'... what is
often attributed to being a fear of technology per se is more correctly a fear or anxiety
associated with new technological modes of being in the world.p.51.
Mallan writes about children's on-line identities on social networking sites like MySpace and some aspects of social relationships in this virtual environment.
In this section of the article'(Friends and Community: a sense of being-with and being there' p.58) it is described that the children in the study used MySpace and others to seek out like minded friends, but also as a way to establish popularity through 'Top Friends List' and though quantification. It was noted that girls would know the exact number of friends they had and boys were more likely to give an estimate.
One student talked about how she could contact others that came from the Solomon Islands. this reinforces other articles I have read about being able to communicate with others regardless of geographical location.
'The extension or merging of real life with online life does not necessarily mean
that all online communities simply replicate or replace all the dynamics and social
functions of traditional communities. Rather, as the students’ comments reported here
suggest, the technology itself is a key player in shaping how a community can operate in
complementing offline identity formation and social activities.' p.64
Digital Culture & Education (DCE)
Publication details, including instructions for authors
http://www.digitalcultureandeducation.com/
Look at me! Look at me! Self-
representation and self-exposure through
online networks
Kerry Mallan
School of Cultural and Language Studies in Education
Queensland University of Technology
Online Publication Date: 15 May 2009
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