The internet and virtual communities

With the introduction of new websites and media technologies, comes the increase of readily available information- big surprise there. The internet in recent years has been providing the general public with the ability to produce and distribute their own opinions, beliefs and work through easily accessible resources and websites such as MySpace, YouTube and blogging pages similar to the one on which I am writing right at this moment. Along with this new information technology and the consequential information revolution also comes an increase in the number of opportunities for extended networking. Subsequently- well I believe that its subsequently- there has been an explosion in the number of new networking facilities, both socially and professionally leading to the creation of a new internet-based culture of web based communities.

From this new form of networking technology has come the endless supply of new information on the internet and an increase of technology-savvy consumers, who all contribute to their own networking site, which also in turn forms the basis of their own online community.

Websites such as Wikipedia and YouTube have also led the charge in the new phenomena of the creation of virtual communities and the endless supply of the new information available daily. With the introduction of such websites, information that would previously have been extremely difficult to find, or were only available or accessible or interesting to niche markets have suddenly become readily available to an amazingly increased number of consumers to the point where interest and activities that were once relatively unknown or were seemingly unpopular, have become much more widely recognised. In a lot of cases, I find that interests that were once thought of as strange now have online community groups where consumers interested in particular topics can discuss their opinions with fellow like-minded consumers.

The interesting characteristic of these online groups are that it doesn’t matter where in the world the consumer may be located, they can still participate within their chosen online group. This new phenomenon can be seen through the creation of websites and virtual groups such as ‘Feeders’, an online community group which is attracted to and turned on by people putting on weight or putting on the weight themselves. In a world that is seemingly obsessed by being slim and losing weight, the idea that people might actually be turned on by others or even themselves gaining weight would be thought of as strange and would have to create difficulty in trying to find fellow devotees. However with the massive increase in information and networking facilities on the internet, devotees can easily find and connect with others who are equally interested in such a niche community group. The differing localities of the individuals involved also can be seen to be a catalyst in the creation of such online community groups as participants of groups such as ‘Feeders’ commonly have no other form of communication to others in the group other then the net to contribute to their interest group. Perhaps locality is the reason behind the speed of the recent increase in community groups, or maybe the participants’ feeling of belonging? Whichever it may be, the new networking phenomenon is not likely to slow down or disappear anytime soon.