Introduction
The Internet has emerged as a powerful social tool. Judith Donath suggests that:
"People on the 'net should be thought of not only as solitary information processors, but also as social beings. People are not only looking for information, they are also looking for affiliation, support and affirmation... If we view people as social actors, then we should view the net as a social technology. A social technology is one that makes it possible to find people with common interests, to talk with them and listen to them, and to sustain connections with them over time."(Donath, 1996)
Viewed as a social technology, the Internet provides new avenues for cross-disciplinary research. Developers are being asked to consider the social impact of technical design features and modifications, and social researchers are beginning to consider online communities as 'real' social spaces. This paper looks at the impact of a technical design feature - the social proxy - on participation levels in an online community space.
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