Book contents
- Understanding the Language of Virtual Interaction
- Understanding the Language of Virtual Interaction
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Web 2, a Digital Revolution?
- 3 Digital Communication and the “Post-Truth” Era
- 4 The Formation of Virtual Communities
- 5 The Negotiation of Meaning, Knowledge, and Authority Online
- 6 (De)Legitimization of Authority in Digital Communication
- 7 Competition with Official Institutions
- 8 Politics and Participation in the Digital Public Sphere
- 9 Human Rights and Social Change in Virtual Spaces
- 10 Discourse and Identity in a Lawless Digital Universe
- 11 Conclusion
- References
- Index
1 - Introduction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 September 2025
Book contents
- Understanding the Language of Virtual Interaction
- Understanding the Language of Virtual Interaction
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Web 2, a Digital Revolution?
- 3 Digital Communication and the “Post-Truth” Era
- 4 The Formation of Virtual Communities
- 5 The Negotiation of Meaning, Knowledge, and Authority Online
- 6 (De)Legitimization of Authority in Digital Communication
- 7 Competition with Official Institutions
- 8 Politics and Participation in the Digital Public Sphere
- 9 Human Rights and Social Change in Virtual Spaces
- 10 Discourse and Identity in a Lawless Digital Universe
- 11 Conclusion
- References
- Index
Summary
This introductory chapter elucidates the profound impact of the Internet on our society and the complexities involved in its regulation. In a polarized political landscape, concerns about Internet safety for children appear to be the only bipartisan agreement across the ideological aisle. Recent legislative actions in the United States exemplify the urgent response to the dangers posed to minors by social media. This trend, also reflected internationally, underscores the paradox of restricting Internet access for youth, balancing the need for protection with the benefits of digital literacy. While the Internet poses risks, it is also a powerful tool for cognitive and social development, offering educational resources and fostering global awareness. This duality illustrates the complexity of navigating a safe digital environment without stifling free expression.
This chapter presents the content of a comprehensive exploration of digital communication’s impact on social, political, and cultural life, providing insights into the new paradigms that shape our contemporary world.
Keywords
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Understanding the Language of Virtual InteractionCommunities, Knowledge, and Authority, pp. 1 - 8Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AAA
The PDF of this book
complies with version 2.2 of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), offering more comprehensive accessibility measures for a broad range
of users and attains the highest
(AAA)
level of WCAG compliance, optimising the user experience by meeting the most extensive
accessibility guidelines.
Content Navigation
Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Reading Order & Textual Equivalents
Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
Full alternative textual descriptions
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
Visual Accessibility
Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
Use of high contrast between text and background colour
You benefit from high‐contrast text, which improves legibility if you have low vision or if you are reading in less‐than‐ideal lighting conditions.
You benefit from high‐contrast text, which improves legibility if you have low vision or if you are reading in less‐than‐ideal lighting conditions.