The last dozen years have seen the birth of two developments that became possible with the advent of the Internet: Internet Science and Open Access publishing. This journal seeks to combine both for the first time.
Internet Science is a research field that combines two interests that profit from each other. On the one hand it analyzes the experience and behavior of individuals and groups on the Internet. On the other hand it focuses on the possibilities of the Internet as a setting or means for research (Reips & Bosnjak, 2001). Unlike many other sciences, the root disciplines for Internet Science (see below) have been affected by the Internet on a full range of scientific activities. Behavioral and social scientists have not only seen a change in their communication, search, and publication options, but also in content and methodology of their work. The number of scientific studies conducted via the Internet has dramatically risen from a handful to several thousand within just ten years (Reips & Lengler, 2005), and Internet-related topics are hot. However, there is a lack of outlets in Internet Science on the traditional journal market. Thus, the International Journal of Internet Science publishes empirical findings, methodology, and theory of social and behavioral science concerning the Internet and its implications for individuals, social groups, rganizations, and society. It provides an outlet for articles on the Internet both as a medium of research and an increasingly important entity in daily human live.