Includes bibliographical references (pages 167-174) and index.

Publisher Fact Sheet,The Internet has changed our social spaces, our political & social realities, our use of language, & the way we communicate, all with breathtaking speed. Almost everyone who deals with the Internet & the new world of cyberspace communication at times feels bewildered, dismayed, or even infuriated. In this clear & helpful book, computer communications scholar Laura J. Gurak takes a close look at the critical issues of online communication & discusses how to become literate in the new mass medium of our era. In cyberspace, Gurak shows us, literacy means much more than knowing how to read. Cyberliteracy means being able to sort fact from fiction, to detect extremism from reasonable debate, & to identify gender bias, commercialism, imitation, parody, & other aspects of written language that are problematic in online communication. Active reading skills are essential in cyberspace, where hoaxes abound, advertising masquerades as product information, privacy is often compromised, & web pages & e-mail messages distort the truth. Gurak analyzes the new language of the Internet, explaining how to prepare for its discourse & protect oneself from its hazards. This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in the impact of the Internet on the practices of reading & writing & on our culture in general.

Annotation,For anyone who has ever felt bewildered, dismayed, or even infuriated by the Internet, this helpful book clearly explains computer communications and how to become literate in cyberspace. With lively stories and interesting case histories, Laura Gurak shows how to sort fact from fiction, detect hoaxes, identify advertising masquerading as product information, protect privacy, and contend with other critical issues related to the new language of the Internet.

SACFinal081324