Summary of Chapter 1 of Unspun - Community

In chapter one of Unspun Jodi Dean discusses the idea of the Web being a "community" while using a cookie metaphor. To think of the Web as being a community in the traditional sense of the word (warm, inviting, and friendly) is difficult because the Web is so vast and so broad and so impersonal at times. How could everyone involved be connected to everyone else in the same sense that the members of a community are connected?
We need to think of the web as a "virtual community." This type of community brings people together who are not already linked by traditional means, such as their job or their ancestery. Also, although the members of the "virtual community" are linked together by computers, there is a personal and emotional aspect to it. Since the members all understand the same things they feel a deep connection. Also the "virtual community" is open to anyone who has the desire to join. This diffres from the traditional community which can sometimes be exclusive.
In 1985 The Well (Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link) greatly influenced the emergence of modem and messaging technology. It began as an interactive magazine and emphasied person-to-person communication on the Web. Next there was the CommuniTree which focused on privacy but also on providing access through the use of "surveillance and explusion."
Throughout the years between 1985 and 1996 many other sites continued to emmerge untill in 1997 the Web became such an influence that the Supreme Court got involved. The Communications Decency Act was created to regulate what people were putting on the Web.
In June of 1997, the Communications Decency Act was overturned. The Supreme Court concluded that the internet should not be judged by the same standards as a tradtitonal community. Since it is so vast, it does not include the same person-to-person contact and therefore, should have its own set of standards.
Currently, all of the new media that is currently being developed for the Web are creating an even more expansive communtiy. Even though the warmth and personability is lacking, there is still the sence of belonging to something bigger and more important than onself which in a sense is the essence of "community."