Virtual Social Networks

2011 ◽  
pp. 213-225
Author(s):  
Sunanda Sangwan ◽  
Chong Guan ◽  
Judy A. Siguaw
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Mutual Learning ◽  
Share Information

Multi-user virtual communities have become an accepted fundamental component of communication whereby community members share information and knowledge for mutual learning or problem solving.Virtual communities in a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) have evolved into active social networks, formulating an alternative social existence and this phenomenon warrants further investigations. In these virtual social networks (VSNs), member participation is essential for their success. Therefore, developing knowledge on how to manage and sustain participation of members in VSNs fills a gap in our academic understanding of the dynamics underpinning the processes of virtual community development. This article aims to address these issues by extending the theory of sense of community into a virtual context (SOVC) and by integrating it with other communication theory of U&G.

Virtual Social Networks

2010 ◽  
pp. 2198-2210
Author(s):  
Sunanda Sangwan ◽  
Chong Guan ◽  
Judy A. Siguaw
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Mutual Learning ◽  
Share Information

Multi-user virtual communities have become an accepted fundamental component of communication whereby community members share information and knowledge for mutual learning or problem solving. Virtual communities in a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) have evolved into active social networks, formulating an alternative social existence and this phenomenon warrants further investigations. In these virtual social networks (VSNs), member participation is essential for their success. Therefore, developing knowledge on how to manage and sustain participation of members in VSNs fills a gap in our academic understanding of the dynamics underpinning the processes of virtual community development. This article aims to address these issues by extending the theory of sense of community into a virtual context (SOVC) and by integrating it with other communication theory of U&G.

Privacy and Security for Virtual Communities and Social Networks

2013 ◽  
pp. 19-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Michaelides ◽  
Gábor Hosszú
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Internet Privacy ◽  
Large Audience ◽  
Privacy Risks

The importance of the virtual communities’ privacy and security problems comes into prominence by the rapid development of online social networks. This article presents the multiple threats currently plaguing the virtual world, Internet privacy risks, and recommendations and countermeasures to avoid such problems. New generations of users feel comfortable publishing their personal information and narrating their lives. They are often unaware how vulnerable the data in their public profiles are, which a large audience daily accesses. A so-called digital friendship is built among them. Such commercial and social pressures have led to a number of privacy and security risks for social network members. The article presents the most important vulnerabilities and suggests protection methods and solutions that can be utilized according to the threat. Lastly, the authors introduce the concept of a privacy-friendly virtual community site, named CWIW, where privacy methods have been implemented for better user protection.

Interrelationships Between Professional Virtual Communities and Social Networks, and the Importance of Virtual Communities in Creating and Sharing Knowledge

2010 ◽  
pp. 1595-1616
Author(s):  
Fernando Garrigos
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Virtual Organizations ◽  
The Creation

This chapter presents the interrelationships between professional virtual communities and social networks, and analyzes how, and in what ways, these communities play a crucial role in the creation and sharing of knowledge. The chapter begins by outlining how virtual communities are gaining importance in the new environment. It explains what we understand as a professional virtual community and its importance and also the relevance of social networks in today’s Knowledge Management age. The study then analyses how the development of social networks is crucial to the improvement of professional virtual communities, and also how virtual organizations can promote the improvement of social networks. Finally, the study examines how virtual communities are vital as mechanisms for creating and sharing knowledge.

Interrelationships Between Professional Virtual Communities and Social Networks, and the Importance of Virtual Communities in Creating and Sharing Knowledge

2011 ◽  
pp. 255-276
Author(s):  
Fernando Garrigos
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Virtual Organizations ◽  
The Creation

This chapter presents the interrelationships between professional virtual communities and social networks, and analyzes how, and in what ways, these communities play a crucial role in the creation and sharing of knowledge. The chapter begins by outlining how virtual communities are gaining importance in the new environment. It explains what we understand as a professional virtual community and its importance and also the relevance of social networks in today’s Knowledge Management age. The study then analyses how the development of social networks is crucial to the improvement of professional virtual communities, and also how virtual organizations can promote the improvement of social networks. Finally, the study examines how virtual communities are vital as mechanisms for creating and sharing knowledge.

Virtual Hate Communities in the 21st Century

2011 ◽  
pp. 34-53
Author(s):  
Glenn T. Tsunokai ◽  
Allison R. McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Interactive Media ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Using Data ◽  
And Function

Technological innovations in computer-mediated communication have helped hate groups to transform themselves into virtual communities. Likeminded individuals are now able to unite from all parts of the globe to promote hatred against visible minorities and other out-groups. Through their online interactions, a sense of place is often created. In this chapter, we explore the content and function of online hate communities. Since bigotry tends to be the cornerstone of virtual hate communities, we highlight the legal debate surrounding the regulation of Internet hate speech; in particular, we address the question: Does the First Amendment protect virtual community members who use the Internet to advocate hate? Next, using data collected from the largest hate website, Stormfront.org, we also investigate how Stormfront members utilize interactive media features to foster a sense of community. Finally, we direct our attention to the future of online hate communities by outlining the issues that need to be further investigated.

Online Communities and Community Building

2011 ◽  
pp. 2893-2898
Author(s):  
Martin C. Kindsmüller ◽  
Sandro Leuchter ◽  
Leon Urbas
Keyword(s):  
Online Community ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Bulletin Boards ◽  
Real Community ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Tacit Assumptions

“Online community” is one of today’s buzzwords. Even though superficially it is not hard to understand, the term has become somewhat vague while being extensively used within the e-commerce business. Within this article, we refer to online community as being a voluntary group of users who partake actively in a certain computer-mediated service. The term “online community” is preferred over the term “virtual community,” as it denotes the character of the community more accurately: community members are interacting online as opposed to face to face. Furthermore, the term “virtual community” seems too unspecific, because it includes other communities that only exist virtually, whereas an online community in our definition is always a real community in the sense that community members know that they are part of the community. Nevertheless, there are other reasonable definitions of online community. An early and most influencing characterization (which unfortunately utilizes the term “virtual community”) was coined by Howard Rheingold (1994), who wrote: “…virtual communities are cultural aggregations that emerge when enough people bump into each other often enough in cyberspace. A virtual community is a group of people […] who exchanges words and ideas through the mediation of computer bulletin boards and networks” (p. 57). A more elaborated and technical definition of online community was given by Jenny Preece (2000), which since then, has been a benchmark for developers. She stated that an online community consists of four basic constituents (Preece, 2000, p. 3): 1. Socially interacting people striving to satisfy their own needs. 2. A shared purpose, such as interest or need that provides a reason to cooperate. 3. Policies in the form of tacit assumptions, rituals, or rules that guide the community members’ behavior. 4. A technical system that works as a carrier that mediates social interaction. Not explicitly mentioned in this characterization but nevertheless crucial for our aforementioned definition (and not in opposition to Preece’s position) is voluntary engagement.

Effects of social capital on online knowledge sharing: positive and negative perspectives

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiu-Ping Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relationship Continuity ◽  
Complementary Resources

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model of how both the benefits and risks of social capital influence online knowledge sharing among virtual community members towards enhancing members’ relationship continuity and virtual community reputations. In addition, this study addresses the effects of complementary resources on knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach – The structural equation modelling approach was applied to estimate the conceptual model by using survey data from virtual community members. A total of 626 valid questionnaires were collected. Findings – The empirical results showed that most of the research hypotheses were supported. The benefits of social capital and complementary resources have a positive effect on knowledge sharing, thereby strengthening relationship continuity and community reputation. Furthermore, the risk of social capital has a negative effect on knowledge sharing, as expected. Originality/value – A review of the literature reveals a lack of studies focusing on both the positive and negative influences of social capital on online knowledge sharing. This study therefore contributes to a comprehensive perspective for understanding online knowledge sharing in virtual communities.

scholarly journals A Escola na Rede: Apresentações da Escola no Ciberespaço

Palíndromo ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Fabricio Zanin ◽  
Moema Martins Rebouças
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
The Self ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
Presentation Modes ◽  
Modes Of Presentation ◽  
The Way

RESUMOA pesquisa apresenta reflexões sobre os modos de apresentação da vida escolar a partir da figuratividade apresentada e nos discursos verbais dos adolescentes nas comunidades virtuais das redes sociais digitais, mais especificamente o Orkut. Discute também o modo como a escola se apresenta em seu site oficial e quais as relações e dilemas que se estabelecem entre o visual que a escola constrói  de si e o visual construído pelos adolescentes, sujeitos que constituem seu espaço físico. Tomando como referencial teórico os estudos referentes a análise do discurso que permeiam a Semiótica Discursiva dentre outras reflexões pertinentes a sóciossemiótica, pudemos compreender de que modo os alunos, por meio das comunidade virtuais, apresentam a escola de um modo que em muito difere do modo como a escola se apresenta em seu site oficial.Palavras-chave: Escola, Modos de Apresentação, Ciberespaço. ABSTRACTThe research presents reflections on modes of presentation of school’s life from figuration presented by teens verbal discourses in virtual communities of social networks, specifically Orkut. It also discusses how the school presents itself on its website and which relationships and dilemmas are established between the self-built school’s view and the adolescents view, individuals who constitute their physical space.Taking as theoretical studies concerning the analysis of discourse that permeate the discourse of semiotics among other relevant considerations to sociosemiotics, we understand how students, through the virtual community, presents the school in a way that differs greatly from the way the school has on its official website.Keywords: School, Presentation Modes, Cyberspace.

scholarly journals Comunidades em redes sociais na internet: um estudo de caso dos fotologs brasileiros | Communities in Social Networks on the internet: a case study of Brazilian photologs

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Recuero
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Online Social Network ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Capital Social ◽  
Social Forms ◽  
Computer Mediated

Resumo Redes sociais online são grupos de atores que se constituem através da interação mediada pelo computador. Essas interações são capazes de estabelecer novas formas sociais de grupos e comunidades. Através da discussão de diversos conceitos de comunidade e comunidade virtual, propõe-se o estudo das comunidades virtuais como uma forma de rede social. Esse debate teórico é discutido então no campo de estudo constituído pelo Fotolog, durante os anos de 2005 e 2006. O fotolog é um sistema que permite aos usuários a publicação de fotografias, textos e comentários. Dos dados coletados através de formas qualitativas e quantitativas, propomos uma tipologia para as comunidades virtuais baseada em sua estrutura (a rede em si) e sua composição (tipos de laços sociais e capital social). Esses tipos são definidos como comunidades virtuais emergentes, comunidades virtuais de associação e comunidades virtuais híbridas.Palavras-chave redes sociais, comunidades virtuais, fotolog.Abstract Online social networks are groups of actors formed by computer-mediated social interaction. These interactions are capable of establishing new social forms of groups and communities. Based on a discussion over several concepts of community and virtual community we propose the virtual community as a specific form of online social network. This theoretical debate is brought to the field studying the system named Fotolog during 2005 and 2006. Fotolog (www.fotolog.com) is a web service that allows for its users to post photographs or images with an associated text and other users may comment on each other’s posts. From the collected data, we propose a typology for communities found in these networks, based on their structure (network) and composition (social ties and social capital). We define three types of communities as associative virtual communities, emergent virtual communities and hybrid virtual communities.Keywords social networks, virtual communities, fotolog. 

Understanding Knowledge-Sharing Motivation, Incentive Mechanisms, and Satisfaction in Virtual Communities

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 639-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Shen Chen ◽  
Shih-Feng Chang ◽  
Chih-Hsing Liu
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Incentive Mechanism ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Incentive Mechanisms ◽  
Knowledge Sharing Behavior ◽  
The Incentive Mechanism ◽  
Sharing Behavior

Virtual communities have gained popularity as a means for individuals to learn and share knowledge. However, knowledge-sharing motivation, incentive mechanisms, and satisfaction in these communities have not been examined in detail. Using survey data from 169 community members, we investigated the conditions under which motivation, incentive mechanisms, and satisfaction affect knowledge-sharing behavior. We found that the incentive mechanism is a significant predictor of a virtual community member's motivation to obtain knowledge, and that the incentive mechanism and motivation do not positively affect a member's satisfaction that causes him/her to engage willingly in knowledge sharing with others in virtual communities.

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