Website Analysis - Voting and Forums (Part 6)

Another way they also try and introduce as much interactivity as possible is the fact that they also introduce voting systems sometimes about “Best Dressed” etc. When you vote and submit your answer it will come up with what the majority of the readers also think. If they agree with what you think you are automatically more inclined to think that you are in the right and that your answer actually matters. This is just yet another way of drawing the audience in and letting them get more involved (interactive). This also shows another example of technological determinism as these sorts of voting systems have only been seen more recently with the expansion of such user generated websites.

As with many websites you have to be a member if you wish to take part in the forums or leave messages on the message boards. This makes the audience feel safer when commenting on such message boards as they know that the provider does have the details of the users and could therefore stop anything untoward from happening. Therefore the audience may be more inclined to say what they feel within discussions. But I know from my experience that I am less likely to comment on such message boards if I know that I have to sign up to the website, give my details and log in everytime I go onto the website. Considering I use the website everyday this could become quite tedious. But this idea also links back to the idea of identity as, for example, when people log in they provide a “screen name” which they can totally make up. This then adds to the persona they want to be seen as on the website which might be totally different to that of real life.