Misbehavior in Cyber Places

The Regulation of Online Conduct in Virtual Communities on the Internet

Misbehavior in Cyber Places studies computer-mediated, interpersonal communication on the Internet up to the turn of the century, portraying a technological universe that existed before social media, smartphones, and commercialism began to dominate cyberspace in the new millennium. Here, with amateurs prevailing over professionals, digital immigrants explored online frontiers and founded virtual communities. Based on early stages of Internet research, this book examines misbehavior across a wide range of online environments. Sternberg distinguishes misbehavior and rule-breaking from crime and law-breaking, and discusses cybercrime, cyberlaw, and the differences between local and global regulation. This book lays out the theoretical framework and fundamental ideas of media ecology, a branch of communication scholarship. Sternberg highlights pioneering media ecology perspectives on space, place, situations, rules, and behavior in public. These subjects are highly relevant for understanding digital media, mediated interpersonal communication, and behavior in online environments.