Week 4
Anonymity in cyber communication is an advantage since anyone can participate without being publicly pressured to do so. It has provided a suitable and leveraged platform for all people, regardless of their personalities, including the passive and the most active to share anything and relate with anyone without disclosing their identities. Essentially, this concept gives those who would otherwise not speak in public, or do not have the courage to socialize physically, an equal environment and opportunity to freely air out their views, interact, and create lasting relationships without the need to meet face to face (Edelmann, 2016).
Cyber communication offers diverse ways for people to interact with others. Through cyber communication, individuals can share knowledge, chat, share affection, provide psychological support, create plans, gossip, develop romantic relations, argue, or even create or lose friends (Edelmann, 2016). It promotes social networking where people with similar interests easily find each other and help those with little confidence to get involved and speak out.
Different types of digital communication promote varying types of relationships. To maintain my close relationships with friends and family, I mostly use texting, calling, and videoconferencing. They help keep in touch and share confidential and private information that may not be appropriate to share publicly. On the other hand, I employ social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to maintain my weak ties. These three forms of online communication are public, and although they may allow for some privacy settings, they are not convenient for sharing personal and confidential information. Besides, they require the communicating parties always to have an internet connection to facilitate engagement.
Reference
Edelmann, N. (2016). Chapter13: What is lurking? A literature review of research on lurking. In G. Riva, B. K. Wiederhold, & P. Cipresso (Eds.), The Psychology of Social Networking: Personal Experience in Online Communities, (pp. 159-174). Warsaw/ Berlin: De Gruyter Open Ltd.