The Behavior of Silent Participants (ROMs: Read Only Members) to the Net

Abstract

Silent members on electronic mailing lists and bulletin boards (ROMs: read only members), that are considered mere receivers of information, are in fact quite active actors in disseminating information from the electronic media to the outside. 37% of ROMs, who tend to be users of the media primarily fbr information gathering purposes, passes the information to the outside world. Such transmission to the outside world tends to happen face-to-face and on personal bases. This paper discusses not only the results of but also methodological issues in researching ROMs.