“Does one not need to be close to experience nearness? It depends on how one understands nearness. Digital intimacy may offer the sensibility of one-to-one closeness, but the one-to-one may be “real” or illusory. I am sitting at my computer chatting on Facebook and feeling that I am here with you. Within this binary sphere of intimacy between myself and the screen, you are addressing me, only you and only me (even though many others may be reading your writing and feel the intimacy I feel).” (van Manen, 2010, p.1029).

The online environment nowadays, as suggested by some scholars, expands the opportunity to form romance, friendships, etc. and increase the intimacy, which arouses several questions for us to consider:
Can people really experience intimacy when interacting online? Are these connections with others meaningful? Are they genuine and sincere? If the answers are yes, then what’s the difference between the online relationship and offline ones? How has the internet changed our relationship to other people?

Here are two videos to watch that might help you approach the questions critically.

a. Are You living in an Insta Lie? (Links to an external site.)

b. Intimacy in the Early Days of Online Dating.

While the affordance of social media and abilities expand the opportunities to form identities and relationships, it poses a privacy paradox. On the one hand, the growing sharing and self-disclosure of intimate information on social media seem to add more transparency and openness in the online privacy. On the other, people still want privacy though it become more complex. How would you like to define online privacy? Do you have an awareness to control it? What measures do you take to protect your online privacy?

a. The videos (These Tools Can Protect Your Online Privacy (Links to an external site.) / How to Use a Password Manager (Links to an external site.)) are about privacy and tracking online  that might help you find a way to protect your online privacy.

PART 1: After reviewing this week’s videos, go to the discussion forum titled, “Week 6 Writing and Discussion Activity.” Add a reply to this forum and write about the following:

• Can people really experience intimacy when interacting online? Are these connections with others meaningful? Are they genuine and sincere? If the answers are yes, then what’s the difference between the online relationship and offline ones? How has the internet changed our relationship to other people?
• As the privacy becomes more complex with the transparency and openness brought by the social media, how do you define online privacy? Do you have an awareness to protect it? What measures do you take to protect your online privacy?

Write one full paragraph about each bullet point above, for a total of two paragraphs. Use the A.B.C. method to guide your writing:

A: Address the questions (clear)

B: Back up your viewpoint (logic reasoning): you could use the information mentioned in this module or search external sources to support your perspective.

C: Add your comments or your own perspectives about the question or point. What do YOU think about it or what are YOUR thoughts on this issue?  (independent and critical)

INCLUDE ADDITIONAL PARAGRAPHS IF YOU’D LIKE. You are encouraged to write about anything else on this week’s topic or from the reading that you found interesting, compelling, or puzzling.