Digital Communities

Question 1

What are Digital Communities?

Answer 1

Digital communities are:
a group of people;

with a consciousness of a kind

with shared rituals and traditions;

and with moral responsibility.

Question 2

What are the motivations of a digital community?

Answer 2

Entertainment: individuals joining 9gag.

Information and expertise: Twitter users discussing political or cultural issues;

Social interactions

Social belongingness: CCMPR Students joining and engaging on the private group

Support

Economic reward

Venting

Question 3

What are the characteristics of a successful digital community?

Answer 3

• People criteria:
  membership is a conscious choice and members feel a sense of trust; social object theory says social networks will be more effective if they activate a relationship between people and objects.

Process criteria:
the content, the themes, the moderators, the presence and personification.

Culture criteria:
a sense of affiliation is achieved through ownership of equity; the need for norms of social behaviour in online communities as well to combat flaming, doxing and trolling.

Technology criteria:
user friendly interface, easy navigation and making sure features meet the requirements and expectations of the users.