Provide the web address and the name of the community you are investigating
www.bebo.com
What is the brief or focus of this community?
Bebo is a social media network where friends share their lives and explore great entertainment.
Retrieved June 12, 2008 from http://www.bebo.com/
What services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute?
You can set up your own bebo page where you can write about yourself: your likes and dislikes, friends, music, movies, whether you are single or available - basically anything you like. You can join 'groups' of people like fan clubs or various support or interest groups (eg homosexual, Christian, marijuana growers etc etc). You download pictures, vidoes, music, etc. You can customise your page using different skins and layouts. You can make your page viewable by anyone or for friends only. You can expand your friends and meet new people by inviting new people. You can also decline invitations if you don't want that person to access your page. You can post blogs; post polls, comment on your own or other peoples blogs or polls; comment on your own or other peoples pictures and videos; leave a message on peoples message board; draw a picture on your own or someone else's whiteboard; write and receive private messages. There is a massive amount of interaction on this site!
Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on why people choose to contribute to this community. What is it they are seeking?
I think people choose to join and contribute to this community for many different reasons. Some people join to stay in contact with friends or family that are in different geographical locations. Others join to re-establish contact with people that that may have lost touch with. Some people join just to be nosey and see what old friends, aquaintances or enemies are doing with their lives. Some people join to make new friends, possibly with people who have similar interests.
I also think some people join to toy with or harrass others in a way that is not traceable to them in real life.
Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your excerpt).
This is a new bebo GROUP that caught my eye. Is is a great example of the type of pages that make up this online community.
Dont judge us yummy mummys
"Dnt Mind The Haters Mummys U Are All Amazin=)"
PIC OF THE WEEK---- AMBER&BUMP
<--------- hiya every1.. i no ders loadsa groups on ere bu tot id make anutha since der seems to be loadsa haters
so plz join up
so leave me a comment
an add the graop
thankyou
lotsa love to all u gawjus an amazing mums
__________________
Hollie&Sophie
PLEASE READ!?
+To Keep Room On Here For New Pics Any Picture Up That Doesnt Have Atleast Two Comments Will Be Deleted After A Matter Of Time
+Please Done Take Offence It Is Nutin Personal Its The Way It Works
Dont judge us yummy mummys says:
"Sum Fukn Prick Hacked Ma Bnd
" (2 days ago) me too!
Considering material presented during the course and make comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability.
There are many ethical issues with this online community. You can pretend to be somebody else and write hurtful and defamatory comments on other peoples bebo pages. Even if you aren't concealing your identity, some people will openly harrass and bully some members. You are able to report abuse, but it is not clear to me what the outcome or follow-up procedure would be. I have personally seen this harassment on peoples pages (including highly offensive language) and there is nothing done about it, so it seems there is no accountability.
Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on the benefits this community holds over traditional notions of community e.g. communities reliant on geographic proximity
For me personally and for many others I'm sure, it has the benefit of being about to keep in contact with friends and family who are in different parts of the country or world. It is very interactive so it feels a lot more personal then just writing your friend a letter or email, and is cheaper then calling France on the telephone. For example my friend recently had a baby in Whangarei, and I am able to view her baby pics on bebo and make comments about each individual picture, and see what our other friends comments have been. Another example is a different friend travelling around Europe last year, and I was able to see what she was up to by checking out her pictures and blog postings, and by writing and reading her messages.
Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can.
Well it seems to me that there is a distinct lack of policing or monitoring of the content of some of these pages. Many users of Bebo are children under 18 years of age, and there are huge amounts of reference to drugs, alcohol, sex, criminal activity, and so on. The swearing alone is atrocious. I think in a tradional community there would be adults around to monitor what these kids are talking about and to tell them when they are stepping over the line. There are also police in real life who can stop harassment and lewd behaviour and protect people from those who seek to unfairly ruin peoples reputations.
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