Virtual sociability: social interaction in the digital ecosystem

Abstract

Since the use of ICT in everyday life is extensively widespread, the uninterrupted and ubiquitous hyperconnection is mediating in much of the communications and meetings that shaping the life of the contemporary individual and has become the natural way of being in the world, leading to new forms of sociability. The aim of this paper is to introduce the concept of virtual sociability as a framework for rethinking forms of sociality in the digital environment. The changes that technological innovation has operated in social interactions affect scenarios and processes, transforming the relationships established between the actors (liquid), the way in which the subject shown itself and interacts with others (from flexible identities) and enabling the formation of new affiliation practices and social bonding (virtual communities).