one of us has a major life event being able to talk about it with each other makes us closer.

Computer mediated communication is also used outside of friendship groups. It can be used to meet people, make new friend, conduct business, or for a number of other things.
According to an Indian University journal CMC is used when blogging, used with economics, science discussions, war discussions, and much more. CMC is a very real part of society, and will continue to be a growing influence on people’s daily lives I think.

References:

Computer Mediated Communication. (10 October, 2007). In Wikipedia, the Free Wikipedia. Retrieved on 12 October, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-mediated_communication

Computer Mediated Communication (10 October, 2007). The Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. Retrieved on 12 October, 2007 from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/issues.html