Amerikanerne har netop offentliggjort resultaterne af to store undersøgelser af, hvordan internet og e-mails påvirker vores sociale relationer til andre mennesker.
Rapporten "The Strength of Internet Ties" fremhæver, hvordan internet og e-mails supplerer vores kommunikation med venner, familie, naboer, bekendte og kolleger, geografisk fjerne som nære. Debatten har længe gået på, hvorvidt de elektroniske forbindelser har en negativ effekt på vores sociale relationer, men analyseresultaterne viser, at internet og e-mails snarere både supplerer og forstærker vores sociale netværk.
Hovedkonklusionerne er:
- The internet plays socially beneficial roles in a world moving towards “networked individualism.” Email allows people to get help from their social networks and the web lets them gather information and findsupport and information as they face important decisions.
- The internet supports social networks.
- Email is more capable than in-person or phone communication of facilitating regular contact with large networks.
- Email is a tool of “glocalization.” It connects distant friends and relatives, yet it also connects those who live nearby
- Email does not seduce people away from in-person and phone contact.
- People use the internet to put their social networks into motion when they need help with important issues in their lives.
- Internet users have somewhat larger social networks than non-users.
- About 60 million Americans say the internet has played an important or crucial role in helping them deal with at least one major life decision in the past two years.
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