Vertrauen in service-orientierten Online-Communitys

Service-oriented online communities (SOOCs), like airbnb, uber, couchsurfing or blablacar, are becoming more popular in Germany. This book presents a conceptual model which shows internet users’ trust in SOOCs and includes empirical results and theoretical approaches in order to advance research into trust in the field of communication science. It replaces traditional approaches – which usually focus on the credibility of online media – with an analysis that focuses on a user-centred view of the special characteristics of online communities. The function of trust is to reduce the complexity of systems and thus encourage people to engage in risky activities, like the use of online carpooling.