(If Yes, ask:) Do you know all of them, most of them or only some of them?
# Do you belong to a group email list, list-serv or online discussion forum for your neighborhood?
# In the past 12 months, have you…read a blog dealing with community issues?
# In the past 12 months, have you…talked face-to-face with your neighbors about community issues?
These are just a few of the questions asked by Pew Internet & American Life Project when they were researching data for the ‘Neighbors Online‘ report. Their findings illustrate that, although face-to-face communications and phone calls still take priority in local information gathering, online sources are gaining ground – fast. Of course you are case-in-point by reading this information about on a local community website.
- 22% of all adults signed up to receive alerts about local issues (such as traffic, school events, weather warnings or crime alerts) via email or text messaging.
- 20% of all adults used digital tools to talk to their neighbors and keep informed about community issues.
Some think with this technology advancement and everyone behind a monitor or face down in a smartphone that no one knows their neighbor anymore. This is much less true than you might think as Internet use makes no statistical difference to the likelihood of neighborhood familiarity. 19% of those surveyed said that they knew the names of all of their neighbors, 24% said they knew most of them and 29% knew some. Only 28% knew none of their neighbors’ names.
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So how would you answer the above questions? Has the Internet helped you keep up with your neighbors and your community? or do you still rely on good old word-of-mouth?
More importantly, how can this Woodstock Community Guide add more value to local living? One way we ask you to give back to your local community is by sharing your favorite local activity. It takes only a few minutes and all your neighbors will benefit from your tips.
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I know that good-lookin’ guy in the striped shirt!