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Will Communities Online Be Regulated By The State In The Future
ntroduction to Online Internet has to offer. People
Communities become part of the same virtual
community not by mere coincidence
Before the advent of the of geography but because they
Internet, saying that two people share the same interests like
come from the same community issues, games, health problems,
meant that they lived in the same hobbies, etc. An online community
town. Communities had is therefore, as simply social
well-defined borders and were gatherings that, as Howard
under the sovereign rule of local Rheingold put it, “emerge when
governments. However with the people bump into each other when
coming of the Internet, a new people bump into each other often
type of community called the enough in cyberspace”.
virtual or online communities
came into being. Virtual With more and more people having
communities like traditional access to the Internet, more and
communities are composed of more people are also becoming
people but differ in that the aware of online communities and
people do not meet each other are becoming part of them. People
face to face and that there is no who join online communities come
actual physical boundary that from all walks of life and are of
defines the virtual communities’ such varied interests. There are
territory or space. People who so many online communities
are part of virtual communities, nowadays that there is almost
rather than meeting on actual surely at least one online
places like back porches and community whose purpose would
meeting halls, meet in chat meet a person’s interests or
rooms, go to bulletin boards, needs. For example, there are
join discussion groups, and other communities that exist
interactive means that the specifically for gamers,
religious groups, single people communities. Although most people
looking for partners, senior would agree that communities like
citizens, parents, techies, those dealing with child
educators, parents, children, pornography should be banned, the
hobbyists, fans, bloggers, and same people balk at the idea of
almost anything else you can having the state meddle with the
think of. The trade off of the affairs of most online
Internet’s ability to support communities. Most online
such a diverse group of communities after all are of the
communities is that there exist safe and generally wholesome kind
communities that are rather and do not tolerate illegal
questionable or down right activities. Community members do
unethical. For example, there are not see any need for state
online communities for child regulation especially since
pornographers wherein the online communities have their own
activities are of course not only self-regulating methods which
morally wrong but are illegal as are, more often than not,
well. There are also online effective in keeping order and
communities for Satanists, the control within the online
Klu Klux Klan, black marketers, community.
and all sorts of things that
exist in the real world as well. Self-regulation is often done by
having a set of guidelines or a
Self-Regulation in Online code of ethics which members and
Communities visitors of the community are
expected to follow and by
Because of the questionable assigning people who are to
activities of such online responsible for making sure that
communities, there is a need for the guidelines are followed.
regulation of existing According to a paper written by
Barzilai-Nahon and Neumann on follow the specified guidelines
called An Empirical Model of as well the unwritten code of
Self-Regulation in Virtual conduct. Managers usually
Communities, there are two kinds exercise their power to regulate
of regulators found in online by censoring inappropriate
communities – managers and messages and even by banning
enablers. Enablers are undesirable characters from
“technological facilitators and joining the group.
usually also outline a policy and
provide a general code of virtual Although much of the
behavior and norms to follow on self-regulatory process lies in
their platform, procedures and the hands of the enablers and
rules that determine much of the managers, members of the
online activity of the virtual community play a significant role
communities.” Managers on the too. Having a core of members who
other hand handle the content are committed to the community
that passes through the community certainly helps in regulating the
on a day to day basis and it is community’s activities since they
their duty to regulate the not only help in guiding new
“everyday operational behavior” members but help in enforcing
of the members and visitors. policies and norms as well.
However, enablers and managers
sometimes do come in conflict State Regulation
when managers as the voice of the
users side with them in issues Self-regulation in online
where what they want is not in communities is actually usually
line with the established very efficient and is sufficient
guidelines. Managers also do come in enforcing each community’s
in conflict with members, policies. However as efficient as
especially those that do not they are undesirables still do
sometimes get away with sake of victim but, cold-hearted
questionable if not criminal as it may seem, to preserve the
activities. Because of instances communities’ autonomy as well.
of criminal activity some people
feel that there ought to be state I do believe that self-regulation
regulation of online communities. will still work best for online
communities. Self-regulation is
Take the case of MySpace as an after all more efficient than
example. The Massachusetts state regulation in providing
Attorney General is currently ways to enforce each community’s
pressuring the company to make policies. Not only is it more
changes in its management and efficient but it is also surely
policies. Granted that there is to be more consistent with the
reason for the need other online majority of the members’ opinions
communities should take notice or beliefs, which in turn would
and take some measures themselves make the members more cooperative
before something similar happens with the regulation methods.
to them. Another scandal from any However, I acknowledge the need
online community will surely add for better guidelines for many
focus to questions about the communities. In this aspect I
communities’ ability to believe that it would be
self-regulate without state appropriate for the state to
intervention. A series of expect communities to uphold some
scandals will surely make standards as long as they are not
lawmakers take notice and most too restrictive and would affect
probably take steps towards the original intent of the
having greater control over communities. State regulation in
online communities. Occurrences the future should not go as far
of such scandalous events should as dabbling with the day to day
be prevented not only for the activities of communities but
should only go so far as to set the community’s policies.
guidelines that community
enablers ought to incorporate in
About the Author:
http://www.theinternetone.net
Read more articles by: Danny Wirken
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