online community

An online community is a virtual community whose members interact with each other primarily via the Internet. Those who wish to be a part of an online community usually have to become a member via a specific site and necessarily need an internet connection. An online community can also act as an information system where members can post, comment on discussions, give advice or collaborate. Online communities have become a very popular way for people to interact, who have either known each other in real life or met online. The most common forms people communicate through are chat rooms, forums, e-mail lists or discussion boards. Most people rely on social networking sites to communicate with one another but there are many other examples of online communities. People also join online communities through video games, blogs and virtual worlds.