Blog 2

 These past couple of weeks we have discussed socializing online and hyperpersonal interactions in class. While listening about the two subjects I was able to relate to the two. If we go back ten years we can clearly see that the mode people would primarily communicate was face to face. We would even hear people say that idea of using online communication would end communication period. As time went on not only did online communication start booming but studies showed that online communication made a good impact on people. We saw that for some reason people began to communicate more to their own family members, friends and maybe even strangers. Today, most of our conversations are via computer media.

 Things have clearly changed since the 90's even relationships have changed. Now a days we are more likely to meet more people online and even establish a relationship with a stranger. Online we are more prone to idealizing someone or think a certain way of a person because do pictures, comments or even videos he/she has posted. We are also more prone to lie online than in person because ... well because we can. Online we are able to have control of what is said, what is seen and how we are seen. We do this because we know we all have assumptions as soon as we see other people and in this case their online profiles. For example, taking the same picture one thousand times however picking only one because it's the perfect one I myself am guilty for that. This in part is beneficial because we can take back things that we don't want to be seen for the public which is the opposite of face to face communication. In face to face communication we all know that once something is said, done or seen you can't take it back even if you apologize. For example, insulting someone that person may forgive you, however that person I'll never forget. Another benefit online communication has its the ability to communicate quicker and faster. Online communication also has it's dangers, which are online predators. By posting things online we increase the likelihood for predators to see our information and an even bigger one if we have no privacy settings set up. Sometimes we reveal more information than normal, which outs our safety on a string line.

Also, the less cues we see from someone online the more likely were less socially present, which means it's more impersonal and less warm. This leads to people being hostile because people are less focused or it can open up a world where people open up openly regardless of who they are. In a way this is a good thing because people can communicated without having to feel judged especially in relationships. This works out better in relationships because people are able to vent more quickly. However face to face things aren't as quick because people are scared to be vulnerable and open up their feelings. Online we are more likely to insult someone we don't know because we don't know them and they don't know us. Online communication is a very interesting subject to look at in these perspectives.