Tutorial six

Provide the web address and the name of the community that you are investigating

Bebo
http://www.bebo.com/

What is the brief focus of the community?

It is a social community where friends and family can keep I touch from anywhere in the world.

What services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute?

Beboers that sign up to the bebo sight are able to access all sorts of things like communities, music, videos, authors, and also search under other categories for anything in particular you wish to find/visit. This site is very interactive, and is easy to spend many hours checking out friends photos, finding friends around the world and even checking out what deals the bars have on for the week. Just head to the address given above and check it out!!

Why do people choose to contribute to this community? What is it they are seeking?

There are many reasons why people contribute to this community, it could be to make new friends, met new people, find out the latest craze, feel included, find old school friends, chat to friends or family overseas, or maybe for just a good time waster.

Here are some examples to connect straight into even if you are not signed up yet.

• Pink ribbon – Breast cancer supporter
http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=5410481679&SourceCd=DT
• Easy and fast way to find people like you on bebo
http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=5474403446&SourceCd=DT
• Are you a Manchester united supporter
http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=5430094797&SourceCd=DT
• Bebo music videos
http://www.bebo.com/Bands.jsp
• Support against child abuse
http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=6177608699&ShowSims=Y
• Bebo videos
http://www.bebo.com/Video.jsp

Potential ethical issues that may arise in this community

You need to be aware when taking photos of others and adding them to your bebo site that without the people’s consent this can be against their own rights and their confidentiality.
Beaware that when you are adding things like pictures, videos and symbols to your site if it is going to be offensive that your site will be deleted.

The benefits of this online community and what it lacks

This community is run only through the internet, it makes it a great way for people to interact with people all over the world and express themselves in their own way by adding their own videos, photos skins (page backgrounds) etc. Bebo is continuously updating and creating a even bigger and better site.
Although bebo is great it can not provide the social interaction with people and other groups like traditional communities can.