Identity, cooperation, and community development

As an increasing number of us have personal information available about ourselves online, particularly due to self-published entries on blogs, review sites, and social networking sites such as Flickr, Facebook, and LinkedIn, we must become more aware of how this information may be used by members of both virtual and place-based communities. I have come across a number of articles in magazines and websites meant to warn users, particularly students, but also now professors of the possible consequences to their professional life by making their identity available online. The use and misuse of virtual personal information by institutions across place-based social contexts brings forth questions of identity, authenticity and privacy within online communication and computer-mediated social interaction. What are the parameters of accountability? How can an employer be sure that what they’ve discovered about a candidate is accurate? What are the ethical considerations for both the author and the viewer? Can an employer be held accountable for accessing information about an applicant which is clearly off-limits; such as age, religion, and nationality?

Online communities and virtual groups exist at least partially due to the similar interests and goals of their members. It becomes evident that online communities are maintained and developed because members have accepted a certain level of good faith and trust in each other even if this trust extends only at least far enough to allow for a member’s contribution and commitment to the group. Informal learning as discussed in the article by Schugurensky describes a type of learning that occurs “outside the curricula provided by formal and non-formal educational institutions and programs”. By this definition, online communication enabled through virtual groups and communities proves to be a constant source of informal learning about a variety of topics and capable of reaching countless users.

It has always held true that one must be aware of how he/she may be perceived for the type of communication one chooses to engage in, and who they engage with. It is also true that issues of privacy and accountability have existed long before the Internet, however, the question of privacy and identity is largely magnified via the Internet “paper trail”. Informal learning occurring online may start to take on a different form than informal learning occurring in the context of everyday interactions within schools, offices, homes, and public spaces as more of us become aware of the risks involved in sharing our views and identities online. That is not to say informal learning can’t and won’t continue to occur online. The Internet may, however, become increasingly suitable for incidental learning and socialization and become more limiting to the process of intentional, self-directed learning.

Participatory media may become increasingly used to empower marginalized communities within the realm of Community Informatics as discussed in the article by Stoecker. In this video, http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html Howard Rheingold discusses how Internet technologies can be used to enable cooperation in communities. He outlines how such technologies can enable the following six cooperation principles which are needed for successful social organization and cooperation: easy to use, enable connections, open, group forming, self-instructing, and self-interest. Since it becomes evident that cooperation can improve the lives of people and their community it is important to also inform members of participating communities of the risk inherent in online communications. I believe it is important to work with individuals and communities engaging in participatory media to develop strategies which allow them to safely navigate these risks so they may more effectively engage in informal learning, stimulate cooperation, and participate in transformation and social action towards a better community.