Virtual CommunicationBy: Mallory Leggett &

Lynnsey Zimmerman

Virtual Communication• Known as Computer-Mediated

Communication (CMC)• “CMC is the use of networked computer

systems to communicate by transferring, storing, and retrieving information” (Yilmaz, 2011, p. 115)

–Synchronous mode–Asynchronous mode

Positives & Negatives• As with almost anything, there are positives

and negatives to CMC• Positives

–Relationship Development/Maintenance–Online Dating

• Negatives–Cyberstalking–Cyberbullying–Sexting

POSITIVES

Relationship Development/Maintenance• Use of Facebook (Craig & Wright, 2012)

–Perceived similarity, social attraction, self-disclosure, partner interdependence, and predictability

• Xbox Live (Ledbetter & Kuznekoff, 2012)

–XBL relational maintenance behavior, offline communication frequency, and relational closeness

Relationship Development/Maintenance• Cross-Cultural Virtual Teams (Olaniran, 2004)

– Develop new team culture, ongoing interaction, expectations of future interaction and sensitivity to other cultures

• Student/Teacher Relationships (Sherblom, 2010)

– As supportive CMC relationships grow, students feel more comfortable, become more honest, and engage in more personal self disclosure

Online Dating• In 1980s and 1990s, adults seeking third-party assistance,

crafted personal ads to put in the local newspaper.• Today:

– 16 million adults in the U.S. have gone to a dating website seeking for a romantic partner

– 7 million adults have gone on a date with someone through the dating website.

• 3% of committed relationships originated in online dating services

• Another 3% begin in online chat rooms (Nationwide survey in 2006)– Do you think this is an accurate percentage? Higher or lower

now?

Online DatingVirtues to Online dating:

– Able to meet people from outside one’s geographical location and day-to-day life

– Be able to meet your ideal partner (large sea out there)– Those who are too shy, may be more confident in

CMC settings– Scientific matching sites (e.g., eHarmony)– pare

people based on compatibility– The CMC may allow people to get to know each other

on deeper levels of compatibility before meeting face-to-face

Sprecher, 2011

Online Dating• Virtues continued

– The service is always available– Finding others who are similar, even specialized,

interests– Obtain great deal of information about another person

before meeting or considering dating

– Can anybody think of any other positives to meeting your partner online?

Sprecher, 2011

Match.comOnline Dating

Online Dating• Although we focus on the positive

side of online dating there also is a dark side.– What are some of the negatives or downfalls

to online dating?– Do you think it is more dangerous for men or

women?– Do people misrepresent themselves?

Online Dating• Negatives:

– Some show concern about their safety– Concerned about having personal info on Internet

• Could lead to victimization

– Misrepresentation• Are any misrepresentations acceptable?

– Some show concern for how meaningful the relationship will be• Do you think that an online relationship can be just as successful

as a traditional relationship?

– Online Dating Gone Wrong

MATCH.COM GONE WRONG

NEGATIVES

Cyberstalking• Would anybody consider

themselves a cyberstalker?–Facebook Stalker?

• Has anybody ever had any experience with any type of stalking?

Cyberstalking• Definition

– “Cyber Stalking is very similar to traditional stalking in that an individual enters a person’s life and threatens and intimidates the person. Cyberstalking is done using electronic means such as chat rooms, e-mail, blogs, and other forms of verbal online abuse.” (Andersen & Greenbaum, 2010)

– Do you agree?

Facebook Stalking• Facebook Stalking is defined as:

– “a covert method of investigation using facebook.com. It’s good for discovering a wealth of information about people you don’t actually know” (Urban Dictionary, 2009)

– “allows the stalker to secretly gather information about the person they are interested in.”

• Less likely to have an illegal component to it because if the person didn’t want others to know about their life, they wouldn’t post it all over the Internet.

Online Harassment• Online harassment can take many forms, but

cyberstalking shares important characteristics with offline stalking– Online or off, motivated by a desire to control the victim– Majority of cyberstalkers are men and the victims are women– In many cases, the cyberstalker and the victim have had a prior

relationship• Stalking begins when the relationship has ended

– Cyberstalkers can easily locate private information about a potential victim

• Google• Pay for information

Is cyberstalking less dangerous?• Since cyberstalking does not involve physical contact, it

is misperceived as being less dangerous than physical stalking. FALSE!– Internet becomes a more integral part of out lives

every single day.• Stalkers take this ease and anonymity of the Internet to

their advantage• Making the fear more obvious and prosecution more

unlikely

Cyberstalking less dangerous Cont.

• Internet provides new avenues to pursue their victims• Just the push of a button

– Cyberstalking make be just the beginning to more serious behavior including physical violence.

• Examples:– Sending manipulative, threatening, or harrassing emails – Hacking into a victim’s settings and passwords– Creating false online accounts, impersonating the victim– Posting the victims personal information on online discussion

groups etc.– Signing the victim up for numerous online mailing lists and

services

Charged with cyberstalking

Cyberstalking Study• Author of “It’s Complicated: Romantic breakups and their aftermath

on Facebook” concluded that:– 88% of the respondents have stalked their exes through

Facebook– 70% admitted in using a mutual friends profile or logging in

as that mutual friend to see if their ex is sleeping around– 74% stalked their exes new partner (or even rumored partner)– 64% said they re-read or analyzed old messages from their ex– 52% said they were jealous of a picture their ex posted– 50% deleted pictures of their ex on their profile– 48% remain friends with their ex– 33% have posted a song lyric or quote about their ex– 31% post pictures to make their ex jealous

Lucas, 2012

FACEBOOK CYBERSTALKING

Cyberbullying• “using Internet or mobile phones to harass,

insult, or discredit other people online” (Fawzi & Goodwin, 2011, p. 2)

• “willful and repeated harm inflicted towards another. What makes cyber bullying distinct is the use of electronic communication technology as the means through which to threaten, harass, embarrass, or socially exclude” (Mishna, Saini, & Solomon, 2009, p. 1222)

• “Evidence of cyberbullying manifests through unconventional methodologies (e.g., text messaging, social Web sites), and as a result, can deteriorate an individual’s sense of self, and hinders relationships with his or her peers” (Wong-Lo & Bullock, 2011, p. 64)

• “Cyber bullying involves the use of ICT [information and communication technologies] to intimidate, harass, victimize, or bully an individual or a group of individuals” (Bhat, 2008, p. 54)

Cyberbullying• Uniquely dangerous because of the far-

reaching capabilities of Internet communications

• It is unclear whether there has actually been a measurable increase in the amount of bullying in our society, or if the advents of new technology just make it more visible or traceable

• Role of online records

150

1,409

338

200

170

102

924

The Case of Megan Meier (2006)• First federal cyberbullying case to be

brought to trial under the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

• Lori Drew (mom) creates fake MySpace profile of Josh Evans to flirt with Megan

• “Josh” tells Megan the world would be better off without her causing Megan to hang herself

CYBERBULLYABCFamily’s

Cyberbully Legislature• CFAA• As of July, 2010, five states have adopted

legislation against cyberbullying specifically, and thirty have adopted legislation prohibiting electronic harassment

• The Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act• Student Internet Safety Act• AWARE Act• SAFE Internet Act

Sexting• “refers to sending, receiving or forwarding

sexually suggestive messages or nude photos via the mobile phone” (Wei, 2011, p. 3)

• Three types (Wei, 2011, p. 2)

–Consensual sexting between two people in a romantic relationship

–Mass circulated sexting–Sexting posted on the Web

HOPE WITSELLThe story of 13-year-old

SEXTING IN SUBURBIALifetime’s

Questions?

References• Anderson, W., & Greenbaum, D. (2010). Cyberstalking (cyber bullying): Proof and

punishment. Insights to a Changing World Journal. 18-28• Bhat, C. (2008). Cyber bullying: Overview and strategies for school counsellors, guidance

officers, and all school personnel. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 18, 53-66. • Craig, E., & Wright, K. B. (2012). Computer-mediated relational development and

maintenance on Facebook. Communication Research Reports, 29, 119-129. • Cupach, W.R. & Spitzberg, B.H. (2011). The darkside of close relationships II. Routledge. New

York, NY. 119-136.• Fawzi, N. & Goodwin, B. (2011). Witnesses of the offense: What influences the behavior of

bystanders of cyberbullying?. (2011). Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-34.

• Houser, M. L., Fleuriet, C., & Estrada, D. (2012). The cyber factor: An analysis of relational maintenance through the use of computer-mediated communication. Communication Research Reports, 29, 34-43.

• Ledbetter, A. M., & Kuznekoff, J. H. (2012). More than a game: Friendship relational maintenance and attitudes toward Xbox LIVE communication. Communication Research, 39, 269-290.

• Meredith, J. P. (2010). Combating cyberbullying: Emphasizing education over criminalization. Federal Communications Law Journal, 63, 311-340.

References• Mishna, F., Saini, M., & Solomon, S. (n.d). Ongoing and online: Children and youth's

perceptions of cyber bullying. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 1222-1228. • Olaniran, B. (2004). Computer-mediated communication in cross-cultural virtual

teams. International & Intercultural Communication Annual, 27, 142-166. • Are you being stalked? (2012). Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: Empowering.• Sherblom, J. C. (2010). The computer-mediated communication (CMC) classroom: a

challenge of medium, presence, interaction, identity, and relationship. Communication Education, 59, 497-523.

• Wei, R., (2011). Third-person effects, gender, and sexting: Effects of media channels on perceived influences of sexting among adolescents" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, TBA, Boston, MA Online <PDF>. 2012-06-18 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p489191_index.html 

• Wong-Lo, M. M. (2011). Digital Aggression: Cyberworld meets school bullies. Preventing School Failure, 55(2), 64.

• Yilmaz, Y. (2011). Task effects on focus on form in synchronous computer-mediated communication. Modern Language Journal, 95, 115-132.