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Cyberspace(网络空间) has given rise to a new social change where people make friends from across the world, but know little about their next-door neighbors. This worries critics (批评家). Take Bob for example. He thinks his neighbor doesn’t know anything about gardening, but his net friendGr33nThumdoes. Besides, Gr33nThum doesn’t do that annoying sound when he talks.Those people like Bob have long been criticized for their lack of necessary social skills. Critics think people almost forget how to naturally communicate with their neighbors, creating a social network of strangers.
However, a report entitled “The Strength of Internet Ties” provides a different opinion. It suggests that the Internet helps develop social networks and make use of them when it matters most.
Friends often move. As kids, our friends’ parents move away. As adults, we move away to college or for work. Communicative tools have made losing touch the result of laziness, not distance. “The larger and the more diverse（多样）a person’s network, the more important e-mail is,” argues Jeffrey Boase, who co-authored the report. “You can’t make phone calls or personal visits to all your friends very often, but you cankeep in touch with them regularly with the help of the Internet.That turns out to be very important.”
In addition toexpanding and strengthening the social tiespeople keep in the offline world,Internet and e-mail provide a social and informational support group that helps people make difficult decisions and face challenges. “Internet use provides online users a path to resources, such as access to people who may have the right information to help deal with family health problems or find a new job,” says John Horrigan, author of the report. “The Internet creates a new basis for community. Rather than relying on a single community for social support, people often must actively seek out a variety of appropriate people and resources for different situations,” says co-author Barry Wellman.