Week 4 Community 1,2

In comparison to social communities online communities are often praised as being more beneficial saving time and energy although ideas regarding its main purpose are often overlooked. The online communities available may in fact be a reflection of a physical lifestyle which in turn through shared interests views and time people feel they belong to an 'online family'. 'This idea overlaps with an idea of community based in ties of family, work and economic relations that may often be associated or represented through physical location.' (Lister:2003 pg 174) It can be argued that online communities in fact discourage the diversity and range of contribution the internet tends to offer as interaction between online users of different values, interests and lifestyles are broken as people fall into their own sub categories online. Although its audience is diverse the users that belong to these specific communities do share characterisitics. The net does often offer a public sphere where citizens can engage with one another to discuss and debate on specific topics which can in effect influence actions. The common perception that through the public sphere opinion can result in political action is in fact evidence of how online communities can be empowering or rather disempowering as many are led to believe in conspiracies that the public sphere is dictated by those of wealth and power as much goes unheard or ignored.