| nternet & American Life Project ( has | | | | as practical help and advice. |
| studied the ‘dreadful’ way the | | | | The Pew Internet research shows that email is |
| Internet isolates people from their friends and | | | | good for connecting with people regardless of |
| family. They’ve found not only does it not | | | | geographical distance. We all know it is great for |
| cut us off from our friends, it actually increases | | | | connecting with friends in other countries, but this |
| connectedness. ‘Rather than conflicting | | | | research shows it is just as good with the people |
| with people’s community ties, we find | | | | we see in-person every week. Email helps people |
| that the Internet fits seamlessly with in-person | | | | connect with each other’s lives, which |
| and phone encounters.’ They also report | | | | directly promotes more frequent in-person |
| of ‘media multiplexity’, where | | | | meetings. |
| people who connect on the Internet are more | | | | With telephones, the larger your social network, |
| likely to see each other in person and talk on the | | | | the more time it takes to contact a significant |
| phone. | | | | fraction. Subsequently, you contact a smaller |
| They also report a few things I’ve | | | | percentage every week. With email this is not the |
| noticed but without thinking about too much. The | | | | case. As your network grows in size, the |
| Internet and cellular phones link individuals more | | | | percentage you contact by email every week |
| than buildings. If I visit someone at home or talk | | | | seems to stay stable at about 20%. Part of the |
| to them using a phone landline, I reach a house. If | | | | magic is that you can email a number of people |
| I email or call a cellular phone, I am contacting an | | | | at once, such as all of your friends who like |
| individual wherever they are. | | | | baseball, or dislike Jessica Simpson. So, when you |
| Another result of Internet connectedness are the | | | | get baseball News, you pass it on to a bunch of |
| positive effects of the wider social network | | | | friends. The larger your network the more people |
| cultivated by this new medium. This wider | | | | you send the baseball News to, or hear baseball |
| network gives people access to a greater range | | | | News from. |
| of people when dealing with serious life events. A | | | | It’s nice to have a scientific report |
| few times I’ve seen someone in an | | | | support what we all knew about the Internet |
| on-line group announce that they have a | | | | already. It doesn’t isolate people. It brings |
| life-threatening illness. Many people offer support | | | | us together in new ways with anyone, anywhere, |
| and comfort, and often one or more of the | | | | anytime. Not only friends in other countries, but |
| ‘comforters’ have survived the | | | | family across town. |
| same illness, offering hope and good News as well | | | | |