The commons of the tragedy
Lee Rainie - Director
The Internet & Collecting the History of the Present
9.10.03
Why bother to archive?
• The Internet changes the nature of
production and consumption of
information
– Everyone can be a “journalist” or
contributor
• Immediacy and intimacy of information
• Volume and scope of information
• Practical and scholarly insights
September 11 –
Some Internet basics
• Number of American adults online dropped
11% in the first week after the attack
• Number of emailers dropped 17%
• Declines in the number of those….
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–
–
–
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pursuing hobbies online (-50%)
purchasing goods (-50%)
seeking medical information (-40%)
browsing for fun (-35%)
doing work-related research (-24%)
What people did more
More intense and prolonged searching
and content creation
– News rose 32%
– Instant messaging rose 18%
– Government Web site traffic rose 31%
– Charity and volunteer site traffic increased
24%
– Online community activity rose nearly
fourfold
What people did
online
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
69% sought news and related information
34% posted or read personal responses
23% got information about victims/survivors
23% downloaded pictures of the U.S. flag
20% visited a commemorative Web site
14% participated on online polls
10% got info on local demonstrations/rallies
10% signed online petitions
9% contacted elected official by email
Email content
72% used email in some way related to
events
– grieving, consoling, expressing patriotism,
finding long-lost friends, making/receiving
prayer requests, hashing out military and
political options
The virtual commons:
Raw emotion
“This is absolute chaos… a sheer tragedy…how
could this happen here?”
-- Tori Hill, Yahoo’s Sept11 reaction site
“I wonder if I will ever sleep peacefully again after
seeing those bodies falling. I wonder if I will ever
stop crying.”
--- Blogger named ponygirl at Blogger.com
The virtual commons:
Hunt for details
“People, please keep these reports coming.
I have friends in New York but right now
this is my only source of information. All
the news sites are totally jammed.”
-- Markmark33 in an AOL chat room
The virtual commons:
Tests of faith
“I don't know what I believe anymore. I am not
even sure how I feel about God. I use to believe
all things happen for a reason but have since
decided that is an idiotic way to believe…I have
decided to leave Beliefnet for a while and think
things out. I have been a member nearly a year
and met some pretty wonderful people. I will
miss you all. Please pray for me.”
-- corinthianxx on Beliefnet.com
The virtual commons:
Grief and consoling
“I cry at strange times in strange places and at the
strangest triggers. Today I went grocery
shopping and started crying when I noticed the
biggest selling Halloween costume: A rack of
Firefighter costumes. Kids want to be like their
heroes and many kids have seen and decided
that wrestlers and cartoon characters, comic
book characters aren't heroic enough for them
anymore. I cried while I watched a little boy try
on the helmets. Right there in the store. Is it just
me?”
--LadyMarchHare on The Well
The virtual commons:
Practical advice
• Are you okay? How can I help?
• Here is the place you can go to donate
blood, attend a meeting, volunteer,
attend a service
• Here are things you can do to help in
your community
• Here is the latest news I’ve heard
The virtual commons:
Political discussion
“I fear he [President Bush] will use excessive force which
will lead to more terrorist attacks and possibly war. I
would feel so much better if Clinton was in office.”
-- donation111 in the Yahoo Sept. 11 attack site
“I am not a Bush fan, I didn't like his dad and I don't like his
brother, however he has my full support as leader of the
country, his speech writers are remarkable and it [the
President’s speech to Congress on September 20] was
delivered to perfection.”
-- janesommers in International Women’s Forum
A new online
normalcy
• More news searching
• More interest in government and
politics
• More community participation
• More spiritual activity
• But return to the usual levels of interest
in other activities
The 9/11 web-sphere
Library of Congress, Internet Archive, WebArchvist.org
http://september11.archive.org/
Web producers responded by building new features
into their sites or expanding existing services
OBTAINING AND PROVIDING INFORMATION
http://home.nyc.gov (09/14/01)
Obtaining Assistance
http://www.brainstormsandraves.com/attack/checkin (09/26/01)
Enabling Expression
http://www.worldtradecentermemorial.com (09/14/01)
Providing Support
http://christianity.com/partner/ (09.26.01)
Enabling Political Advocacy
http://workingforchange.com/activism (09.23.01)
About us
[email protected]
Pew Internet & American Life Project
1100 Connecticut Ave. NW – Suite 710
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-296-0019
http://www.pewinternet.org/