JOMC221 Final

Online community exists where (online) users converge because of shared interests, and to fulfill real-world and online needs. While the accessibility to online community has increased with the growth of Internet access, so too has the variety and choice presented to potential online community members. User-friendly personal publishing platforms have democratized access to online content production. Community members are no longer passively absorbing content; a dialogue has arisen. This paper will briefly examine the various types and purposes of online community, as well as current research on their impact in real-life communities. The second portion will discuss how the online community, increasingly represented by citizen content-contributors, can positively impact American civic life by serving the public news interests through progressive grassroots journalism efforts.

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