AnimeFreak.tv: A Community?

Taking a look at www.AnimeFreak.tv at a glance, it seems like it is a great community for people who love watching their favorite anime. But is it really a community? This will be decided after analyzing whether or not certain elements of community are present on the website.

One of the most important elements of an online community is protection, or more specifically, the protection of identity provided by a pseudonym. The reason why this anonymity is so important is because it allows people on the Internet to not be concerned with their real-world identity's image changing due to the nature of their online actions or interests. The Internet is supposed to be a place where your real identity is hidden, and this is no exception on AnimeFreak.tv. You are able to make an account without having to display your real name on the site.

www.AnimeFreak.tv

Although AnimeFreak.tv does exhibit this element of a community, it lacks in other places that are crucial to our definition.

For example, another very important requirement for a website to be place for a community is its capital. On AnimeFreak.tv, one may say that the capital is the library of videos available for users to watch. However, although the videos are a great resource, they are not tied to the activity of the community in any way, and are only hosted by the site itself. The resource would be communal, however, if there was a forum where users could discuss, for example, conspiracy theories surrounding a new controversial anime episode, or the different hairstyles of several anime characters. Such a forum is not available on AnimeFreak.tv.

Another problem with the website's sense of community is its lack of participation. As mentioned before, there is no forum in which users can discuss or contribute anything. Something as simple as a comments section underneath the video player could help this, or perhaps a link to a separate sister site where users are allowed to give away spoilers safely, distanced from the video.

Although AnimeFreak.tv may be considered a community by some, I have come to the conclusion that the site is no more a community than the iTunes library or any other media database. This is due to the site's lack of participation and community-cultivated capital.

My First Impressions on Couchsurfing.org

1. What did I expect when I first saw the URL for the site?
Well, because Couchsurfing.org is a website, I figured it would contain some sort of informative report on how to surf the web. I never once thought it would be about local-supported traveling.

2. What was my initial impression of the site when I arrived on the home page?
When I first arrived at the site, I was impressed at the modernity of the layout (colorful, high-resolution photo in the background, earthy background color scheme, rounded buttons, and interesting presentation of information). However, I found myself confused, because the first thing I saw was a log in menu while I was looking for cues to tell me what the website was about.

3. What did I originally think the site was designed to accomplish?
Again, my mind made the connection between "surfing" and the Internet, so I originally thought the website would have information on people surfing the Internet.

4. Who do I think runs the site? 
At the bottom of the main page, there are links labeled "About," "Team," and "Jobs." Inferring from those three things, I assume that there is a small team of people who run the website whose head members have a passion for travel.

5. Would I consider becoming a member?
I would only consider becoming a member if I really enjoyed travel. Unfortunately for Couchsurfing.org, I don't find travel to be anything especially intriguing, so I will not be enlisting. I am also wary of the risks attached to trusting strangers when alone.

6. What concerns do I have about this community?
I would fear that, although there are many kindhearted individuals who simply wish to provide hospitality for cost-wary and adventure-worthy travelers, there might be other people posing as such in order to exploit or harm members who travel alone.