Interrogating Online Communication ethical practices in Kenya : the case of the League of Young Professional Website and Blog

A Paper by Robi Koki Ochieng, a Lecturer of Journalism in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Presented at a ConferenceThe emergence of virtual communities & collaborative environments has provided online participants the opportunity to play the role of the ‘pro-sumer’: the publisher, the broad or narrowcaster, editor, content developer and ‘journator’ (Journalist on the net) and commentator of issue of individual and of public interest. Emerging electronic communities on the web enable members to create ,increase or renew their social capital in powerful virtual extended social networks that are esteem boosters; provide a sense of belonging and recognition of E-participants; and create opportunities for new skills that facilitate for ego-building and self-actualization. The E-participant gains instant gratification and approval from others on publishing their work online as this is an opportunity to showcase their expertise or to make recommendations through offering solicited or unsolicited advice to other in the network. Their participation online is guided by ego-driven motivation to establish themselves as authorities in a given subject and hence builds reputations as legitimate writers who accumulate the goodwill and trust of other in the network. E-participants enter into dialogue online to vent emotions and also build a reputation through articulating their concerns online. Like-minded people come online to share similar interests; feed others with their observations; virtually meet people and connect deeply with the happenings in their daily lives and still have insight into global social worlds. In this era of information overload, online participants turn to virtual sources to make sense out of 2 compressed views and judgments in a bid to understand what stands as the truth about an issue. Online sources can further be described as a source of ‘inexpensive production of news, information and advice that lacks in mainstream media. Social dialogue on what is rare, obscure or controversial is freely accessed online due to the tipping-effect through the ‘mavens’ and ‘connectors’ proposed by Malcolm Gadwell in his book the ‘Tipping Point’. Mavens are information brokers who aggressively collect information ,share and trade in knowledge while ‘connectors’ are socially motivated to bring people they know from diverse backgrounds together. The motivation to create online is because of easy access to virtual spaces where they can express their feelings, opinions and showcase their views. These virtual spaces offer distractions from day-to-day life activities hence a vista to entertain and be entertained. Content may be novel, trendy and give cultural status to aspects otherwise considered of little value. The web, unlike in the mainstream media, does not always provide pre-packaged information that cannot be in contest. The E-participant is allowed to debate, question or learn online. Through ‘particitainment’ they can disagree or agree; laugh or scorn; compare and contrast; gain new knowledge and connect with others for a common purpose or enterprise