The prediction, in brief:

For job-seekers, weak ties facilitated over electronic mail can increase the potential for strong ties that can result in new working relationships. Internet-based mailing lists have significant potential for transforming weak ties of acquaintance into strong ties … Universal service policy can effectively reduce costs associated with meeting new people and maintaining relationships that can lead over time to new employment and education opportunities. Internet-based electronic mail introduces a new process efficiency in creating and maintaining novel relationships. Weak ties can be efficiently and cost-effectively maintained … This helps retain options for more serious communications leading to new strong ties in other social and work domains … Policy that encourages such broad individual user of the NII could have a social and economic leveling effect.

Predictor: Civille, Richard

Prediction, in context:

The 1995 book “Public Access to the Internet,” edited by Brian Kahin and James Keller carries the chapter, “The Internet and the Poor” by Richard Civille, executive director of the Center for Civic Networking, a non-profit organization dedicated to the application of information infrastructure to community and economic development. He writes:”For job-seekers, weak ties facilitated over electronic mail can increase the potential for strong ties that can result in new working relationships. Internet-based mailing lists have significant potential for transforming weak ties of acquaintance into strong ties that can result in instrumental actions and productive gains … By encouraging broad access to Internet electronic mail, universal service policy can effectively reduce costs associated with meeting new people and maintaining relationships that can lead over time to new employment and education opportunities. Internet-based electronic mail introduces a new process efficiency in creating and maintaining novel relationships. Weak ties can be efficiently and cost-effectively maintained by continued subscription and occasional postings to newsgroups and mailing lists. This helps retain options for more serious communications leading to new strong ties in other social and work domains. Exchange of employment information over a network also facilitates a free labor market. Policy that encourages such broad individual user of the NII could have a social and economic leveling effect.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Community/Culture

Subtopic: Relationships

Name of publication: Public Access to the Internet (book)

Title, headline, chapter name: The Internet and the Poor

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Pages 198, 199

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne