Community classifieds

The "classified ad" is another day-to-day task which the Internet is clearly apt to take on. Web sites are basically interactive advertisements, with the "interactive" bit added relatively recently. Small ads for business use might help businesses decide whether or not there is a web-based market for their goods or services. It might also be a way to circumvent conditions which are impeding a more elaborate use of web-building techniques, particularly in less-connected locations (for example).

But I am also interested by the popularity of community-level classified sites, such as craigslist and LoQuo. It seems almost obvious that the Internet be used in this way to connect people who live in relatively close geographical proximity. How much can be said about the people in the places listed on these sites based on their use of them? What kind of impact do they have? I have recently been heavily reliant upon LoQuo to find out details regarding my impending relocation. Then I imagined someone doing the reverse with the craigslist page from my hometown. Would they find what they were looking for, or would they be gravely misinformed? I'm not actually sure.

It is also significant, I suppose, that I saw fit to call these 'community' classifieds based upon their tendency to list items by geographical location. Is that an incorrect assumption on my part? Probably. But it does bring to light new and interesting permutations on the term 'community' that are essential for research in this area.




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