This is a draft of an article that was published in a special edition of the Journal of Group Analytics, March 2002.

Abstract

There is little doubt that the Internet will continue to have an increasing effect on social interaction in the new millennium. Yet the Internet remains widely misunderstood. It is seen by many as merely a new technology of communication. However, it is in point of fact many different types of medium, offering a rich array of enhancements to the forms our communication can take, and about which considerable research has already been done. This research is useful for the Group Analyst in preparing for the technical possibilities of the new millennium. This article will define the uses of the Internet, including the benefits, challenges to overcome and issues involved, then discuss some of the specific applications that can be made from a fuller understanding of group processes on the Internet, with the aim of focusing on the many new opportunities for growth in all aspects of group-analytic psychotherapy.

Keywords: Internet, large group, technology, members, group processes