:: netwoman's blog ::

The social/emotional support of technology

Danah asks "what kinds of social/emotional support does technology provide you? How? Is this about supporting everyday interactions or providing access to a whole new world of support?"

Good question. While I was thinking about my answer, I read one of Halley's posts about her problems as an avon lady. Halley says this about her boss (who sent an unreadable email with an address that looks like spam):

"She actually likes to leave phone messages. I don't do phone messages. I do email. I do email that is intelligible and readable. I hate people who do phone. I don't do phone for precise information, or for anything that includes real data like numbers, prices, colors of nail polish. I need email. I like a written record. "

I was thinking about the telephone the other day. My friend J is a telephone diva. She uses it all the time and calls everyone, but she also uses email - though not to the same extent. I told her that I never use the phone anymore. I had the same conversation with my ex - who is still a good friend. I said to him (on the phone) - "don't be a stranger", and he said - "but you never call". This is true. I told him that I don't call anyone, I email. He thought this was quite funny.

I used to spend hours and hours on the telephone in the pre-internet days. People rarely call me now - other then telemarketers (and I hang up very quickly) - oh, and my mother calls me. When someone does call me - like my friend J - I put on my headset and sometimes multi-task while I am on the internet. But I am still listening - really.

I use the internet to keep in contact with my close friends, somewhat close friends, colleagues, strangers and so forth. Using the internet allows me to multi-task, and get many things at one time. It is also cheaper then calling long distance, which most of my friends are.

I use IM and email daily. Perhaps in some ways they have replaced face-to-face social interactions, but in other ways have provided new support for me - especially since I don't live near most of my friends and people in my research group. I can email people that I don't really know - other bloggers, people who research in my area and so forth - and create new systems of social support. You can't really do that with the telephone - nor can you show up on the door step of these folks.

So, internet communication may have replaced some of my F2F networks, but has created and enhanced others. How about you?

Joi Ito blogs about the Full-Time Intimate Community " and how people use SMS to keep in contact, talking about context vs content. SMS doesn't work for me because I am charged for text messages on my cell phone.

posted by Netwoman @ 11:14 AM