Moral panic and alternative identity construction in usenet.

Baker, Paul (2001) Moral panic and alternative identity construction in usenet. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 7 (1). ISSN 1083-6101

Abstract

In this paper the concept of the "moral panic" is applied to computer-mediated communication through a qualitative examination of the case of a "troll" poster to the Usenet group alt.tv.melrose-place over a four month period. The notion of Internet identity construction is analyzed as a collaboration between participants, and the resolution strategies that the participants used in order to neutralize the moral panic are examined.