Online Communities provide a new way to support social networks. Groups of individuals are carrying on conversations, planning events, debating philosophies, comparing research, and interacting more often because of the resources offered through the Internet. Online communities have emerged as a powerful way to connect individuals across barriers. Social networks have been declining since at least 1970 as people move farther from the urban center and join fewer civic organizations. Online communities have emerged as a way to reconnect people and get the engines of society moving again.
The first virtual communities such as PLATO and the WELL were created as tools for actual communities. They were used as a means for the group to reach a particular goal. For PLATO this was education and computer programming, for the WELL it was Grateful Dead music. Some of today’s communities have evolved far beyond this purpose and have become and end in themselves. Social communities help people keep in touch with friends and share information, they also enable them to meet friends and form relationships. The first type of community is like going to a meeting and the other is like going to a party. Yet despite this range of uses, online communities share some common characteristics, not merely in structure but also in the impacts they have on users and groups. Online communities appeal to users for diverse reasons, but they also hold some very real benefits for groups that use them. Western New York and The Peace Center could gain a lot by starting an online community of its own.
There are countless online communities in existence, some are purely social such as MySpace which calls itself “a place for friends”. Others like the ones used by MoveOn and the Guerrilla News Network are used as organizing and brainstorming tools. MoveOn uses the forum as a way to get feedback from users. The directors of MoveOn pay close attention to the conversations and take note of ideas that gain wide support. People talk about social and political issues that are important to them, but they also discuss strategies for addressing those issues and achieving positive change. Through using the forum MoveOn has an open line of communication with its members. This communication helps the group to set priorities and produce innovative ideas.
From the MoveOn example we can begin to see the potential benefits of forming an online community in connection with the WNY Peace Center. Instead of just having 4 large open meetings per year, the center could host a permanent meeting online. This would enable members to be in constant contact with each other and with the Peace Center leadership. Increasing communication throughout the Peace Center has many obvious benefits, and online communities are an easy way to achieve that goal.
Currently the peace center uses face-to-face meetings, organized events and executive e-mails for communication. An online message board would open another line of interaction. Unlike e-mail, group members and administrators would have equal access, and as opposed to meetings and events the message board is permanent and it requires much less time and effort to organize. Message boards operate much like a conversation except they span days rather than hours. Currently conversations within the Peace Center are only happening at meetings and social gatherings.
Participants in the message board could take part more frequently and in greater numbers than at other types of meetings. Barriers to access such as transportation, availability and time are lowered so much that members can participate multiple times per day. Although not everyone has easy access to the Internet, members would still learn of the most interesting online topics through their friends. If exciting information is shared online those who read it will pass it on to others whether through e-mail or in normal conversation.
Attending a meeting involves psychological barriers as well as physical ones. People may not feel familiar enough with the group to be comfortable in the close-knit atmosphere of a meeting. Their discomfort would be lessened if they were already involved in the group through the message board. Among those who attend meetings, some are likely to dominate the conversation, while others are silent. Members who are uncomfortable speaking in front of a group would be able to make their opinions known through the message board.
When members are able to participate regularly they feel more like a part of the group. The Peace Center hosts and supports frequent events around the community, but the benefits of events are different than those of conversations and meetings. Dialogue is key to fostering a sense of community. The bonds between participants in a meeting are typically much stronger than those between members of an audience. It is this growing sense of community, which is the chief benefit of a message board.
Message board users are communicating through the computer, but despite this fact they quickly become familiar with the community and its members. Participants in the message board check back often to see if anyone has responded to their comments, and through these regular visits they become familiar with the other members. One may not be able to put a face with what is written on the screen but through their comments we learn a lot about their personality. Online relationships develop and users begin to feel like they belong.
The online community I envision would not only serve the WNY Peace Center, it would serve area activists of all kinds. The membership would not be limited to dues paying members of the Peace Center it would be free for all people to join. It would be targeted toward progressive people and groups in the area. The message board would act as an information clearing house where people could be notified of upcoming events and talk about them afterward. It would also be a place where issues are discussed and where strategies and groups are formed. The Peace Center would create an online activist space where all groups and individuals could be connected. Throughout its history the Peace Center has been the area facilitator for all types of progressive action. The internet has opened up new ways of networking and organizing to advocate for change, starting a message board for area activists would be a positive step in this direction.
Kimball and Rheingold outline a number of good points in their piece “How Online Communities Benefit Organizations”. One of which is that they allow knowledge to spread quickly and reach those who can use it most effectively. In their words “Search engines find facts. People provide solutions to problems. Networks of people can solve problems for each other. Online networks accelerate and globalize the process. Each person in a network knows more than anybody else in the network about at least one special interest and can provide useful knowledge when questions arise concerning their area of expertise.” Imagine all the members of the Peace Center constantly sharing the most interesting information they find, and being available to other members who might require some outside experience.
They also enable people to connect across various boundaries. The most obvious and substantial boundary is distance. People do not need to be in the same place to meet with each other in an online community. It is difficult to choose a central meeting place for WNY Peace Center members because they are geographically dispersed. Some may have to drive an hour to reach the Buffalo Convention Center or the Peace Center office on Bailey Ave. While others do not own a car and the time it takes to travel by bus may hold them back.
Another boundary is language, English is not the first language for some members and it might be easier for them to write out their thoughts than it is to speak in a group setting. They can communicate more clearly in writing and others would better understand their thoughts when they are not distorted by an accent. Prejudice is also avoided. For example an older member may not be as inclined to listen to a younger member of the group, and they could miss some insightful ideas because of it. An online community allows ideas to be judged on merit without the confusion of prejudice.
Online communities also provide context for the information that is being discussed. Unlike sending out a notice or another type of mailing those sending the information can get feedback and questions from the recipients. Because of this, information is more clearly understood. Also the people involved are more aware of their audience and can tailor the messages to communicate better in the future.
Additionally the various members will become familiar with each others needs. They realize what others in the group need to know and send that information to them quickly. The deeper the relationship between two people the more likely they are to share information. If one comes across a resource that someone else in their social network can use they will be inclined to share it, in online communities it is easy to get that information to the people who can use it.
Online communities create a shared social space. This can be compared to a park, a campus center, lunchroom, or a coffee shop. It’s a place where bonds between members are formed, and the identity of the group takes shape. Without these types of spaces people are often less comfortable than they could have been, because they don’t know the other people in the group. People are inclined to go to people they know for answers to questions. The better the social network the quicker and more likely you are to find answers.
Unlike face-to-face conversations the ones online are saved, this eliminates the need to rely solely on memory and notes for reference. Written communication stored online is easy to reference and navigate. This means that people are more connected to information they might need. Instead of straining to remember someone’s name it can be located in the exact same space where you first learned of it.
Through incorporating members of the group in its operation and its decision making process generates enthusiasm about the decisions. Top down choices made by a small group of leaders and sent out to the rest of the organization are not embraced in the same way that member created decisions are. Top down decisions have to be sold to the larger group in order to convince them that this is the correct course of action. We obviously achieve more innovative conclusions when working with a large group of people rather than a small one but expanding involvement also expands support. This type of decision making is easy to accomplish through online communities. Everyone in the group can take part in the decision making process and observe the evolution of the conversation.
There are some local online communities in existence that can help guide the peace center in forming their own. Two of the most popular are the SpeakupWNY.com message board and the BfloIssue Alerts e-mail group hosted by Yahoo groups. There are various types of online communities such as e-mail groups, chat rooms, newsgroups, weblogs, and message boards.
The benefits of e-mail communities include the fact that it is a “push” technology, meaning that you don’t have to remember to check for messages, instead they come to your mailbox. It is also inexpensive for people with high access costs such as paying by the minute because messages can be read and composed offline. You can also reach almost anyone who is online because one of the most common online tools is e-mail. However the downfalls of e-mail are substantial. An active group is encouraging but it can produce an overwhelming number of messages. Many people will abandon a group when it becomes too much to keep up with. This is a problem because activity is exactly what we are seeking in an online community. How can we have a successful community if we are forced to keep the number of messages to a minimum? Also conversations are not always archived as they are in most message boards. Messages are chronological rather than being organized by topic. Advertisers or “spammers” can send inappropriate or annoying messages to the list (Boettcher, 99).
Newsgroups are similar to e-mail except you need a newsgroup reader in order to use one, these sometimes come included in your web browser. You download the headlines from the newsgroup and decide which messages you would like to read. There are some important differences between newsgroups and e-mail. Newsgroups are not a “push” technology, you have to remember to check for new posts. And only the titles are downloaded at first, each message is downloaded separately if you want to read them.
Chat s a method of live communication. Users are online at the same time typing messages to each other that appear on the screen and are read by other members instantly. This is typically a more casual online tool. Chat works well when you are talking to geographically dispersed people who are trying to make a decision together. It enables users to have a real time discussion much like a conference call. On the other hand everyone has to be available at the same time. And people who are inexperienced with chatting may have trouble typing fast enough to keep up with the pace.
Blogs or Weblogs can also constitute an online community as well. E:strip.com is based around Buffalo’s Elmwood strip and is a good example of how this might work for the Peace Center. Blogs enable users to create a highly personalized online space. It is as if each user is hosting their own online community by starting topics and then responding to people who comment on their posts. Blogs are typically very customizable, users can include their favorite links, likes and dislikes, pictures, and even change the look of the page to fit their personality. People usually feel very connected to their blog because it is their own online space. Downfalls of this type of community include the fact that it is a top down community, the user controls what topics are discussed because they are the only ones who can begin a topic. This top-heavy structure inhibits conversation. Blogs are also divided by user not topic, so it can be difficult to find an interesting subject for a visitor to comment on.
The last type of community I will discuss is the Message Board. This type of community is diverse, there are different features that can be used and different ways of structuring the conversation and the way users navigate through the site. Message boards can be threaded, linear and mixed. Linear means that messages appear in the order that they were posted, threaded message boards keep your post with the message that you are replying to. The SUNY Fredonia Campus Greens website is a good example of a message board that uses only the threaded model.
Advantages of message boards include the fact that people don’t have to be online at the same time. Conversations can span days or weeks and remain online even after the activity has stopped. It supports talkative groups, without becoming difficult for users to manage because they can check the discussion as often or as little as they want. Lengthy and in-depth conversations are quite possible in this type of medium. And users have equal access. The downfalls are that it is not a “push” technology so users must remember to check it, although many programs are able to send e-mail updates to users when there is a new post. Also the conversations do not happen in real time, this may make it difficult to finalize a decision with all users present.
The purpose of the community should determine its type and structure. For the Peace Center this purpose is to achieve progressive change both locally and globally. The Peace Center works together with various groups on a great number of progressive issues. But the chief goal of the center is to take action and achieve change, all of its other roles serve to support this objective. As we consider what type of community would be most appropriate for the Peace Center we should keep its goals in mind. We have already discussed the many benefits that online communities provide for groups, now we move on to decide on a particular community and its structure.
The BfloIssue Alerts e-mail group involves many of the same goals and people that would participate in the Peace Center Community. Topics include preservation, community development, urban planning, local and national political topics, the anti-war movement, and other progressive issues. This group is an e-mail community, and to their credit it is quite active with users posting between 5 and 30 messages per day. Unfortunately that activity leads to a high number of e-mails with unspecific titles like “re: outer harbor”, these can become overwhelming and difficult to manage. Also the messages are not divided by topic, they simply appear in your mailbox chronologically. This means that old conversations are mixed with new announcements and etc. Users do have the option of having the messages delivered in a digest form, meaning that you will have only one e-mail with all of the day’s messages. But it is difficult to participate when using this format because you are a day behind the conversation.
Chat rooms are useful but clearly they would not serve well as the main feature of the Peace Center Community. Chat can be used through free software such as AOL Instant Massager if the format is needed. Newsgroups are very passive and difficult to get started because the software is confusing and foreign to many. Blogs provide a personal space for users on the web and are very valuable ways for users to get to know one another, but they would also not be a good focal point for this community. Message boards are the most conducive format for in depth conversation, and are good ways for members to meet and get acquainted with each other.
The SpeakupWNY.com message board is a great example of a locally based online political community such as the one I’m advocating for the Peace Center. The message board is truly a community. Many of the older members have developed relationships even though they may have never met face to face. And when they read certain articles in the newspaper they automatically think of the online community and the people who would be interested. Important developments are plucked from all types of news sources and posted on the discussion board by the hundreds of members involved. People become aware of the various interests and knowledge areas of other members and direct questions to those who can help. The members possess a wealth of information that they are willing to share with one another at length. Issues are brought to the group’s attention and then discussed, with different members adding some of their opinions and knowledge to the conversation. Concerned members of the community publicize little known events and government meetings, later the results of the meetings are reported and discussed by those who attended and those who did not. This community has become a shared social space for many.
The Peace Center Community would differ in some important ways from the previous examples. E-mail would be a supporting tool not the central feature. Administrators can help conduct the group through individual and mass e-mails. Newsletters could be sent out to remind people about the community and give them an update on what has been happening there. Many message boards also have an “e-mail update” feature that gives members the option of being notified when someone replies to their post. It can also be used to send messages to peoples e-mail if they have high access costs. Hosts may also use e-mail to communicate with members in order to encourage conversation or calm heated discussions. The e-mail list would not be public, nor would it be made available to members. This would avoid creating a hassle for members by sending them excess e-mails and advertisers would not be able to hijack the list for their own purposes. The e-mail list should continue to be used as it is now, a way to communicate important announcements to members.
The message board would be the main focus, but unlike SpeakupWNY.com the Peace Center Community would be targeted toward progressives. The Peace Center is a group with an agenda, and the online community would serve to advance that agenda, unlike SpeakupWNY.com which is simply an alternative news website. Having a progressive membership would eliminate the need to prove that for example, the Iraq War is wrong every time that a solution is proposed. This does not mean that republicans would not be granted membership, it means that the website would be designed in a way that makes it clear that this is a progressive community. Some conservatives may come and cause trouble but they would be marginalized by members and if they became belligerent their account could be terminated and their e-mail address banned.
Membership can be managed in a variety of ways. The community may require a visitor to register a new account before being able to post a message, or it may allow “guests” to participate without making their information known. Systems that ask for registration may let you post automatically, many will require you to verify your e-mail address, and some require people to wait until their account is manually approved by an administrator. Some registration systems also have waiting periods for certain privileges. For example you may not be able to post a new message for a period of time, limiting you to reading and replying to existing threads as is the case on MySpace.
I recommend that we require members to register but do not limit their privileges based on how long they have been registered. The community should follow a policy of reactive moderation (Eyquem 2003) where members alert administrators to disturbances, rather than spending energy filtering new mwmbers. Requiring registration ensures that people are serious about becoming a part of the discussion. Also if they are enrolled they can’t just post anonymous belligerent or inappropriate messages and then disappear. They will have to give out some of their personal information including a verified e-mail address which ensures that problematic members cannot re-register easily if their account is terminated. Registration also leads to the creation of personal profiles.
The online community will revolve around the message board, however I believe that personal webspace and customizable profiles are very important in fostering a sense of community. Members should be able to show some of their personality through their profile. It should also be a personal webspace where the member can publicize things that they think are important. They could announce their favorite websites, talk about groups that they are involved in, post letters they have written to government officials or essays and poetry that they compose. Members will use the space in different ways but it will be a place for them to express themselves as much or as little as they wish.
Member profiles would be very versatile and customizable spaces. They would be able to upload a small number of images, one of which will be used as an icon to represent them throughout the site. For example the icon would be included next to posts on the message board, this would permit increased familiarity between users. There should also be a space for them to post messages, much like a weblog allowing other users to give feedback. This space would be used for essays, poetry and other written pieces. A column for their favorite websites would also be included. In addition they would be able to format the colors of their profile in order to make it better represent their personality. The last feature, which is standard on a lot of message boards, is a questionnaire type form that lists things such as interests, gender, age, location, favorite music and etc. All of the profile features would be optional. The profile would not overstep boundaries of privacy by publicizing your full name, address or other things of that nature. Though personal information would be required for registration most of this would only be available to the administrator.
The message board and profile are the key features of this online community, but some smaller elements will be needed as well. There should be a way to send personal messages to other users through the website. Sometimes users will wish to contact one another privately, this channel of communication is most secure when it is done through the website. However members should also have to option of including their e-mail address, Instant Messaging name, and personal website address as other ways to communicate. Not every question needs to be asked on the message board, some people will know exactly which user has the answer and should be able to ask them directly. User accounts could also include a personal contact list that helps users remember particular members of the community.
The message board should have a simple layout that is easy to understand and navigate. Users with and without message board experience should have no trouble becoming acquainted with the community. I often have trouble finding my way around and discovering active and interesting topics when a message board is divided into topic areas. SpeakupWNY.com uses this type of division effectively due to their broad purpose. Threads are divided along political and town boundaries, this works well for them but it would produce great confusion for the Peace Center Community. My rule of thumb for communities that do not cover a broad and segmented subject matter like SpeakupWNY.com is that if you have under 100 messages per day don’t even think about dividing the conversation.
It is dangerous to split people into so many different areas. Imagine hosting a party with 50 people, picture them milling around a large hall observing the community and talking in groups. It is easy for them to join a different conversation because they can see everyone, they overhear laughter and parts of conversations. They can see which groups are enjoying themselves and feel comfortable roaming about. Put that same crowd in 5 different rooms, and people will move around very little. They will become comfortable in their room and rarely see what is going on elsewhere. If conversation begins to die down they might think that the entire party is getting quieter when in reality it is just that area. Many people would go home before peeking into another room. A message board is a community and it works in a similar way. I recently witnessed a talkative group fizzle out when it tried to switch from a chaotic and unmanageable e-mail list to a fragmented message board. As an active BuffaloWaterfront.com member, once I signed up with the message board I had trouble finding the conversations, people where there talking but it was hard to find them, and the community suffered because of it.
The Peace Center Community should be laid out simply. The home page should list all the conversations, and organize them by activity so that the conversation with the most recent post is at the top. When you click on the heading for the conversation you will be brought to a page where the messages are displayed linearly, in chronological order, as people actually talk. This is the easiest format to use because it is most similar to conversations as they actually happen. The difference is that these conversations stay more or less on topic because if someone has an off topic idea they don’t have to interrupt, they can simply start a new thread.
An often neglected aspect of online communities is that they need a host, not just an administrative authority. They need people working within the community to keep the conversation moving. Hosts should do things such as encourage conversation by asking leading questions, and avoid problems by ignoring inflammatory remarks and keeping the group on topic. A group needs a good number of hosts especially in the beginning when it is trying to get the ball rolling. Hosts in this community would be members who acted just like a part of the group, but who had agreed to check the site often and help start interesting conversations and keep them going. There should be a minimum of three hosts who are familiar with online communities and their characteristics, and are able to help create an active and comfortable atmosphere.
The Peace Center can create an online social space for WNY activists. The benefits of doing so are overwhelming. Activists will be constantly linked to one another, sharing events, ideas, and their passion for making this world a better place. This can only add momentum to the political concern that has developed locally and around the world. For newcomers not yet involved in politics, the door will always be open for them to hear an alternative perspective, add to the discussion, feel like a part of the action, and realize how much is going on in our communities. WNY activists are doing amazing things, and an active online community will help get people and energy behind them.
Boettcher, Sue,
What types of virtual communities can I build and what tools are available? May 26, 1999,
linkEyquem,
Michel De Montaigne, On Four Types of Moderation, October 13, 2003,
linkKimball, Lisa and Rheingold,
Howard How Online Social Networks Benefit Organizations, 2000,
linkRheingold, Howard,
The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier, 1993, HarperPerennial
