"The purpose of this research was to study the challenges and opportunities for the trade union movement and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) from the new communications technologies. There was a special focus on the readiness of the Finnish working population to use network communications and their potential to use it for networking to acquire knowledge and support and to exert influence. By using the Internet mainly as a one-way information channel, the largest potential of the Net for the NGOs and trade unions has been overlooked. As an interactive space, the Internet has potential to develop into a new Workers' Hall or Community Hall of the trade union movement—forum for social interaction, networking, influencing, activism, and social capital. In the trade union movement and the NGOs, there has, however, very little contemplation about how to use the new information and communication technology (ICT) to strengthen interaction, community spirit, participation, and democracy."

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