CI 2312 week 3
In Video Visitors and Residents, David White proposes to divide people who use the internet into visitors and residents. For visitors, the internet is an instrument or a tool. Visitors search for material on the internet or look for information that will satisfy their purpose. In this case, the visitor’s information does not remain in the network, nor does it allow for in-depth communication or community building with other visitors. For residents, the internet is more like a “space.” For example, people sign up for different social networking platforms and upload their photos or posts. For residents, the network can record their information and ideas and facilitate communication on this basis. In the article Visitors and Residents: A New Typology for Online Engagement (White & Le Cornu, 2011), it is also mentioned that this categorization avoids the need to categorize web users based on age and considers user behavior more rationally in terms of motivation.
Considering my identity, I think of myself as a combination of a digital native and a visitor. Due to the rapid development of technology, I have been exposed to the internet from a very young age. This situation has led to my ability to use internet proficiently to accomplish purposes. I like to draw different knowledge from the internet or search for the information I need. However, I am not a person who wants to leave a social trail on the internet. Although I have signed up for many social networking platforms, I avoid using them too much or making my personal information public.
What I find most interesting about Mesch’s article (2009) is that he mentions that the internet is both a culture and a cultural product. The internet as a cultural symbol can influence people’s daily lives, enabling them to communicate or form communities with people around the world, overcoming geographical factors. But everything that happens in people’s lives also affects e-space in the same way, enriching online culture diversity. I think it is important for young people that each person learns to use his or her virtual identity in the digital space correctly and follow the rules and order in the e-space.
