Website Analysis! #10

I think that it’s great that handbag can enforce “new kinds of association and communities which are not dependant upon spatial location and can transcend geographical, social and political boundaries & divisions”. (Lister, p.36) There are people who are ‘friends’ from all over the world on handbag and of all different status’s. All of which have come together to create a 'community'.

Here are some of the reasons why I think handbag has a community. I think this because there is a selection of ‘regular’ posters who are well recognised by other members, so much so that when they aren’t online for a while etc, people start to wonder where they are - http://www.handbag.com/forums/showthread.php?t=463537&highlight=meet .

In some cases people might try to communicate with them in other forms to see how they are. “Interactions formed in ‘virtual’ communities have ‘real world’ consequences. (Lister, p.170) I think that a forum post which illustrates just how much this virtual community has real world consequences can be demonstrated on this post - http://www.handbag.com/forums/showthread.php?t=464200&highlight=meet as you wouldn’t normally go online and give out your telephone number would you? Unless you felt VERY safe with those around you!

Shaun Wilbur notes “An increasing number of people are finding their lives touched by collectivities which have nothing to do with physical proximity”. This is shown by the fact that when handbag users cannot get access to handbag etc, they text other members and ask them to post messages etc on their behalf to say how they are doing (as mentioned before) – not only does this demonstrate Shaun Wilbur’s point, but I also think it demonstrates the ‘sense’ of community that has been constructed.

I also think its worth pointing out how users love to share their ‘good’ news with fellow members, again emphasising the community aspect I feel - http://www.handbag.com/forums/showthread.php?t=454716&highlight=meet .