Why this matters
The internet gives you many ways to reach people: email, chat, blogs, video. Each one fits a different need, and each carries traits like anonymity and recordability that change how you should behave online.
The idea
Internet communication tools:
- Email: text messages over the internet, with the ability to reach several people at once. Recipient fields:
- To: the main recipient(s).
- CC: people you want to share the message with, visible to all.
- BCC: people you share with without other recipients seeing their addresses or that BCC was used.
- Bulletin board system (BBS): post messages and reply to others' posts.
- Messaging app: exchange text, images, and video easily, one-to-one or in groups (SMS, LINE).
- Video call: real-time conversation while seeing the other person's video.
- Blog: "web" + "log"; publish writing such as a diary online.
- Social media: platforms where individuals connect with each other.
- Video sharing platform: share and watch videos posted by a wide, unspecified audience.
Characteristics of online communication:
- Anonymity: you can hide identifying information. It lets people speak freely regardless of age or status, but it enables flaming (piling on critical comments) and fake news.
- Immediacy: you can get a reply right away.
- Convenience: communication is smooth and easy.
- Recordability: everything leaves a log, and online information is hard to erase completely.
Because posts spread and stay, share accurate information and consider how the other person feels.
Picture it
flowchart LR E[Email: To / CC / BCC] --> I[Internet communication] M[Messaging app] --> I V[Video call] --> I B[Blog] --> I S[Social media] --> I I --> T1[Anonymity] I --> T2[Immediacy] I --> T3[Convenience] I --> T4[Recordability]
Worked example
You want to email a class update to thirty parents without exposing everyone's address to each other. Use BCC: each parent receives it, but no one sees the other addresses, and they cannot tell BCC was used. Now suppose a video clip you post shows a street sign near your home. That is the recordability risk: it leaves a lasting record from which you could be identified, so check before you post.
Your turn
Match each internet tool to its description, and label statements about online communication with the right characteristic.
Recap
- Tools: email (To/CC/BCC), bulletin boards, messaging apps, video calls, blogs, social media, video sharing.
- Anonymity can free expression but allow flaming and fake news.
- Online communication has immediacy, convenience, and recordability, and records are hard to erase.