Ghostly (Re-)Semblances and Specular (Con-)Figurations

Many thinkers conceptualize authentic communication in terms of an interpersonal encounter, for example between an “I” and a “you,” a living subject and a living subject, unmediated by objects, electronic gadgets, or ICTs (informatics and communication technologies), or through an authentic human dialogue involving openness, choice, freedom, courage, and almost always, some risk and uncertainty. In the elevated language of Buber and Maritain one might say an existentially charged encounter between two (or more) beings involves opening up to each other, calling each to the other, face to face, thus allowing living truth to emerge.

Social Media

This chapter examines the path of human interaction by using modern technologies. There are two sides: those in favor of using modern technologies and those who argue that modern technologies have unwanted, detrimental effects on people's lives and health. This chapter explores virtual communication's properties. It focuses on the impact that using social media instead of face-to-face interaction has on the users' health, specifically mental health. In this viewpoint, social media is not an alternative to face-to-face interaction but a complementary device that reminds us the vitality of interaction even with those who are physically unavailable to us.

Digital or Information Divide

In different regions of the world, the growth in home broadband adoption and development of e-services depends on a number of factors which can decrease digital divide in size or can result in widened “gaps” between developed and developing economies as well as between rich and poor regions or social groups. These factors comprise both drivers of, and barriers to, development of broadband access and growth of e-services as well as human communication and digital interactions in terms of comprehension and relationship building (i.e., the successful collaboration in contemporary society). Using a human communication point of view, this chapter provides insight into a concept of information divide, specifies the distinction between digital and information divide, examines each of the factors that condition the mass-market broadband adoption, and considers the impact of techno economic stratification for the development of web-based e-services.

Communication Accommodation Theory

A lack of face-to-face interactions affects society while digital influences on the world create and sustain communications characterized by limited feedback, incomplete information, tentative connections, and misunderstandings. Thousands of digital messages lack the full communication components—sender-receiver-feedback—creating barriers to communication completion. The ability to adapt to the receiver and the medium is enhanced in face-to-face communication, as defined within communication accommodation theory (CAT). CAT allows all parties to emphasize or minimize differences in verbal and non-verbal conversations.

Facing the Challenges of a New Communication Era

Interpersonal deception, issue acceptance, privacy and control of information, and relationship building are key challenges people face each day in their quests to communicate effectively. Conquering these challenges is important in achieving shared understanding and making interactions flow smoothly and contain feedback and communication adjustments. Uncertainty is a risk to effective communication, so this chapter offers methods to adjust behaviors, solve problems, and build trust to create and nurture communicative relationships. The literature addresses the various ways that communicators have attempted to achieve success over the years. This is followed by an explanation of the key challenges and how to address them. A flexible, full-cycle examination indicates ways to energize effective communication in both face-to-face and online interactions.

Cyberbullying

The purpose of this literature review is to describe youths' involvement in cyberbullying. The term “youths” refers to individuals in elementary school, middle school, and high school. The chapter begins by providing a description of cyberbullying and the definition of cyberbullying. The next section describes the characteristics and risk factors associated with youths' involvement in cyberbullying. The third section focuses on the psychological, social, behavioral, and academic difficulties associated with youths' involvement in cyberbullying. The chapter concludes with recommendations for schools and parents as well as recommendations for future research. The chapter draws on research utilizing quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, cross-sectional, longitudinal, and cross-sequential designs, and those from various disciplines, including psychology, communication, media studies, sociology, social work, and computer science.

The Rise of Darknet Markets in the Digital Age

The last decade saw the rapid development and growth of online markets of illegal goods, known as darknet markets or cryptomarkets. This chapter explores recent trends in the development and evolution of these markets. In particular, the chapter analyzes specific mechanisms used by participants of darknet commerce to establish trust, build reputation, provide quality assurance, minimize fraud risks, and overcome potential violations of contracts. These mechanisms include a wide variety of different tools, such as clients' ratings of purchases, comments on transactions, vendors' track records, anonymous user forums, and online chat rooms that facilitate sharing and distribution of information about marketplaces. As this chapter shows, a distinctive feature of trust building in cryptomarkets is the widespread use of third parties, such as administrators of marketplaces and operators of forums. By providing escrow services and conflict-resolution mechanisms, they serve as “centers of trust” and guarantors against fraudulent activities.

Emotional Intelligence and Empathy

The rise of emotional intelligence (EI) and the continuing growth of online interactions work together to demonstrate the importance of participatory decision making as a motivational technique. However, participation in decisions requires that the leader act in a prosocial manner, focusing on outcomes that are beneficial to more than just the leader. A prosocial attitude leads to creation of buy-in through shared value and good management of emotions, requiring skill in both EI and empathetic approaches. EI is about connecting with one's own emotions and those of others to enable effective leadership communication. Empathy is the ability to understand someone else's emotions, feel them as if they were yours, and even to take some action in support or mitigation of those feelings. The lack of feedback or agreements on shared value in online interactions are highlighted when people are forced into face-to-face interactions and are subsequently unable to find these important communication tools. This chapter offers a new approach to leadership communication.

New Communication Technology Integration

Communication is key in the public sector as governments aim to interact with and respond to their residents. Citizens often participated in government through face-to-face communication like town meetings. Today, digital communication has become increasingly important to improving government-citizen relations. The authors explore how governments are using Web 2.0 and mobile government (m-government) to spread information quickly. As governments implement these new communication tools, they must also consider ethical implications associated with technology. The research identifies the elements that lead to successful integration and the biggest barriers that government employees are facing during the transition.

Virtual Happiness

This chapter examines characteristics of information and communication technology (ICT) and face-to-face communication and their associations with subjective wellbeing among students. The participants were N=500 students who reported average time they spent in face-to-face (FtF) and ICT communications. They also reported dominant communication in two types of communication contexts (communication purpose and persons involved in communication) and estimated their happiness and life satisfaction. Students spent more time in FtF communication than in ICT. Those who spent more time in FtF communication with friends were happier and more satisfied with their lives. FtF communication was dominant when meeting new people, for personal talk, and for flirting, while ICT communication was dominant for casual and informative chat. Students most frequently communicated with close persons FtF. Students who use dominantly FtF communication for personal talk and with people from their private lives (i.e., parents, friends, partners) were happier and more satisfied with their lives.