Online Discussion Forum as a Means of Peer Support

Today, information and communication technology has spread into our workplaces and living surroundings. In other words, the development of pervasive and ubiquitous Internet enables people to connect to services in places it was not possible a few years ago. This paper analyses and discusses social media as a means of peer support in www-based discussion forums that enable newspaper readers express their opinions and arguments in the media. At the time of swine flu approaching the country, we examined how the readers discussed the intriguing topic. During the study period, altogether 1,361 comments were given. The results reveal that people want to be heard or read and that they also seem to be eager to comfort each other.