Gilad Ravid

‘Virtual publics’ are a type of computer mediated discourse space created by using various technologies including email, the USENET, web based bulletin boards, IRC, MUDS, etc. (Jones and Rafaeli 1999). This paper outlines on-going field research into the impact of information overload on virtual public “mass interaction”. It describes initial findings based on an examination of 2.65 million USENET messages, which suggest that a number of user ‘information overload’ coping strategies appear to impact on the overall shape of group-discourse. The research in progress outlined addresses issues associated with group level usability of computer mediated communication technologies.