The Internet and the Public Interest

Abstract

This short chapter is divided into two main sections. The first section discusses the significance of this research for the study of computermediated communication, drawing out the implications of approaching CMC as public discourse. Four aspects of communicational ‘publicness’ have been touched upon in this research: communication in the public domain; communication for the public; communication by the public; and communication which is in the public interest. It is the last of these which is the focus of discussion here. The second section discusses the implications of the research for the study of the social construction of health risk.