By Annie Wong
After a long day of school, Emily Han was exhausted and stressed. But she didn?t lie down on her bed. Instead, she turned on the computer and started writing in her online journal.
That?s because she is writing on Xanga, a community of online diaries and journals. Operated by Xanga.com, Inc., based in New York City, Xanga.com is a free Web-based journal-hosting service that provides users with blogs. Users of Xanga are called 'Xangans.' The service is used for personal diaries to social and political commentary.
?I like to write about things I see, give updates on my life and what''s happening around my area,? said Han, a senior majoring in social work. ?I think Xanga provides a good way to keep my own unique journal, while at the same time allowing other people a glimpse into my life.?
Xangans are allowed to post any number of messages, pictures and music each day. One popular aspect of Xanga is the ability to customize the appearance of one''s journal, including the layout colors and border style.
?At first I was attracted to Xanga because I don''t like writing in my journal,? Han said. ?I thought it is a good way to combine my journal with a Web site and pictures. It''s really easy to log on and type my feelings and thoughts about something, so in that way it''s convenient. It''s also fun because I can customize the look with colors and pictures.?
Any users who register may leave comments on other Xangans personal entries. Han said this is the best way to communicate on Xanga and tell other people they enjoyed reading their online journals. Subscriptions allow Xangans to stay up-to-date on other Xangans to whom they''re subscribed, and bring the latest blogs from selected Xangans to the user?s e-mail without having to manually visit each site.
?I love getting comments,? Han said. ?It''s like an interactive journal. It is quick and easy, anyone can use one. I have a lot of friends internationally as well as all over the United States, and it''s a fun way to keep in touch and be in the loop with all of them.?
But Xanga is proving to help with more than just keeping in touch with friends. In May, a New York Daily News front-page story reported police used a murder victim?s last Xanga entry to identify the killer.
Xanga places particular emphasis on community, allowing its users to subscribe to others'' blogs, or to create and join categorized groups called blogrings. Last year, Xanga launched Xanga Metros, a feature that allows users to find other users in their same area.
As of last April, Alexa Internet rated Xanga the 14th most popular English-language Web site, and the 27th most popular Web site in the world. So far, its membership has grown to over 31 million users worldwide. The service is largely used by teenagers and young adults, but is open to anyone 13 years or older.
BYU advertising professor Tom Robinson said Xanga gives students a new outlet for communication. He said it also provides the advertising world access to a large diverse group.
?Advertising is changing so quickly that we have to find new ways to attract the attention of people that we are interested in talking to,? Robinson said. ?These kinds of web pages are really fascinating that we can go directly to certain groups of people and speak directly to them about things they are interested in.?
Speaking from a father''s perspective, Robinson said he is concerned with the privacy issue.
?There is always a concern of your information getting out,? Robinson said. ?With the Internet, you never really know for sure where your information is going or who you are communicating with. As a father, I am concerned with what my children are involved in, with the Internet.?
Another Xanga user, Casey Luo, said although the majority of Xangans all have good intentions, there are people who use Xanga for cyber-bullying.
?Because of the freedom Xanga allows, one can write about anything,? said Luo, a junior from China. ?This has its tremendous advantages, but obviously if it is not used with integrity it can have negative consequences.?
She suggested other Xanga users never writing negative things about another person using their name or identifying information. This way, the writer and the readers are protected.
?When using Xanga, I think it is very important to remember that even though it is a personal site, anyone can read it,? she said. ?Knowing this, it is vital that when writing, one is careful of anything that might be taken out of context or used the wrong way.?