Communication is a term that is conceptualized in a variety of ways. The two primary categories of communication have historically been reciprocal communication such as dialogue, and dissemination, which encompasses a broad range of media including writing, radio and television. Bakhtin describes dialogue as something that “provokes an answer, anticipates it and structures itself in the answer's direction” (Bakhtin, 1981, 280). Reciprocal communication is always a back and forth and dissemination is always one sided, seemingly making them opposites. However, with new technology there are many cases where it is difficult to distinguish which category communication falls under. In some cases, such as with Facebook, there is no one correct category because the medium blurs the boundaries between categories. Facebook is a social networking site that began with university students but has become popular with the general public. Matthew J. Hodge reported Facebook to be the “seventh most visited Web site on the Internet” (Hodge 2008). This large number of users means that communication on Facebook is mass communication, with the potential for a multitude of people to view each post. Dwyer, Hiltz and Passerini claim that communication is the main motivation for users to access Facebook. (Dwyer, Hiltz and Passerini 2007, 1). Changes in youth culture have inspired people to communicate in new ways through the web 2.0 format of Facebook. Web 2.0 is an interactive web site format that allow viewers to become authors of content on the site. Facebook combines different conceptions of communication by disseminating dialogue.
Many elements of Facebook are pure dissemination. Writing a "Note" on Facebook is broadcasting a text. Depending on the users privacy settings a Note can either be available for everyone on Facebook to read, it can be limited to the users' network or it can only be visible to those classified as "friends" of the user. In either case numerous people can and most likely will view the note that is not specifically intended towards them. When a user writes a new Note the button they click to complete it is labelled “publish”, because that is essentially what is being done. No matter the content or quality of the written material it is being published and much like a published book, it is made available to read. Readers will not have direct contact with the author of the note while they read. Many other elements on a Facebook profile are information broadcasted by the user about him or herself, undeniably dissemination. The status, which announces where or in what state of mind a person is, is not directed at any other user in particular and can be viewed by many people. The personal information that comprises the majority of the profile, listing age, religious views, political views, employment, education and entertainment preferences is not interactive and does not offer an explanation behind selections. Hodge (2008) compares the sharing of information on Facebook to bulletin boards and yearbooks. The information is provided to the masses and left to be accepted and interpreted.
Reciprocal communication is also present in Facebook. There are instant messenger applications that can be added to Facebook that function much like MSN instant messenger. Instant messaging is dialogue, despite the fact that people talking on it are not in the same room. It can be enhanced with webcams and microphones to provide video and or audio. Hearing and seeing the other person allows for a back and forth that responds to tone and body language just as talking in person does. Even without the webcam or microphone instant messaging is a reciprocal form of communication. Messages sent are intended for a specific audience who know who the sender is. The receiver interprets the message and is able to respond with a message of their own or ask for clarification on the previous message. The instantaneousness and dual participation of instant messaging makes it unquestionably reciprocal communication. It is arguable that the Message system of Facebook, that is essentially e-mail, is also a form of dialogue or reciprocal communication. It too is a system of direct messages between two individuals who send and receive replies to and from one another. With an intended audience the message is directed at the specific individual and encourages a response. When an individual clicks "reply" rather than creating a whole new message the previous contact between the individuals is listed for reference, preventing misunderstandings in case the response is not instantaneous. Private conversations are held through this messaging system, the key word being conversations.
Public conversations are held on the "Wall". Each person's profile, and each network or group's page has a wall that encourages a new form of communication. In a sense it is a dialogue, where people respond to one another, often two individuals writing on each other's walls in turns but also occasionally multiple people responding to an issue written on the same wall. Socrates states that dialogue is “non-reproducible” (Peters 1999, 35) but this is not true on Facebook where advanced versions of the Wall allow posts received to be forwarded. It is somewhat reciprocal because there are responses back and forth, with an intended audience that is encouraged to respond to the individual who posted. However, the wall is also dissemination. The conversations held on the walls of Facebook are broadcasted, available for all the friends of the participants to see, and in an open profile or group any Facebook user can read the dialogue. These supposedly unintended viewers interpret the conversations they read much like they might watch a dialogue on a television program or read about two people interacting in a book. Socrates feared many people reading messages intended only for a few people (Peters 1999, 37) and would oppose Facebook on the grounds that many of the messages posted on Walls are private and should not be in a public space. Hodge writes, “there is no intention on the part of the user, or assurance inherent in the communication that only the recipient will be able to view the information presented” (Hodge 2008). The dialogue, as Hodge is noting, is not private. Dialogue becomes dissemination when it is posted for all to see and remains there after the words are read by the receiver, left as a public record of personal interaction.
