GOSSIP7. Online gossip

Lingua Inglese 2 LM

How is online gossip different ?

sites of engagement and formats

synchronicity

CMC formats

CMC = computer mediated communication:

CMC formats microblogs – e.g. Twitter chat blogs Facebook forums

What happens to gossip in these formats?

CMC – forums

posts in forums (reflection required)

Swim inhaled one breath full and held it in for about 20 seconds. Swim

was lying on my bed on Swims side, and as soon as Swim exhaled, Swim felt pressure all around, as if Swim was under a hundred of

feet of water. Then, suddenly, Swim popped into ground-zero reality, the

right side of Swims body opened up and Swim connected down through

the bed, through the floor and foundation of the house into some

immense planetary network, teaming with a multitude of various types of consciousness and intelligence ….

(post continues)

Gossip on Twitter

it's getting pretty cold out, i think it's probably time to crash, oh look, an apartment window someone left open just a crack, perfect! #snakeonthetown March 29, 2011 5:44:41 AM

via web

getting on the ferry to Ellis Island, let's hope this goes better than that time on the plane. #snakeonthetown March 30, 2011 5:51:44 PM via web

Gossip in chat

gossip is prevalent

A: Goddaaaamn, its raining tmrw and Friday too!C: nooooo So annoying grrrr

…….C: MY GOD Stef is listing me EVERY SINGLE DETAIL she loves about this

guy …sh’es like ….……..

C: OMG Did you see Carlos’ status? He and Lloyd dyed their hair blue, lol!

comment and running commentary incomplete stories hypotheses

Analysing the site

Levels of privacy can identities remain anonymous? is the interaction public (open forum) or

private (private chat)

Levels of external control does the forum have a moderator?

Synchronicity

LEVEL OF SYNCHRONICITY

high synchronicity MSN and Facebook chat

low synchronicity forums, blogs, email

Gossip occurs where synchronicity is high; prevalence of“running commentary” – narratives of instant reactions

Gossip is different in forums, blogs, email, where synchronicity

is low

Asynchronous gossip is hard to analyse