Editing Virtual community (section)

==Disadvantages of Internet communities==
While instant communication means fast access, it also means that information is posted without being reviewed for correctness. It is difficult to choose reliable sources because there is no editor who reviews each post and makes sure it is up to a certain degree of quality.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=M.A.|last2=Kollock|first2=P.|year=1999|title=Communities in cyberspace|location=New York, New York|publisher=Routledge}}</ref>

In theory, online identities can be kept anonymous which enables people to use the virtual community for fantasy role playing as in the case of ''Second Life''{{'}}s use of avatars. Some professionals urge caution with users who use online communities because predators also frequent these communities looking for victims who are vulnerable to online [[identity theft]] or [[online predator]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last=Foster|first=D.|date=18 December 2000|title=Community and identity in the electronic village|url=http://services.exeter.ac.uk/cmit/media/texts/porter1996/foster1996_community_and_identity/|access-date=15 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110117045700/http://services.exeter.ac.uk/cmit/media/texts/porter1996/foster1996_community_and_identity/|archive-date=17 January 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

There are also issues surrounding bullying on internet communities. With users not having to show their face, people may use threatening and discriminating acts towards other people because they feel that they would not face any consequences.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Humphreys|first=Lee|date=August 2011|title=Who's Watching Whom? A Study of Interactive Technology and Surveillance|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2011.01570.x|journal=Journal of Communication|volume=61|issue=4|pages=575–595|doi=10.1111/j.1460-2466.2011.01570.x|issn=0021-9916|access-date=18 November 2022|archive-date=17 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117173558/https://academic.oup.com/joc/article-abstract/61/4/575/4098465?redirectedFrom=fulltext|url-status=live}}</ref>

There are standing issues with gender and race on the online community as well, where only the majority is represented on the screen, and those of different background and genders are underrepresented.<ref name="Nakamura-2013"/>