lorie wiki / Virtual Tribes

Virtual Tribes: What does this mean?

Virtual: occurring or existing primarily online

Tribe: a group of persons having a common character, occupation, or interest

Community: 1) people with common interests living in a particular area; 2) an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location

Virtual Community

Evolution of virtual communities

Technology has changed >> Web 1.0 (one-way communication), Web 2.0 (two-way communication)

Old model >> New model

Questions to ponder

To what extent does sharing information online connect you to others? Does it make you feel part of a community?

Does interacting in a virtual community create isolation or connection? Does true connection mean face-to-face connection?

What about belonging to a community based in a virtual world with avatars and role playing? Are these communities any better or worse than meeting with people in the real world?

What about privacy issues? How comfortable do you feel having information you put on the Web open to the public? What will happen to this information in the near future or far future? How might this impact people's lives? How might it impact their behavior online?

As I go along today, ask yourself, What do you think?