6533b7ddfe1ef96bd127374d

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Internet use and informal help for surrounding communities in Finland

subject

description

This chapter investigates whether Internet use and involvement in social networking sites are related to the unpaid help that is provided to members of the surrounding communities. Three different forms of unpaid help are studied: assistance in care, housework and technology use. Previous literature dealing with the impacts of ICT use on the social cohesion of communities and the sense of togetherness is discussed to provide a solid basis for the research. As for the empirical part of the study, the chapter analyses the Finnish Time Use Survey collected between 2009 and 2010. The results show that it is not Internet use per se that is associated with the provision of informal help to the other members of a neighbouring community. Rather, it is the social use of the Internet which is positively associated with the informal help given to others in the offline context. However, Internet use may also add to informal help, provided face-to-face, but only when the help is given in technology use. The study suggest that the social benefits of Internet use, and especially those of online social networking, for communities are strongly segmented according to the type of help provision. peerReviewed