The portable community: envisioning and examining mobile social connectedness

The idea that mobile, 'portable' groupings should be considered genuine communities, the site of the formation of authentic social bonds, has been widely debated and contested, particularly as such groupings take new shape and form. This article delineates key concepts which can be used to bring these discussions into greater focus, providing a recommended vocabulary for conceptualising mobile and online connections and communities. It also provides an overview of key types of technologically generated communities. Finally, it discusses some of the sociological implications of mobile technology, including the rise in personal availability and societal cohesion, attendant risks and dangers, and the extent to which social interaction has become increasingly harnessed or controlled.