Research questions: Difference between revisions

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*Freedom of expression - what topics are permitted, what is removed and who decides.
*Freedom of expression - what topics are permitted, what is removed and who decides.
*What is the mix of emergent social structure versus hierarchical organization?
*What is the mix of emergent social structure versus hierarchical organization?
*Is there an explicit mapping on online and offline activity? What role does national law play?
*Is there an explicit mapping on online and offline activity?  
*Is there an apparent logic to the community structure?  Is membership static or dynamic? How are new entrants treated?
*What role does national law play?
*Is there an apparent logic to the community structure?   
*Is membership static or dynamic?  
*How are new entrants treated?
*What are the explicit and implicit policies for dealing with trolls and vandals?
*What are the explicit and implicit policies for dealing with trolls and vandals?
*What motivations and incentives influence contributors?
*What motivations and incentives influence contributors?
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*How would you classify the governance system of the community?    (oligarchy, dictatorship, democracy, ad-hocracy)
*How would you classify the governance system of the community?    (oligarchy, dictatorship, democracy, ad-hocracy)
*Is there evidence of user circumventing the explicit purpose of the community, in an acceptable or unacceptable manner? (Unacceptable: spam.  Acceptable: anything on 4chan. Grey-area: 'Griefing' in online games, sex (sexual content on flickr and sexual services on craigslist)
*Is there evidence of user circumventing the explicit purpose of the community, in an acceptable or unacceptable manner? (Unacceptable: spam.  Acceptable: anything on 4chan. Grey-area: 'Griefing' in online games, sex (sexual content on flickr and sexual services on craigslist)
Examples of previous papers:
* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Batmanghelidj_Final_Paper.pdf Digital Intellectual Property of Synthetic Worlds] (PDF)
* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Yelp_Reviews_Freedom_of_Speech_v_Reputational_Injuries.pdf Yelp Reviews: Freedom of Speech v. Reputational Injuries] (PDF)
* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:VimeoMCForelle_final.pdf  Viva la Vimeo!: How Vimeo's Unique Architecture Fostered a Unique Videomaking Community] (PDF)

Latest revision as of 09:55, 24 January 2012

Some of the questions you might ask as you search for a more narrow set of questions might include:

  • What social norms apply and how are they manifest and enforced?
  • Code is law - how do architectural elements contribute to membership, relationships, interactions and content?
  • Freedom of expression - what topics are permitted, what is removed and who decides.
  • What is the mix of emergent social structure versus hierarchical organization?
  • Is there an explicit mapping on online and offline activity?
  • What role does national law play?
  • Is there an apparent logic to the community structure?
  • Is membership static or dynamic?
  • How are new entrants treated?
  • What are the explicit and implicit policies for dealing with trolls and vandals?
  • What motivations and incentives influence contributors?
  • How are a site's superusers specially empowered, promoted, and regulated?
  • How would you classify the governance system of the community? (oligarchy, dictatorship, democracy, ad-hocracy)
  • Is there evidence of user circumventing the explicit purpose of the community, in an acceptable or unacceptable manner? (Unacceptable: spam. Acceptable: anything on 4chan. Grey-area: 'Griefing' in online games, sex (sexual content on flickr and sexual services on craigslist)

Examples of previous papers: