Technology and contingent conditions in community formation on the Internet

Abstract

Technology has captured the attention of researchers in computer-mediated communication from early on but there is yet little attempt to assess the impact of technology on community formation on the Internet. This paper investigates the impact of technology on community formation on the Internet through studying a bulletin board created on the World Wide Web by a women’s group in Hong Kong, the Queer Sisters. Using content analysis, an online survey, interviews and observation, I found that a community substantially autonomous of the offline group was formed on the bulletin board. Explanation for the substantial autonomy of the bulletin board community is sought from the technological characteristics of the bulletin board and of the Web. However, other conditions are also found relevant for explanation. Acknowledging that medium theory allows for the existence of contingencies in the impact of media technology, this paper proposes to input contingent conditions as factors that work with technology in the formation of Internet communities.