A Virtual Death and A Real Dilemma

I found A Virtual Death and A Real Dilemma a very interesting article. I still can’t believe that someone would make up a virtual cancer patient. We all know that the web is place where we can take on different identities, but in my opinion, adopting the identity of a terminally ill teenager just seems wrong.

The article brings up some interesting ideas about online communities. The article states, “in online and offline contexts alike, the true test of a community is not how it manages during times of harmony, but how it confronts crisis.” I find this very interesting. It is very true. You can also tell a person’s character based upon how they react in adverse situations.

I learned about assessment signals and conventional signals. Assessment signals are difficult to fake and can usually be considered trustworthy sources, whereas conventional signals are much easier to fake and therefore have less credibility.

Being a part of an online community takes trust. The story about Kaycee Swenson should be used as a lesson to not believe everything you read online. However, I don’t think that people should not believe anything they read. I think that just being cautious is the safest way to go about conducting yourself and getting involved on the Internet.