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Are we all online content creators now? Web 2.0 and digital divides

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Abstract

Despite considerable interest in online content creation there has been comparatively little academic analysis of the distribution of such practices, both globally and among social groups within countries. Drawing on theoretical frameworks used in digital divide studies, I outline differences in motivation, access, skills, and usage that appear to underlie and perpetuate differences in online content creation practices between social groups. This paper brings together existing studies and new analyses of existing survey datasets. Together they suggest online content creators tend to be from relatively privileged groups and the content of online services based on their contributions may be biased towards what is most interesting or relevant to them. Some implications of these findings for policymakers and researchers are considered.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 591-609

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication (Volume 19, Issue 3)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/04/2014

Publication status

Published - 01/04/2014

ISSN

1083-6101

Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/594793
  • Scopus: 84898035533

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