Understanding the Language of Virtual Interaction: Communities, Knowledge, and Authority

by Antonio Reyes, Andrew S. Ross

Overview

Since the advent of Web 2.0, the interaction of user-generated content on participatory platforms has democratized content creation and reshaped communication, identity, authority, and knowledge across various fields, from health to politics, amid the post-truth phenomena. This timely book provides essential insights into the transformative effects of the evolving digital landscape. It gives a comprehensive analysis of how areas such as health, politics, and language ideology have been influenced by digital communication, and explores how online spaces have amplified minority voices, promoting inclusion and representation, while also addressing the backlash that challenges human rights associated with Internet use and the free exchange of information. The book also examines the intersection of law and digital crime, revealing the legal challenges posed by the online world. As our understanding of identity, knowledge, and authority increasingly intersects with Generative AI, it also discusses the impact of intelligent tools and the challenges they present.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781009328661
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	09/25/2025
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 1.50(h) x 9.50(d)

About the Author

Antonio Reyes is a professor at Washington and Lee University, Virginia. His notable publications include 'Voice in Political Discourse' (2011, Continuum).

Andrew S. Ross a senior lecturer at the University of Canberra. His most recent book is 'Innovations and Challenges in Social Media Discourse Analysis' (with Zappavigna, 2024, Routledge).

Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. Web 2, A digital revolution? 3. Digital communication and the 'post-truth' era; 4. The formation of virtual communities: types, characteristics, and participants; 5. The negotiation of meaning, knowledge, and authority online; 6. (De)Legitimization of authority in digital communication; 7. Competition with official institutions; 8. Politics and participation in the digital public sphere; 9. Human rights and social change in virtual spaces; 10. Discourse and identity in a lawless digital universe; 11. Conclusion; References; Index.