Angelyn Gan 13:32, 27 Oct 2005 (EST)
Contents |
Internet chatrooms are online forums that enable several individuals to chat online by sending text messages in a real-time forum. Chatrooms allow individuals from diverse background across the world to directly communicate with one another. Users can choose what type of people they speak to through customised shared-interest chatrooms.
Chatting is considered one of the most popular activities on the Internet. According to Marriot’s recent publication, of the 107 million people who use the Internet worldwide, at least 40 million to 50 million of them use chat (Marriott, 1998).
There are many websites that offer chat room services. Some commercial Internet providers have their own chat systems that can only be accessed by their subscribers. However users can easily access other non-subscription chat rooms. Yahoo! Chat is one of the more popular and largest free chat sites found available on the web. (Shelly, Cashman & Vermaat, 2002)
Internet chatrooms have become a large social phenomenon for both adults and children (Independent Television Commission, 2004, 5), with new users joining daily.
A recent research has found out that the most popular way to get a date was by utilising online personals/dating sites/chat rooms/discussion boards. 33% of respondants indicated this method as their prefered method. This was the third highest response, behind through friends and at pubs/clubs (Burmaster, 2005).
One of the benefits of chat rooms is they offer direct communication with people around the world. This opportunity to talk to people all over the world broadens understanding and tolerance of individuals and communities (Independent Television Commission, 2004, 6).
Similar to meeting people in reality, individuals are able to make new acquaintances in the virtual world. In some instances, people have even met their future husbands and wives through chatrooms, although just as with using online dating services, caution should be taken when they meet people online in the virtual sphere. In the virtual arena people can create new identities through role playing and imagined virtual identities.
Chatrooms may lead individuals to engage in cybersex. Cybersex occurs when two individuals imagine they are participating in sexual activities through the use of language and imagination. The anonymity factor and virtual identity means individuals who are not of legal consenting age may participate in cybersex. Internet chatrooms are also used by pedophiles who prey on young children. These pedophiles can pretend to be the same age and even the same gender as their potential victims in order to find out personal details of the children, which they can later use to locate them.
Several online dating sites include chat as part of their service. Examples are findsomeone.com and Yahoo! Personals. On these sites a subscriber logs in and sends messages to potential mates who are currently online. This chatting system is very similar to ordinary chatrooms. Although there is a degree of social stigma connected with online dating services, results released by Match.com and DatingDirect.com reveal over half a million visitors in the United Kingdom visited these websites.
People around the globe are harnessing the connecting power of the Internet, to find anything from friendship to marriage. The nature of the Internet means people can be connected to each other regardless of geographical boundaries. The Internet gives the power of anonymity to the individual, creating both safeguards and new dangers. Chatrooms can be assessed all day everyday, unlike outside the nonvirtual plane were social activities must be undergone at certain times. Also, chatrooms and online dating services provide a cheaper alternative for socialites than many activities in the real world. (Burmaster, 2005)
A new language in cyberspace is forming in the shape of cyberlingo and emoticons. Some examples of cyberlingo and emoticons that are commonly used are included below.
There are also anime smilies:
More can be found at http://users.animanga.com/arlip/dict.html
Online Dating - Service Providers
Online Dating - Business Models
Online Dating - Emotional Attachment in Online Dating
Online Dating - Imagined Virtual Communities
Cultural Imperialism - The Internet
Youth Culture and New Technologies - Chat Rooms
Burmaster, A (2005) 21st Century Dating: The Way It Is retrieved October 5, 2005 from http://www.nielsen-netratings.com
Independent Television Commission, (2004)Safety Net: Communications and Child Safety Retrieved 8 October, 2005, from http://www.ofcom.org.uk/codes_guidelines/broadcasting/tv/safety_net
Marriott, (1998) Conversation Analysis of Internet Chat Rooms retrieved October 7, 2005 from http://www.polisci.wisc.edu/~rdparrish/Chat%20Rooms%20for%20Web%20Site.htm
Shelly, Cashman, Vermaat (2002) Discovering Computers 2003 USA, Thomson Learning, ISBN 0789565145
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