rough draft

Since the 1980s, the AIDS epidemic has become an enormous threat facing the global community. Worldwide, individuals suffer from the disease, and there is still no cure despite extensive research. Often, AIDS can be quite alienating, as people who are uneducated about the disease become afraid that any sort of contact might pass the disease on to them. With such widespread fear, support groups have become an essential part of coping with HIV/AIDS. One very popular type of group is an online support group, or a blog. There are numerous online communities that connect AIDS victims everywhere, providing them with a means of sharing medical advice and also stories for moral support. Many believe that these blogs are most useful because they connect people who are far separated by distance to enable them to share medical secrets. However, a very instrumental part of these sites is that they connect people who are suffering from the same issues. With these blogs and sites, sick individuals can form friendships with people in the same situation as them. For many, revealing that they had AIDS is a difficult choice. However, in a community existing entirely of peers and in an essentially anonymous setting, the interaction among AIDS victims has become much easier, creating an excellent system of support for the victims.
One of the results of having such a well-defined and tight-knit group of individuals is that the users can create their own rules by which they interact, which includes their own sort of language. One of the most common terms used frequently in blogs for AIDS victims is the word “poz,” referring to an individual who is HIV positive. In a community of people with shared experiences, there is little confusion about what one user is saying to another, and thus people can create their own dialect. In fact, some of the most popular sites for people with AIDS are called “POZ Blogs,” which catalog different blog entries by HIV positive people. The members of this online community have developed their own way of communicating that, to the outsider, may not look familiar. However, having this common understanding of the words they use connects users more, and creates a bond to share, and a common understanding. This specific language is one of the benefits that comes along with the community of AIDS victims in an online environment of support.
Occasionally, the weblogs are used as a means to reach a different audience than the other bloggers who are HIV positive. Some “poz” bloggers use the Internet as a means to access a new audience, one that may be more uninformed. This behavior increases the Internet’s role as a source of knowledge for all. The blogger named Shannon, from Michigan, has a blog entitled “HIV AIDS,” a common and vague enough title that carries little implicit meaning. The length of the blog only runs for one month, and yet every entry is some sort of information entry. The blog starts with entries stating things like “AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,” and proceeds to define the term. Pictures follow, showing someone bleeding and explaining that bodily fluids spread the disease. The blog continues like this, informing its readers about the dangers of AIDS, showing photos that seem to be more for shock value than anything else. Clearly, this blog is aimed at individuals who are not as aware or informed about the threats and dangers of AIDS. There is little information that is personal- instead it all appears to be a scare tactic, not aimed at a “poz” individual.
The nature of the Internet, however, means that people cannot choose their readership. The predominant number of AIDS bloggers use the Internet as a way to connect with those sharing their experience as HIV positive individuals. Many write about their day to day activities, the challenges they encounter that apply specifically to their condition, and so on. On an aggregate of different “poz” users, a blog simply titled HIV/AIDS, one user posted a poem discussing the nature of using the Internet to connect with other “poz” people. “We chat with each other, we type all our woes/Small groups we do form, and gang up on our foes.” For these users, Internet blogs are a source of comfort in that users need not be afraid of divulging deep secrets. There is also a sense of comfort in the fact that the bloggers form a community. People back each other up in encounters with anyone who may be a “foe.” For all those who have previously offended a blogger in this circle, there is now a whole community of people who are ready to stand behind the victim now.
So why are these users so trustworthy of someone they cannot see? With something as alienating as HIV/AIDS, there is a limited amount of support available in traditional communities. There is a great amount of stigma associated with the victims of the disease, and so not only does the internet provide the “poz” community with a way to defy geographical limitations, but also it also creates a situation in which it is easier to divulge secrets and emotions that may otherwise be embarrassing. As the same poet from the HIV/AIDS blog says,
Why is it on screen, we can be so bold
Telling our secrets, that have never been told.
Why is it we share, the thoughts in our mind
With those we can’t see, as though we were blind.
The answer is simple, it is as clear as a bell.
We all have our problems, and need someone to tell.
We can’t tell real people, but tell someone we must
So we turn to the ’puter, and to those we can trust.
There is a sense of trust in the other users of these blogs that “poz” people may not be familiar with. The anonymity social networks provide emboldens users, creating a sense of security and confidence in the sharing secrets that have been kept so quiet before. These blogs, based on a common bond among users, create trust in the users. Despite the fact that there is no face-to-face interaction, there is a great sense of community and togetherness.
This togetherness is an essential part of the web as a means of communication. In David Weinberger’s book Small Pieces Loosely Joined: A Unified Theory of the Web, he devotes an entire chapter to noting the importance of the unifying qualities of the Internet. The web is a unique way of communicating because groups “are often more purely interest-based” (Weinberger 109). Because of this, it is much easier for users to find groups that specifically relate to them and their interests. AIDS victims do not have to turn to other medical support groups to find people they can talk to. Instead, there is a vast amount of communication available online between other HIV positive individuals.
Weinberger also argues that the togetherness the web affords is a completely unique brand, because individuals can be together and yet still maintain their own identities. Users take on personas; they develop usernames and friends, all of which are relatively independent of their true selves in the physical world. According to Weinberger, “the Web consists of a mass that refuses to lose its individual face” (115). With the web, it is possible for people to be part of something larger than themselves without losing their identities. It is possible to be a part of a group while still having individual qualities and characteristics. This creates an attraction to the Internet, for “not only do we live in a shared world, but we like it that way” (Weinberger 120). Support groups, including those for people with AIDS, provide a way for individuals with common experiences to be together without various constraints, such as geography, or even the fear of face-to-face interaction.
These Internet blogs clearly create a system of support upon which users can depend to find peers who share common experiences. However, blogs also help to create a greater sense of understanding and knowledge among participants and whatever audience they may have. One way blogs serve as educational tools is that they can help to disband myths about the disease that have become common and dominant in the eyes of the public. The best example of this is the idea that AIDS is a gay disease. There is the popular conception that AIDS is a disease for gay men, in particular, the many blogs contradict this statement. While there are “poz” bloggers who are gay, there are also many bloggers who are straight. Blogs provide their audience with information and experiences that contradict information that has become thought to be common knowledge. By reading these blogs by people with AIDS, individuals get a fuller picture of the issue and see the larger spectrum of the people who are affected by the disease.

unit 3 paper intro

Unit 3 Paper Intro
HIV/AIDS has become an extremely widespread epidemic across the globe. No matter the location, throughout the world there are individuals contracting, suffering, or dying from the disease daily. Often, too, AIDS can be quite alienating, as people who are uneducated about the disease become afraid that any sort of contact might pass the disease on to them. With such widespread fear, support groups have become an essential part of coping with HIV/AIDS. One very popular type of group is an online support group, or a blog. There are numerous online communities that connect AIDS victims everywhere, providing them with a means of sharing medical advice and also stories for moral support. Many believe that these blogs are most useful because they connect people who are far separated by distance to enable them to share medical secrets. However, a very instrumental part of these sites is that they connect people who are suffering from the same issues. With these blogs and sites, sick individuals can form friendships with people in the same situation as them. For many, revealing that they had AIDS is a difficult choice. However, in a community existing entirely of peers and in an essentially anonymous setting, the interaction among AIDS victims has become much easier, creating an excellent system of support for the victims.

Rothenberg Response

In Rothenberg’s article “How the Web Destroys the Quality of Students’ Research Papers,” Rothenberg discusses how the emergence of the web has affected his students. The article is clearly dated, as the author is frequently mentions how the use of the Internet in term papers is changing and emerging. Rothenberg clearly dislikes the use of the Internet for research papers because he does not trust it as a reliable source. The problem, however, is that Rothenberg underestimates the ways in which people can use the Internet to narrow down a search and eliminate the problems that emerge with the web. The Internet can be a valuable resource because so many sources are readily available online. If one utilizes the Internet properly and understands how to properly search through the web, it can produce many sources that may not be discovered in a library. Rothenberg’s article demonstrates a simple lack of understanding about how to properly use the Internet, and underestimates the validity of the web because of this misunderstanding.

unit 2 paper

Interacting with the Unknown: Social Networking and Anonymity

As the Internet has become a more popular in recent years, new uses of the technology have sprung up. The Web is a valuable resource for people looking for information, or to communicate. Another prevalent use that has surged in recent years is the social networking site. Social networking is becoming an increasingly more popular way for individuals to meet others. With sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and even the numerous dating sites, like eHarmony, people around the world are connecting in ways that are unprecedented. There are, of course, risks that come with the rise of such sites. Most of these problems stem from the fact that the user can essentially choose how they want to present themselves and, to an extent, who they want to be. Using social networking sites allows the user to have a higher degree on anonymity. For some, this anonymity is why social networking sites is an attractive option when compared to face-to-face interaction, but for others, it allows for risky and even dangerous behavior.
For many, the fact that the Internet allows for such anonymity is one of the best features of the technology. A new phenomenon has emerged in the role-playing game, abbreviated as RPG, in which users can log onto accounts from their computers and, under an alias, interact with other users. One of the most popular RPGs currently is World of Warcraft, which connects users all around the world and allows them to literally speak to each other about their actions in the game. Users create characters through which they can interact with others. By using the context and setting of the game, “they provide something for other players to talk about” (Schiesel). Though World of Warcraft is a game that connects users, the fact that individuals are usually not personally familiar may impede conversation. So, by providing users with something to talk about that they share, RPGs create common ground upon which it is much easier for individuals to interact. In the case of role-playing games, the anonymity is overcome by the common experience all users have in their knowledge and participation in the game they are playing.
The anonymity of social networks has also proved to be a benefit for those who may suffering from illness, and are using the sites as a way to connect with others who are as well. In many cases, disease and illness can be sensitive subjects for the victims, and so social networks provide a medium on which they can get the information they need without having to expose themselves. “Say you’re battling an illness…and you don’t exactly want to share it with the world…you might well want to talk it through with other people in a similar boat. The Experience Project lets you find these people, and share stories” (Needleman). The Experience Project is just one example of the numerous social networking sites that allow for users to anonymously log on and contact each other. In this way, individuals who may not be comfortable divulging their secrets, or their illness, to anyone in person can instantly connect with another user who shares their experiences. Anonymity, then, creates something of a supportive environment in which people can connect and create bonds without the embarrassment or fear that sometimes accompanies face-to-face interaction. Though there are clear benefits to using a completely anonymous social network, there are also great risks that come along with the sites.
One of the dangers of the anonymity that comes with using a social networking site is that dishonesty is allowed to run rampant. On dating sites, for example, there is nothing preventing a user from completely lying about their identity. One of the problems with such sites is the lack of trust. In the New York Times article “Online Dating Sheds Its Stigma as Losers.com,” many users confess to lying about certain physical traits in order to attract a user of the opposite sex. It has become, however, a seemingly accepted aspect of the online dating phenomenon. Users say they have learned to take the information and descriptions they receive with a grain of salt. However, for some, “after enough of such encounters, many online daters burn out” (Harmon). Though the lies are an issue, they are not as big of a problem as many of the other comforts anonymity affords. In other cases, deception proves to be worse than a simple inconvenience. Sometimes, such behavior can be dangerous.
One recent trend that has come along with social networking is the fact that predators appear to be using these sites to attempt to attract underage users. Apparently, “a wave of news reports [suggests] that predators monitor chat rooms and Web sites like MySpace.com for potential victims” (Bahney). There is no real enforcement for users of these social networking sites. Individuals can create different information, and establish new identities, simply for the sake of the site. This means that any user can claim to be anyone they choose. On these sites, individuals can claim to be anything they want, essentially creating a new identity for themselves with each new user name. One of the biggest fears that has begun to emerge is the fact that sex offenders could be using social networks to target new victims. The threat is that “convicted sex offenders could easily use a computer at an Internet cafe to create an anonymous e-mail account and use it to register on a social networking site” (Hunt). Even individuals like sex offenders, who are registered and watched extremely closely by the government, are capable of using social networking sites to their advantage. However, the government is fighting back against these threats by becoming anonymous users themselves, with concealed identities that will help them catch predators.
The most common way the authorities go about attempting to catch and detain these online predators is by creating circumstances that would lure the users into a police trap. Just as the individuals who want to use the social networking sites to find potential victims, individuals looking to prevent this behavior can also use anonymity to their advantage. On the popular Dateline NBC show called, “To Catch a Predator,” “members of a nonprofit group…pose as young boys and girls in online chats to lure unsuspecting creeps to a house rigged with cameras” (Zeller Jr.). Whereas the anonymous nature of social networking presents a threat to those who may not be taking proper precautions against online predators, it also presents others with the chance to stop such behavior. Currently, Congress is hoping to reduce the frequency of Internet predators to a higher degree by passing a bill that requires sex offenders to register their email addresses. In addition, under the bill, web users who lie about their age in attempts to meet minors may face “up to 20 years in prison” (Hunt).
Though shows like “To Catch a Predator” are helping to make the public more aware of the dangers that come with social networks, they are also creating a greater sense of paranoia around the community. More often than not, parents feel threatened and worried by the prospect of their child using the Internet to interact with others. However, for children who have grown up in the age of technology, the necessary precautions may seem second nature. “If kids follow their instincts and the same common sense they'd use walking to school or going to the mall, it is remarkably safe” (Zeller Jr.). Some even go as far as to call the Dateline show, “a complete and utter tipping point” (Bahney). Whether or not the hype and fear about the threat of anonymous interaction online is legitimate, a great amount of concern has arisen due to the simple fact that the users are essentially faceless.
Whether social networking is truly a threat to users, and, especially, unwitting minors, the fact remains that the interaction is, to whatever degree the user chooses, anonymous. The use of the word “site”, then, in describing these social networks would appear to be inappropriate. A “site” implies that something is physically present; it implies a location or position. Similarly, the use of the word “surf” to describe the process of using the Web implies that there is some sort of physical movement. So in what ways are social networks “sites”? The word has become an extremely common one as the Internet has become more and more popular. People commonly refer to websites they spend time reviewing. However, “site” is not a word that appropriately describes the true nature of these anonymous networks and interactions. Suggesting a physical location entails that there is some sort of interaction that is more than just words being exchanged. “Site” implies face-to-face, material contact. Perhaps the word is used, then, to legitimize the use of social networks. By providing them with a false sense of substance, users have created another kind of world in which they can interact.
The fact that Internet use has sprung up so quickly has left many individuals, parents and users, unprepared for the ramifications and possible dangers that are associated with social networking. Until there is some sort of enforcement for individuals to be completely truthful and honest, social networking will not be one of the best and means of communications. Because the medium has gained so many users so quickly, there has not been enough time for the creators of such sites to perfect them and make them perfectly secure. Anonymity appears to be a privilege of using such social networking sites that users with bad intentions have taken advantage of. Though there are clearly benefits to the anonymous nature of social networks, such as facilitating communication that might otherwise be difficult or impossible, there are equally as many, if not more, very dangerous risks that have not yet been appropriately addressed and solved.
























Works Cited

Bahney, Anna. “Don’t Talk to Invisible Strangers.” The New York Times. 9 March 2006. 28 January 2007 .

Harmon, Amy. “Online Dating Sheds Its Stigma as Losers.com.” The New York Times. 29 June 2003. 28 January 2007 .

Hunt, Kasie. “Legistlation Aims to Track Online Predators.” E-Commerce News. 31 January 2007. 09 February 2007 < http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/55472.html>.

Landro, Laura. “Social networking comes to health care.” The Wall Street Journal. 29 December 2006. 29 January 2007 .

Needleman, Rafe. “Experience Project: The social network for anonymous losers.” CNet News. 14 September 2006. 12 February 2007 .

Saita, Anne. “Scam artists flocking to MySpace.” SearchSecurity.com. 5 April 2006. 26 January 2007 .

Schiesel, Seth. "Video Games Are Their Major, So Don't Call Them Slackers." The New York Times. 22 November 2005. 09 February 2007 < http://select.nytimes.com/search/ restricted/article?res=F70C17F6345A0C718EDDA809 94DD404482>.

Siklos, Richard. “A Virtual World but Real Money.” The New York Times. 19 October 2006. 24 January 2007 .

Zeller Jr., Tom. “LINK BY LINK; A Lesson for Parents on ‘MySpace Madness.’” The New York Times. 26 June 2006. 12 February 2007 < http://select.nytimes.com/search/ restricted/article?res=FB0815F73D540C758EDDAF0894DE404482>.

new intro

In recent years, the Internet has become an extremely popular resource for people looking to do a huge variety of things. The Internet can be a place where it is easy to find almost information you could want. It can also be a means of communication. Another prevalent use that has surged in recent years is the social networking site. Social networking is becoming an increasingly more popular way for individuals to meet others. With sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and even the numerous dating sites, like eHarmony, people around the world are connecting in ways that are unprecedented. There are, of course, risks that come with the rise of such sites. Most of these problems stem from the fact that the user can essentially choose how they want to present themselves and, to an extent, who they want to be. Using social networking sites allows the user to have a higher degree on anonymity. For some, this anonymity is why social networking sites is an attractive option when compared to face-to-face interaction, but for others, it allows for risky and even dangerous behavior.

body paragraph- new, more refined topic

One of the dangers of the anonymity that comes with using a social networking site is that dishonesty is allowed to run rampant. On dating sites, for example, there is nothing preventing a user from completely lying about their identity. One of the problems with such sites is the lack of trust. In the New York Times article “Online Dating Sheds Its Stigma as Losers.com,” many users confess to lying about certain physical traits in order to attract a user of the opposite sex. It has become, however, a seemingly accepted aspect of the online dating phenomenon. Users say they have learned to take the information and descriptions they receive with a grain of salt. However, for some, “after enough of such encounters, many online daters burn out” (Times). Though the lies are an issue, they are not as big of a problem as many of the other comforts anonymity affords. In other cases, deception proves to be worse than a simple inconvenience. Sometimes, such behavior can be dangerous.

intertextuality 16 punches

Anna Kuchinsky
7 February 2007
WRT 205
Madeline Yonker

16 Punches Intertextual Analysis

In the blog entry about Yahoo and Flickr, the author constantly refers to the imminent merger as some sort of colonization. Though the beginning of the entry focuses strongly on the business aspect of the deal, the end that is more analysis focuses a lot on a sort of underdog story. The blog comments on the tragedy of mega corporations that have become extremely common in our country. As a result, the small business is suffering and has little hope to compete with the big companies. In this scenario, Flickr is the small business that cannot stand up to the larger corporation, Yahoo. Although, rather than just being upset about the merger, this blogger equates large corporations with dictators. The poster takes things one step farther. In his or her mind, the loss of small businesses has some historical importance, like being one step in the direction of total dictatorship. This blog emphasizes the American tradition of the underdog story, but the underdog is failing and the result is the entirely un-American state of dictatorship.