Ett decennium av webbdiskussion: En jämförande analys av interaktionen i två diskussionsforum på webben 2001, 2006 och 2011

Abstract

This article contributes to the investigation of computer-mediated communication from a chronological perspective. It is often claimed that the evolution of digital media is so rapid that any research on online inter-action tends to be out of date before it is even published. This assumption is challenged in this article through a comparative study of messages collected in 2001, 2006 and 2011 from the same two web-based publicly accessible Swedish discussion forums. The analysis of the material focuses on a range of different contextual as well as linguistic factors. It is shown that while some changes in technical features and design occur, the interaction as such is overall relatively stable during these ten years. Amongst the few developments identified is a decline over time in the frequencies of unconventional forms of written language in messages written by young users, which contradicts popular fears of language deterioration in computer-mediated communication.