#mobile reality

A report by Ling and Stald (2010) discussed the theory that mobile phones are a strong channel for communication between members of a person’s most inner circle. I challenge that. I think the use of a mobile phone has allowed a wider circle of interactions to occur. Mobile phone applications which give easy access to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are encouraging ease for numerous connections with as many people as possible. They also allow an individual to construct their identity in whatever way they like.

I’m not alone on this side of the fence. Deuze (2011) also discusses the “emergence of mass self-communication” (p142) and I maintain that mobile devices are in fact opening themselves up to these connections through mass self-communication. As recently as today, Facebook announced that it has unveiled a new mobile site that would work across both expensive smartphones and phones with limited features according to a SmartCompany report. Facebook Product Designer Lee Byron said in a blog post on the site "we think it's important to provide an excellent mobile web experience.”

Facebook is tapping into its market. It’s market for self-communication to as many or as few people as an individual desires. Daniel Warner has an interesting perspective in his video blog which demonstrates his opinion on self-communication. You are whoever you want to be on the internet, your world is a mix of virtual and realistic connections and most importantly, you can control the flow and type on information you release.

Mobile phones make the transition from reality to virtual easier because they’re the type of things you use constantly.

References

Byron, L. (2011) One mobile site to serve thousands of phones. http://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-engineering/one-mobile-site-to-serve-thousands-of-phones/10150122073713920 (accessed April 4, 2011)

Deuze, M. (2011). Media Life. In Media, Culture & Society, Volume 33, issue 1, pp. 137-148. 

Ling, R. and Stald, G. (2010). Mobile Communities: are we talking about a village, a clan, or a small group? In American Behavioral Scientist. Volume 53, issue 8, pp. 1133-1147.