No abstract

The article deals with the subject of members of various online communities in the Czech Republic. The aim of this study was to discover differences between community participants and non-participants in various characteristics. We analyzed a representative sample of the Czech population. The data for the analysis were collected during face-to-face interviews conducted under the auspices of the World Internet Project: Czech Republic 2007. The whole sample consisted of 1586 respondents aged 12 and up, out of which 256 respondents stated that they were or had been regular members of an online community. First, the demographic profile of the sample of online community members was examined, with particular focus on age, marital status and social status. We then looked at whether there are differences between those who participate in online communities and those who do not regarding the amount of interpersonal contact with family members and friends. Another aspect we focused on was whether online community members have a closer relationship with their online friends.